Repurpose, Reengineer and Relocate
This tab is dedicated to the latest body of crazy work. After my One Per Day exhibits, I found myself revisiting some of the pieces I fell in love with in 2017. The object of this game is to have "critters" take found objects, often Victorian era, and re-engineer them into escape vehicles so that they may leave their current conditions. If there was ever any doubt that I was strongly influenced by Jim Henson and Walt Disney, it's certainly gone now. Each piece is made primarily of clay. If you click on the image, it will enlarge for a better view.
Arktopus
8x13x9
Arktopus is taking a vacation. He's taken an oil can and a variety of parts he found on the ocean floor to make his escape vehicle.
$120
Balthazar, But My Friends Call Me Bart
7x9x7.5
Balthazar has also taken an oil can and found objects to leave the ocean floor. He's got a major craving for ice cream, so he's headed inland.
Sold
Ciao-der
13x8.5x7.5
Ciao-der (a play on chowder) has always wanted to visit Italy. He has his map, opera glasses, personal submarine, and he just scored tickets to La Traviata.
Sold
Debbela
11x12x13
Debbela gave me quite challenge. I struggled for two weeks on how to attach the typewriter keys after the firings. My kid took four minutes to come up with a solution-brazing rods. Four. Minutes.
Sold
Elroy
11x12x13
Elroy has taken an old fire extinguisher to make a submarine. He, and his hitchhiker, are heading to the nearest plastic surgeon's office to get that blasted hook out of his mouth.
Sold
Formaggio Brothers: Ferdinand, Moe, and Slip
13x8x15
The Formaggio brothers have been bullied by their older cousins long enough. They found this old camera in the dump and have transformed it into a perfect getaway vehicle. Don't mind the fact that they filled the camera with cheese that may or may not have belonged to the mean cousins.
NFS
Gertrude and Gilda
17x18x10
This one deviates from the rules a bit. I wanted to give non-moveable things the ability to move. The challenge of making a tricycle out of clay was too tempting. Gertrude and Gilda are out for an afternoon bike ride to enjoy a little sunshine and maybe get some ice cream.
Sold
Hattie Boudreaux and the Traveling Hens
11x14x10
Hattie Boudreaux is named after Ouiser Boudreaux from Steel Magnolias-a favorite movie for my sister and me. Hattie is traveling with her best friends far away from the swamp. The bugs are getting out of hand and the humidity is too much to handle. They've transformed this skateboard in to a swamp boat, packed their bags, and are headed north-where the mosquito is NOT the state bird.
$475
Igbert
7x5 and 9x7
Igbert is ticking this off his bucket list-a ride in a hot air balloon. He found a diver's helmet and hooked it up to a balloon. Arizona, here we come.
Sold
Judy and Judy
6x9.5x9
Judy and Judy (Judy is the nickname all five college roommates had. Yes-all five.) have turned an old oil can into an airplane. They've decided the farm life is not for them.
Sold
Kenwood (If He Could) Kilpatrick III
7.5x6 and 4x5x4
Kenwood made quite the spectacle of himself at his ex's wedding. Based on the number of empty champagne bottles, he will have quite the headache all the way to Kansas. He figures that's too far for the new hubby to go looking for him.
Sold
Lettie and Louie
13x7x7
Lettie is sick of laying eggs. She stole a milk can and made a rocket out of it. Little does she know, Louie strapped himself on the back. He can't let his best friend go without him. Plus, he has snacks in his backpack.
Sold
Marcooni
10x15x5
Marcooni and Nikola have decided to become race car drivers. Marcooni found an old radio, added wheels, lights, and a steering wheel. He's ready to go!
$400 available at Bluestem Missouri Crafts in Columbia, MO
Nikola
9x15x5
Nikola accepted Marcooni's challenge and made his own car out of old auto cans.
$400 available at Bluestem Missouri Crafts in Columbia, MO
Oscar, Ophelia, and Oona
13x6 and 7x7
The O Penguins are sick of the cold weather-the snow and the ice-blecch. But, they won't live without their ice cream, so they are taking their churn and heading south. The chickens in Key West are their 3rd cousins, twice removed. They said they can crash at their house for a while.
Sold
Pickles McGee
9x11x17
When pigs fly-ha! Pickles prefers a neat and tidy pen. Her pen-mates don't agree. Rather than create a fuss, she stole the vacuum from Mr. Farmer and turned it into a plane. She's off to cleaner pastures.
$400
Quark McClintock
7x8x4
Quark didn't lose a tennis ball, he found one! He's taken all of his cherished possessions and is leaving the farm. His girlfriend left him for another goat and he can't bear to watch them canoodle any longer.
$275
Riot Cornelius Alexander Victor III
6x9x7
Riot is the world's leading sea lion pilot. To be fair, he is the ONLY sea lion pilot. He's gathered some snacks and a suitcase and is off to adventures in his helicopter out of a Victrola tube, snow shoes, and skis, all found at the bottom of the ocean.
Sold
Squiggy
17x7x10
My husband rarely gives his input on my projects, so when he suggested something with a barber's pole, I ran with it. Squiggy has gathered some snacks and is headed out of the arctic. It's too cold for his taste and he'd like to meet a nice southern bear and settle down. Maybe start a business. Have a couple of cubs.
