Sunday, September 05, 2004
First Friday addendum
Forgot to mention the "seed pod" exhibit at one of the galleries. Someone, whose name I can't remember, nor the gallery, collected scads of various seed pods while living in Guyana (spelling?) South America. Some looked like sycamore burrs, some like monkey tree pods, some like the tips of small artillery casings, some like tiny copies of horns from longhorned steers. He had a basketful of individual samples we could touch; the "minature horns" one was surpisingly smooth. Although he had several sheets identifying the scientific names of the pods, I didn't really get a chance to study it so I can't be more exact at this time.
He created several wreaths with rolled bark that looked like sycamore or cinnamon bark. He created hanging orbs from the shell casings and the sycamore burrs. But the two most interesting displays were made from the minature horns and the monkey tree pods. The minature horns were threaded (with wire I think) through the base of each one and stretched across the floor of the gallery, curved into a large spiral and then brought up to the ceiling about twenty feet away. When I first walked in, I saw only part of the diagonal line on the floor and I thought it was the vertabrae of some animal. He had to have collected a huge number of these pods because they're smaller than two inches across, about the size and shape of wingnuts. Then down both long walls of the gallery, he had pinned the monkey pods in waves to the wall using macrame "T" pins, which you couldn't see at first. Depending on where I stood I had the impression of a huge flock of blackbirds/starlings taking off and flying up from the horizon. I've driven along roads in the dusk and startled such flocks into flight. They seem to be few in a number on the ground but taking off they go in one continus, sinuous curve, like a long silk scarve lifted into a strong breeze, swooping and swirling enmasse. I couldn't begin to estimate how many pods or pins he used.
I guess this was art and not craftwork because craftwork is self-contained. You buy the wreath or decoration and take it home, hanging it where you want. I can't see someone buying the monkeypods and pins and putting them up at home. I also had the thought of someone coming to NJ and collecting maple tree "whizzards", sycamore burrs, pinecones, etc., and setting up such a display in Africa or South America. Of course I've been known to collect such "throwaway" stuff; I just never have the creativity to display them like this.
Ultimately, however, it was God the creator who designed all of these pods. His joy in creating such items, down to the minutest detail usually escapes our notice because they're so "ordinary" and every day occurrences. I'm reminded of all the awesome florescent fish and undersea life He created but which only He knew existed until a few short years and decades ago. In the book of Revelation, it is written: "Worthy are Thou to receive glory and honor and power for Thou hast created all things and for Thy pleasure they were created. (emphasis added.) The book of Romans reminds us that all of us know we are created beings, yet we fail to honor God as creator or give thanks. My response to the gallery display was almost indifference to the craftsman's assembly of the pods but amazement at God's creativity. I have the impression from the guestbook and comments overheard that most people there put the emphasis on the craftsman, not the Creator.
He created several wreaths with rolled bark that looked like sycamore or cinnamon bark. He created hanging orbs from the shell casings and the sycamore burrs. But the two most interesting displays were made from the minature horns and the monkey tree pods. The minature horns were threaded (with wire I think) through the base of each one and stretched across the floor of the gallery, curved into a large spiral and then brought up to the ceiling about twenty feet away. When I first walked in, I saw only part of the diagonal line on the floor and I thought it was the vertabrae of some animal. He had to have collected a huge number of these pods because they're smaller than two inches across, about the size and shape of wingnuts. Then down both long walls of the gallery, he had pinned the monkey pods in waves to the wall using macrame "T" pins, which you couldn't see at first. Depending on where I stood I had the impression of a huge flock of blackbirds/starlings taking off and flying up from the horizon. I've driven along roads in the dusk and startled such flocks into flight. They seem to be few in a number on the ground but taking off they go in one continus, sinuous curve, like a long silk scarve lifted into a strong breeze, swooping and swirling enmasse. I couldn't begin to estimate how many pods or pins he used.
I guess this was art and not craftwork because craftwork is self-contained. You buy the wreath or decoration and take it home, hanging it where you want. I can't see someone buying the monkeypods and pins and putting them up at home. I also had the thought of someone coming to NJ and collecting maple tree "whizzards", sycamore burrs, pinecones, etc., and setting up such a display in Africa or South America. Of course I've been known to collect such "throwaway" stuff; I just never have the creativity to display them like this.
Ultimately, however, it was God the creator who designed all of these pods. His joy in creating such items, down to the minutest detail usually escapes our notice because they're so "ordinary" and every day occurrences. I'm reminded of all the awesome florescent fish and undersea life He created but which only He knew existed until a few short years and decades ago. In the book of Revelation, it is written: "Worthy are Thou to receive glory and honor and power for Thou hast created all things and for Thy pleasure they were created. (emphasis added.) The book of Romans reminds us that all of us know we are created beings, yet we fail to honor God as creator or give thanks. My response to the gallery display was almost indifference to the craftsman's assembly of the pods but amazement at God's creativity. I have the impression from the guestbook and comments overheard that most people there put the emphasis on the craftsman, not the Creator.
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