Started leaving these around town today, in honor of the Day of the Dead coming up in a few days.  They are Corona and Dos Equis bottle caps made into little pins with marigolds and skulls or tombstones.  The text on skulls are obituaries.  The Day of the Dead holiday is more a celebratory and commemorative holiday, honoring and remembering the dead but it is still a kind of memento mori and I like the colors. Not sure if I will do more each year but it was fun to try something new.

I embarked on a project last summer 8/16/2009 to develop a discipline as an artist by looking for a object each day, any kind of object, collect it, log it and tie it to a string to keep it.

I did it, and I learned how much of a perfectionist I can be and how much I needed to push through the unimpressive days, the days of leaves and small bits of garbage and just keep doing the project.  Some nights I got out of bed realizing I had not collected, and once, just once I woke the next day and realized I never collected an object.  1 out of 365.  That is not bad.  I lost one object to find it later that day, and I have lost objects and not replaced, again just once.  2 out of 365, that’s a success rate of %99.45, again not bad for my first ever year long assignment. I found more value in overcoming small imperfections than restarting to get it right.

I challenged myself to try to not repeat objects, as best I could.  I discovered there are lot more people who lose their sunglasses and eyeglasses on than I expected.  I found drugs (turned in to Police) bullets, money, condoms new and used (only collected the new ones). I found stuff that was pure junk and I found stuff that was probably pure junk but that has found it’s way into other projects.  I discovered some parts of town have regular sweeping days while others no one seems to take responsibility for.

I have a canopy of objects in my study space, that seems fun to think was once underfoot.  It reads in some ways like the book of Proverbs, there is little pattern, just the constant object on display, one after another.

I am convinced it would make a great exhibit someday and somewhere, but that may be vanity, I know for sure it was worth doing and that I got a lot out of it, mostly unseen stuff for myself.  Below is the original instructions and the log with some more pictures.

365 Object A Day

A yearlong assignment beginning today, August 16, 2009.

Each day, find one object, and enter it in the log below and attach it to the string.  No alteration except whatever is required to attach it to the string.  I can add to the length of string as needed.  Duplication is not what I want but there may be several days of cigarette butts and beer caps, as long as I am daily looking for an object and at least every other day entering items in the log and adding it to the chain, so it doesn’t get piled up.

Interest is in daily discipline of looking and logging.  No apparent trend or meaning as yet just to develop a way of being and looking.

8/16/09                   yellow crayon                                                                   Wal-Mart parking lot.

8/17/09                  big, old bolt                                                                        St by our house

8/18/09                  gold and pearl clip on earring                                      Parking lot at work

8/19/09                  beat up feather                                                                   Parking lot at BnN

8/20/09                  bobby pin                                                                            Parking lot at church

8/21/09                  TY heart tag                                                                        Parking lot at work

8/22/09                  bracelet                                                                                sidewalk by house

8/23/09                   D cell battery top                                                              Church parking lot

8/24/09                  clear tube                                                                            Parking lot at work

8/25/09                  washer of some sort                                                        parking lot at house

8/26/09                  rusted nail                                                                          parking lot by house

While driving around looking for throw piles to go through I saw a homeless guy sitting under tree by busy down town off ramp and in back alley of my town I saw an old guy bringing water to take care of stray cats/kittens.  Both would have gone unnoticed if I had not been looking for discarded items to use to make art.

8/27/09                  blue plastic diamond shape                                            Parking lot

8/28/09                  penny                                                                                    Parking lot

8/29/09                   Ale8 1 Bottle cap                                                                Kroger parking lot

8/30/09                  rusted washer?                                                                    Church parking lot

8/31/09                  Losing KY lottery ticket                                                     Kroger parking lot

9/1/09                     yellow, black and white cord                                           stairwell at work

9/2/09                     part of a rubber ball                                                            parking lot at work

9/3/09                     rubber Palm accessory                                                       parking lot at work

9/4/09                     leather zipper fob                                                                 parking lot at work

9/5/09                     part of lamp                                                                           Minister’s Treehouse

9/6/09                     Copenhagen lid                                                                    VFW BBQ, TN

9/7/09                     Plastic cap for toy gun                                                        Going to mailbox

9/8/09                     Packet of silica                                                                     Grocery store

9/9/09                     garden tag                                                                              work sidewalk

9/10/09                  plastic shoe heel                                                                   church parking lot

9/11/09                   suction cup                                                                              taking out garbage

9/12/09                   spool of purple thread                                                          walking down the St

9/13/09                   tag from Tiger blanket                                                         bedroom floor

I have had this blanket since 5^th or 6^th grade, ca 1984, so it is at least 25 years old, and it is my wife’s favorite blanket.  I am glad I found the tag to include in this project, no idea how many more years it has.