$475
Travis, Nigel and Terrance-the Goggle Brotherhood
12x18x10
Travis and his buddies are a nod to my son. He says a sloth is his spirit animal (that's pretty accurate) yet he drives a very fast motorcycle (against my better judgement). Once the sloth was complete, he picked out the names. Travis and his buddies are headed to Sturgis. It may take them a while.
NFS
Ursula
10x9x6
Ursula is a bit of a diva. She's sick of spending her time with all of the other "hens" eating shrimp and walking around in the less than pristine water. She found an old skate and a teacup and made her escape vehicle. It's time to find a private beach with a cabana boy and all the lobster and mimosas she can handle.
Sold
Vivienne del Mar
14x7x8
Vivienne does double duty. She drives a tow truck at night and hangs out at the beach during the day. Her other hobbies include fishing and bowling. This is starting to sound like a profile for a dating site.
Sold
Winston and Bruce
10x6x14
Winston has packed his wagon, hitched up Bruce, and is heading to bluer oceans. He found this old toaster and turned it into a luxurious vacation pad. They are both hoping to find fame and fortune, just as soon as Bruce remembers that fish are friends, not food.
$450 for sale at Art Impressions Gallery in Sedalia, MO
Xenon Von Fisch Schtick
12x9x3.5
Xenon has always dreamed of being a race car driver, or maybe it was a competition fisherman. He's not sure anymore, so why not do both? He found an old roller-skate and a shoe stretcher. They make the perfect race car!
Sold
Yardley on the Yellowstone Express
12x10x4.5
While working on this project, people throw out all kinds of good ideas. The still is my brother's idea, as he is an engineer specializing in stainless steel tanks, particularly for breweries. The rat as one eye covered as an homage to a life-long friend and her ridiculous notion that she drove better with one hand over her eye.
$375
The Zephyrelly Brothers
8x8x6
The Zephyrelly Brothers have commandeered this kaleidoscope, added wings, wheels, and a propeller to join the circus. They have an incredible flying stunt act that is sure to wow any audience. It's infinitely better now that they secured the fish before doing loop-de-loops.
NFS
Phase two of this project still uses the alphabet to show progress, but in a different way. The next 26 pieces will be A-Z by the type of vehicle, not the title of the piece. The premise remains the same. Each critter takes found objects and turns them into the escape vehicle represented by each letter.
Aerial Tramway-Cooper
16x12x15
Cooper just crashed a wedding. It did not go over well. He probably should have kept his peace. Lorraine threw her bouquet at his head. Her groom threatened bodily harm. Escape seemed like a good idea. PErhaps he can find lasting love in New York-or at least a good slice of pizza.
$375
Bathyscaphe-Roscoe and Matilda
12x17x17
Chickens make the best friends! Roscoe has turned an old clock in to a bathyscaphe, complete with an observation gondola for his bestie, Matilda. They're tooling around the ocean so he can introduce her to everyone before heading to land for some antiquing and a hot dog eating contest.
$600
Carriage-Camilla and Earl
10x6x9
Talk about an odd couple...Ordinarily, otters and clams are not compatible, but not this pair. They found a broken teapot, added some wheels, grabbed some snacks, and are off on an adventure. There's rumor of a pearl museum in Tennessee. Seriously. There's a pearl museum in Tennessee.
Sold
USS Enterprise-Monica, Phoebe, and Rachel
14x14x9
The chickens have decided a career of laying eggs is just not for them. They'd rather be anywhere else. After watching two episodes of Star Trek, they fashioned their own Enterprise out of old toys and are off to big adventures, and maybe even some coffee.
$450
Fairey Swordfish-Florence
7.5x12x10
Flo is off to fly the friendly skies. She's had enough of the dry, dusty savannah. It's wreaking havoc on her complexion. Time for a drink with an umbrella in the rainforest.
Sold
Gondola-Marvin and Maisle
15x4.5x6
The rats are sick of the tourists. They've put together their own gondola out of a shoe stretcher and a sardine can. They are heading to Spain! They heard Spain makes the #1 goat cheese in the world.
$275
Hindenburg-Ernst
9.5x7x16
Some history: Our relative, Ernst Lehmann was the original pilot of the Hindenburg and a passenger on that fateful day. In addition, Great Grandma always had a Charles Chips can in the kitchen. Dad says it always had stale ginger cookies in it just in case someone needed a cookie. Ernst, in this case, just wants out of the ocean. He's being bullied by cuttlefish. He's headed for Montana. There are no cuttlefish in Montana.
$550
Ice Cream Cart-Florida or Bust
14x9x13
Joey, Ross, and Chandler are getting out of the cold. They have a plan to make some cash so they can head to Florida. They ice cream cart is stocked and they'll make enough travel money if Joey doesn't eat all of the ice cream first.
$450 (the record spins slowly on top of the Victrola)
John Deere Tractor-Sawyer, Becky and Polly
10x7x10
The chickens and their trusted body guard are leaving the farm. They just discovered Elton John and are hoping to catch all of his remaining concerts.
$450
Kangaroo-Templeton, Woodrow, and Rizzo
7x8x9.5
The Kowalski brothers are taking their act on the road. They don't look like much, but they have a fantastic magic act. Granted, they can't convince Rizzo to get back in Goldin's box, but that's a story for another day.
NFS