Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Stuff I Collect: Wires

OK, I have already admitted to collecting "stuff.  I confess that I might be headed toward a house full of newspapers and cats along with other treasured items.

For example I have been fascinated with old wire since I lived in Malawi and saw what the children there could make out of scraps of wire and other found objects.  In fact I enjoy all found object art.  I have an affinity for anything that involves recycling, imagination and creativity.




Imagine my delight in finding that there are pieces of old wire everywhere I go out on the mesa behind my house.  I come back home everyday with handfuls.  I am sure that someday I will do something great with these scraps that come in all shapes and sizes and textures.  Or maybe just create a photo album of these unique shapes.

In the meantime they pile up in my garage(my husband got tired of the pile that grew but the day in the laundry room that doubles for craft room, sewing room and storage area for skis, tools ect.

These photos do not do my collection justice.  I am sure I have more or maybe my husband managed to toss some out?  You see I collect wood too but that is another story.  The Corona box?  All Steve's.


New delight when I found these works of found object art at the Dine community college student art show in Tsaille.  All wire!

And then this.  A photo of a Galimoto sent to me from the mom of a friend who taught my book Galimoto back in the 90s and had children make their own found object art.

Lovely when your books just keep coming back to you in so many gratifying ways.

And all those wires I am saving?  I am sure this summer I will make some garden sculptures and wind chimes.  The wire comes in handy for practical purposes too...hanging the humming bird feeder or hanging flower basket or training those vines in my garden.

And hey that little book about wires is still selling like hotcakes!  I lug my wire sculptures to schools around the country.

1 comment:

Barbara O'Connor said...

I love this! You are too cool for school.