9/14/09                  yellow wire cap                                                                       work parking lot

9/15/09                  plastic smiley guy with hat on                                            work hallway

9/16/09                  half of a plastic mechanical pencil                                    nature trail

9/17/09                  lego piece for a race car                                                         stopped at a light

9/18/09                  angel                                                                                          on my desk

9/19/09                  toothbrush                                                                                on the St

9/20/09                  promotional guitar pick                                                       work parking lot

9/21/09                  Grater’s Ice Cream Lid                                                          courtyard at work

9/22/09                  paper clip                                                                                 at the house

I had found a small losing game piece from a Subway cup, but it must have fell out of my pocket.  That is the first time I did not have an object from my day out.  I used a paperclip I found here in the house and will no longer collect just one piece, even on a slow day

9/23/09                  broken piece of Toyota logo                                                junkyard

9/24/09                  child’s alphabet block                                                          at church

Yes I do feel a little guilty but it was in an adult classroom and I figured it was probably a lost toy by now anyways.

9/25/09                  button                                                                                       courtyard at work

9/26/09                  broken break light piece                                                      checking mail

9/27/09                  little lighter                                                                             parking lot at work

9/28/09                  “driftwood”                                                                             random parking lot

I was sort of depressed Sunday when I found some acorns.  Only because I found them in a parking lot at Barnes and Noble, because of the landscaped trees.  Made me realize how far removed I am from creation on a daily basis.  This “driftwood” is actually found in a parking lot too, though it looks pretty and could be found on a beach somewhere so I decided to include it.

9/29/09                  Ricola wrapper                                                                     parking lot at Starbucks

9/30/09                  air freshener                                                                          junkyard

10/1/09                  child restraint tag                                                                 getting the mail

10/2/09                  Champagne wire basket                                                     in front of St Joseph’s Catholic Church

10/3/09                  .22 caliber bullet                                                                   in Kroger parking lot (Bullit County, KY)

10/4/09                  wiffle ball                                                                                train tracks

10/5/09                  rusty “V”                                                                                  parking lot at work

10/6/09                  top of tire gauge                                                                     parking lot at work

10/7/09                  broken key fob                                                                       Walmart parking lot

10/8/09                  tattered silk flower                                                               cemetery

10/9/09                  black tube                                                                               parking lot

10/10/09                paper airplane made from receipt                                   McDo0nald’s parking lot

10/11/09                birthday candle                                                      elevator

10/12/09                drill bit                                                                        hobby shop parking lot

10/13/09                tin top of mint box                                    roadside

10/14/09                popcorn                                                      theater

10/15/09                broken clothes pin                                    church parking lot

10/16/09                broken glasses                                                       Bardstown Rd

10/17/09                old Christmas ornament                                    walkway up to church

10/18/09                finger puppet                                                      church parking lot

10/19/09                wasp nest                                                      work parking lot

10/20/09               empty 50 ml vodka bottle                  cemetery

10/21/09                poorly written tract                                    outside tattoo shop

10/22/09                scissor handle                                                      railroad track

Five month anniversary

10/23/09                nut                                                                        work parking lot

10/24/09                grey cap to cover screw                                    Kroger parking lot

10/25/09                4 of Diamonds                                                      work

10/26/09                empty plastic badge holder                  outside work building

10/27/09                lead seal                                                      gas station

10/28/09               old rubber band                                    parking lot

10/29/09                old soda can tab                                    downtown Louisville

10/30/09               tire valve cap                                                      work parking lot

10/31/09                broken watch band piece                  along the road

David and Chrystal got married today.

