Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Concentrating Deeply Today

Today, I need all the alpha waves I can muster to figure out the best way I can to present an idea I have for a public art project.  I cannot say much about the idea...I don't want to jinx it...

Of course I have to figure out how to best do this in 1000 words or less...oh - heck - no problem for me...brevity is my middle name...yep...
 
I know what I'll talk about today....I will share with you a different idea I have for a public art project (it isn't something created for a specific call like the one I have to concentrate on today). 

One day - back in 2002 or so - a very funny thought for a sculpture occurred.,.you know - it came from where ever inspiration comes from...and I just happened to be listening.  I sculpted this thought then and saved the clay sculpture all these years.

In the last year, I re-sculpted it as a maquette for a public art sculpture.  I altered the original sculpture to be more the in style I have today for horse sculpture...but it is similar in title and thought.

It's called Horse-In-A-Round ©

Just as an aside, and you may already know this about my work, but - one of the things about horses (and especially my horses - wild and barefoot and carefree) is, they are the metaphor - to me - of a joyful human spirit!  

You who are collectors of my work maybe feel that about them too, as many of you have never had a real horse or even have much of an interest in horses. 
 
Anyway....so - here is this crazy sculpture of a horse in the middle of a summersault (something a horse really couldn't do - but something a happy human could do!) and his body is circular (in a round...yes?)  The day I imagined this sculpture - the thought of it was so fun... I laughed out loud!  :)  Good thing no one else was in the room...

I apologize about these photos I took.  They do illustrate beautifully WHY I have professional photos taken of my work most of the time.  

Remember now, these are photos of the maquette...a small version or model of what a large sculpture might look like.  The finished large sculpture would not be white or made from paper clay...the finished public art sculpture would be bronze or aluminum and would have one of the beautiful patinas my work has.... 


Ta-Da!   Horse-In-A-Round...get it?? 


hahahahaha!

Around the base are the words:  Horse•In•A•Round - and the letters are constructed so humans can walk up the letters and get on the base with the sculpture - and interact with it if they wish.



 How fun for a piece of public art!  It could be anywhere!  
Also on the base is a right-side-up horseshoe (for good luck of course) where, inside the horse shoe, can be the image of a symbol or logo for a city or place. 


Walking up to the letters, people would walk over these handprints and signatures of everyone who contributed to the funding of the project.  (I think that it's a nice thing to do...thank the funders of public art this way.  It is something that will always be part of the work and something that their children and grandchildren can see.) 

So the letters and city or place logo would say:  Horse•In•A•Round in (for example) Las Vegas ...or Horse•In•A•Round at Churchill Downs

'Course - the proposal for the upcoming public art project I am currently pondering won't be for Horse-In-A-Round...because, somehow, the description of the project sounds a bit more low key...although - I could be wrong about that. 

What I am thinking to propose for the public art for the call I'm pondering today is Okaga, the South Wind !  He is a beautiful sculpture at 19 inches high...and I think he would be even more beautiful 10 to 12  -FEET- high! 

Can you just imagine it???  He is just so dignified and proud and there's just so much action in him with his upraised foot and his mane and tail blowing in the wind!  I look at him and see:  G - l - o - r - ious !  What a wonderful wild boy he is.

Okaga - the South Wind from the Lakota Winds series
Anyway...for the next few days or so, if you have a moment to - send me some help or email me any advice you might have - or just send any spare energy of your persuasive powers? your supportive thoughts? prayers for miracles?   Heck, I know there are a LOT of things more important than my little public art proposal - but if you feel so inclined? just send any positive waves my way? 

I sure would appreciate that huge!   Thank you  :)

'Til tomorrow!

~Alex