11/1/09                  empty grape jam packet from McD’s                  along the road

11/2/09                  plastic hanger                                                      random parking lot

While looking for objects in this parking lot I came upon a homemade pipe, made from brass  fittings, a lighter and a bag with a joint and some weed left in it.  Called cops to have it picked up.  So far that is a first.  I have also spotted 4 used condoms.

11/3/09                  green rubber baby bottle nipple                  Bardstown Road

11/4/09                  wall plate for light switch                  work parking lot

11/5/09                  DOTD butterfly from 21C installment (on the ground)               7^th St.

11/6/09                  broken led light of some sort                                                              Walmart parking lot

11/7/09                  flat metal rod                                                                                           work parking lot

11/8/09                  plastic mesh net                                                                                     random parking lot

11/9/09                  Burt’s beeswax lip balm tin                                                                 Bardstown Rd

11/10/09                plastic floral decoration piece?                                                        On the floor at work

11/11/09                 metal plate of some sort                                                                      parking lot

11/12/09                 flattened bottle cap                                                                              Asbury College parking lot

11/13/09                 spring                                                                                                      Story Ave

11/14/09                 cut coat hanger                                                                                     flea market parking lot

11/15/09                 tire weight                                                                                              Dutchman’s Lane

11/16/09                 hair tie                                                                                                     parking lot

11/17/09                 thorn                                                                                                        tree by home

11/18/09                 kernel of corn                                                                                        railroad track

11/19/09                 engagement ring                                                                                  Bardstown Rd

11/20/09                metal cover for fan of computer                                                       floor at work

11/21/09                 spark plug box                                                                                      behind pizza place

11/22/09                 grocery list                                                                                             inside Meijer’s

6 month anniversary

11/23/09                 checker                                                                                                   desk at work

100 days of collecting

11/24/09                 metal nozzle                                                                                                            Bardstown Road

11/25/09                 Cool Grape candy box                                                                                          Frankfurt Ave

11/26/09                 wildflower (pressed for preservation by me)                                                      Lake by house

11/27/09                 plastic knife                                                                                                            parking lot at work

11/28/09                light bulb                                                                                                             Lowe’s parking lot

11/29/09                 gum wrapper                                                                                                            elevator at work

11/30/09                brass pipe fitting                                                                                          my new used truck

12/1/09                  rusty wire                                                                                                            Walgreen’s parking lot

12/2/09                  dental pick                                                                                                            Lowe’s parking lot

In violation of no orifice rule, but I did use a plastic bag to collect it and never touched with my hands.

12/3/09                  pencil                                                                                                                              Bardstown Rd

12/4/09                  broken glass bottle                                                                                          trail by work

12/5/09                  empty pill blister pack                                                                                          behind Borders

12/6/09                  Candy Label Santa’s Gift                                                                         Walgreen’s parking lot

12/7/09                  Papa John magnet                                                                                          front porch

12/8/09                  hair thing                                                                                                            lobby of building

I had this in my pocket from days before, it apparently fell out and I found it again later in the day. Lost and found and lost and found again.

12/9/09                   I’ve been Krogering sticker                                                                        Kroger

12/10/09                pump                                                                                                                              St

12/11/09                 plastic cap gun piece                                                                                          parking lot

12/12/09                crusted, rusted(?) piece of plastic                                                                        parking lot

12/13/09                baby’s sock                                                                                                            BnN parking lot

12/14/09                sparkly cardboard                                                                                          floor at work

12/15/09                B29 tag                                                                                                                              floor at work

12/16/09                thistle                                                                                                                              roadside

12/17/09                gumball machine plastic container                                                                        ashtray outside Subway

12/18/09                little skull                                                                                                            parking lot

12/19/09                hair clip                                                                                                                              parking lot

12/20/09                piece or chain link fence                                                                        Church parking lot

12/21/09                candle price tag                                                                                                            sidewalk at work

12/22/09                flattened cake decorating tip                                                                        parking lot by bakery

12/23/09                roll of used caps from cap gun                                                                         Ashley farm

12/24/09                leather skins cutout                                                                                          Big Lots floor

12/25/09                piece of yarn                                                                                                            Granny’s garage

12/26/09                fortune from cookie                                                                                          desk at work

12/27/09                headphones                                                                                                             parking lot at work

12/28/09                black thing?                                                                                                            Parking lot at work

12/29/09                peanut                                                                                                                              5 Guys Burgers

12/30/09                finger nail                                                                                                            outside bank

12/31/09                comb                                                                                                                              outside Lowe’s

1/1/10                     flower pod                                                                                                            Gethsemane Abbey

1/2/10                     squirrel vertebrae                                                                                           Michael’s parking lot

1/3/10                     earring                                                                                                                               parking lot

1/4/10                     soy sauce packet                                                                                          desk at work

1/5/10                     cigarette box                                                                                                            at work

Colder days making it tough to find stuff as what little time I have I am not spending outdoors, and while I have yet to break down and pickup the ubiquitous cigarette butts that are everywhere this find was dangerously close.

1/6/10                     paint marker                                                                                                            railroad tracks

1/7/10                     pink rubber bracelet                                                                                          parking lot at Kroger’s

1/8/10                     cheeto                                                                                                                              floor at work

1/9/10                     sticky rubber toy                                                                                          desk at work

1/10/10                  plastic thing                                                                                                            sidewalk into church

1/11/10                  rock salt                                                                                                            steps from apt

1/12/10                  rubber stopper                                                                                                            by dumpster

1/13/10                  seed pod                                                                                                            outside apt

1/14/10                  rusty key ring                                                                                                            parking lot

1/15/10                  nerf dart                                                                                                            Bardstown Rd

1/16/10                  wrapper                                                                                                            floor at work

1/17/10                  metal clip                                                                                                            sidewalk from church

1/18/10                  earring                                                                                                                               desk at work

1/19/10                  coffee creamer packet                                                                                          sidewalk by work

1/20/10                  piece of reflective road sign                                                                        parents driveway

1/21/10                  rusty nail clippers                                                                                          parking lot

1/22/10                  push pin                                                                                                            floor at work

1/23/10                  red ribbon                                                                                                            parking lot

1/24/10                  LGE tag                                                                                                                              outside Subway

1/25/10                  piece of evergreen                                                                                           sidewalk at home

1/26/10                  sequin butterfly                                                                                                            Bardstown Rd

1/27/10                  shotgun shell                                                                                                             lake by apartment

1/28/10                  plastic flower                                                                                                            Preston Hwy

1/29/10                  plastic snowflake                                                                                          CI Symposium

1/30/10                  concert ticket                                                                                                            Calvin College sidewalk

1/31/10                  yellow lego                                                                                                            Shelby St

2/1/10                     black cracked tubing                                                                                          parking lot

2/2/10                    penguin bubble blower                                                                                          Barnes and Noble

2/3/10                    party popper                                                                                                            along side road

2/4/10                    fluorescent light terminal                                                                        Bardstown Road

2/5/10                    black coffee lid flap                                                                                          gas station

2/6/10                    gum wrapper                                                                                                            elevator

2/7/10                    back of cell phone                                                                                          parking lot

2/8/10                    gum wrapper                                                                                                            inside work building

2/9/10                    icicle                                                                                                                               off my truck

2/10/10                  bendy straw                                                                                                            Kroger parking lot

2/11/10                  cello wrapped toothpick                                                                        Wendy’s parking lot

2/12/10                  roman noodles                                                                                                            desk at work

2/13/10                  lunch list (for Subway)                                                                                          parking lot at work

2/14/10                  water bottle lid                                                                                                            parking lot at work

2/15/10                  coffee stir stick                                                                                                            parking lot at work

2/16/10                  asphalt                                                                                                                              parking lot at home

2/17/10                  washer                                                                                                                              parking lot at home

2/18/10                  ball of string                                                                                                            McDonald’s parking lot

2/19/10                  rusty hair clip                                                                                                            Bardstown Rd

2/20/10                  ticket stub                                                                                                            floor at work

2/21/10                  birch bark                                                                                                            parent’s yard

2/22/10                  makeup brush                                                                                                            parking lot at work

2/23/10                  plastic thing                                                                                                            parking lot at work

2/24/10                  CD                                                                                                                              parking lot behind ACE on

2/25/10                  plastic square                                                                                                            930 Gallery

Part of a friend’s installation piece.

2/26/10                  plastic thing                                                                                                            3^rd St Bardstown

2/27/10                  key chain link                                                                                                            parking lot at work

2/28/10                  wooden piece of chair                                                                                                            by Tom’s house

3/1/10                     price tag                                                                                                            on the floor at work

3/2/10                    calendar                                                                                                            county clerk office

3/3/10                    2 unused condoms                                                                                          sidewalk by McDonald’s

3/4/10                    plastic casing of digital camera                                                                        sidewalk by work

3/5/10                    mini carbineer                                                                                                            floor at work

3/6/10                    silk rose petals                                                                                                            Ashley’s wedding

3/7/10                    tea light candle                                                                                                            Bernhiem Forest

3/8/10                    plastic ring from soda cap                                                                        parking lot at work

3/9/10                    Styrofoam square                                                                                          parking lot at work

3/10/10                  thing to keep birds off ledge                                                                        Barrett Ave

3/11/10                  pepper packet                                                                                                            floor at work

3/12/10                  mesh                                                                                                                              Construction site SCDT

3/13/10                  star wars sticker                                                                                          Kroger floor

3/14/10                  quick clamp piece                                                                                          church parking lot

3/15/10                  pen piece                                                                                                            work parking lot

3/16/10                  dental floss                                                                                                            work parking lot

3/17/10                  toe separator for polishing nails                                                                        work parking lot

3/18/10                  anchor piece for bolt                                                                                          work parking lot

3/19/10                  windshield wiper piece                                                                                          work parking lot

3/20/10                  half of a plastic Easter egg                                                                        Goodwill parking lot

3/21/10                  purple hair clip                                                                                                            church parking lot

3/22/10                  wrapper                                                                                                            stairwell at work

3/23/10                  leaf                                                                                                                              outside of front door

3/24/10                  quarter roll                                                                                                            parking lot at work

3/25/10                  seeds and a nail                                                                                                            in truck seat

3/26/10                  ball of yarn                                                                                                            hallway, Whitefield Academy

3/27/10                  lynch pin                                                                                                            parking lot at work

3/28/10                  plastic clip                                                                                                            Meijer parking lot

3/29/10                  marble tag                                                                                                            floor of office

3/30/10                  envelope label backing                                                                                          cabinet at work

3/31/10                  painted red rock                                                                                          nature trail at work

4/1/10                     matchbook                                                                                                            Mary St

4/2/10                    black plastic square                                                                                          parking lot at work

4/3/10                    candy cane                                                                                                            under desk at work

4/4/10                    electrical tape roll                                                                                          Wal Mart Parking lot

4/5/10                    sunglass clip                                                                                                            parking lot at work

I finally found real money…a twenty dollar bill behind a fence post on the edge of the parking lot as I walked and read and barely looked for objects.  I had pair 20 dollars unexpectedly towards a bill I didn’t know I would have so I was excited and thankful to God

4/6/10                    screw                                                                                                                              parking lot at work

4/7/10                    broken lighter                                                                                                            parking lot at work

4/8/10                    VIN tag                                                                                                                              Hwy 71

4/9/10                    plastic tip from adhesive tube                                                                         parking lot at work

4/10/10                  electrical cap                                                                                                            Family Restaurant parking lot

4/11/10                  half a crawfish                                                                                                            railroad tracks

4/12/10                  rusted bent piece of metal                                                                        sidewalk by work

4/13/10                  plastic hook                                                                                                            parking lot at work

4/14/10                  key fob from mechanic                                                                                          parking lot at work

4/15/10                  plastic thing on a string                                                                                          Cheyenne Church of the Hills

4/16/10                  silk rose petal                                                                                                            Cheyenne Church of the Hills

4/17/10                  plastic cocktail sword                                                                                          Chili’s O’Hare Int’l Airport

4/18/10                  helicopter seed pod                                                                                          parking lot at home

4/19/10                  pink cigar case                                                                                                            parking lot at work

4/20/10                  green beads                                                                                                            Bardstown Rd

4/21/10                  car cig lighter                                                                                                            fell out of truck

4/22/10                  red brick rock                                                                                                            by sidewalk at apt

4/23/10                  scrunchie                                                                        parking lot at work

4/24/10                  old key                                                                                    Bardstown Rd

4/25/10                  piece of metal                                                                                                            Oak Ave

4/26/10                  jaw breaker                                                                                                            parking lot at work

4/27/10                  aspirin packet                                                                                                            Bardstown Rd

4/28/10                  Nicorette gum                                                                                                            parking lot at work

4/29/10                  small plastic bag with screws                                                                        Bardstown

4/30/10                  sim card                                                                                                            Subway Parking lot

5/1/10                    clear glass marble                                                                                          floor at work

5/2/10                    wet red feather                                                                                                            Bardstown Rd

5/3/10                    mascara                                                                                                             parking lot at work

5/4/10                    wine cork                                                                                                            Bardstown Rd

5/5/10                    metal piece                                                                                                            Buzick’s parking lot

5/6/10                    plastic wheel                                                                                                            Oak Ave

5/7/10                    fuse                                                                                                                              parking lot at work

5/8/10                   ketchup packet                                                                                                            break room

5/9/10                    milkweed thistle                                                                                          church parking lot

5/10/10                  plastic bar code security thing                                                                        Kroeger

5/11/10                  weed eater thread                                                                                           parking lot at work

5/12/10                  ripped lottery ticket                                                                                          Preston highway

5/13/10                  Tweety bird without head                                                                        oral surgery parking lot

5/14/10                  plastic tube                                                                                                            parking lot by work

5/15/10                  Kentucky Derby horse and jockey                                                                        parking lot at work

5/16/10                  battery                                                                                                                              Adams St

Outside our new place we will be moving into in two weeks!!

5/17/10                  instructions                                                                                                             parking lot at apartment

5/18/10                  metal HBO keychain                                                                                          parking lot at work

5/19/10                  pencil                                                                                                                              Subway parking lot

5/20/10                  stick                                                                                                                               Ash St

5/21/10                  blue twisty tie                                                                                                            parking lot at work

5/22/10                  inhaler                                                                                                                               parking lot at work

One Year Anniversary!

5/23/10                  plastic piece in a baggie                                                                                          parking lot at Miejer

5/24/10                  mini ice scraper keychain                                                                        parking lot at work

5/25/10                  orange paw print sticker                                                                        parking lot at work

5/26/10                  black plastic lid                                                                                                            parking lot at work

5/27/10                  spray painted fireman from friend’s artwork                                                      outside new apartment

5/28/10                  black plastic thing                                                                                          parking lot at work

5/29/10                  metal cap                                                                                                            parking lot at work

5/30/10                  three dragonfly wings                                                                                          back deck

Moving day!  Moving from Shepherdsville to Louisville!

5/31/10                  puzzle piece                                                                                                            Frankfort Ave

6/1/10                    foam earphone cover                                                                                          parking lot at work

6/2/10                    red foam bendable thing                                                                        parking lot at work

6/3/10                    metal thing                                                                                                            Butchertown

6/4/10                    razor blade                                                                                                            parking lot at work

6/5/10                    Dunkin Donuts key fob                                                                                          floor at work

6/6/10                    electrical piece                                                                                                            Quincy St

6/7/10                    rusty, flat spring                                                                                          Quincy St

6/8/10                    black headband                                                                                                            outside work

6/9/10                    bent safety pin                                                                                                            parking lot at work

6/10/10                  metal mesh                                                                                                            Bardstown Rd

6/11/10                  egg from baby bird on porch                                                                        Quincy St

6/12/10                  metal strip                                                                                                            Adams St

6/13/10                  cable terminal                                                                                                            Quincy St

6/14/10                  metal  part                                                                                                            Adams St

6/15/10                  Charms Blo Pop                                                                                                            outside work

6/16/10                  empty tube of glitter                                                                                          Irish Rover parking lot

6/17/10                  nothing

Bummer, looked around all day but never picked anything up and didn’t realize it till the next morning.

6/18/10                  bolt                                                                                                                              Quincy St

6/19/10                  plastic light cover                                                                                          Adams St

6/20/10                  snail shell                                                                                                            front porch

6/21/10                  metal number from electric pole                                                                        Webster and Washington St

6/22/10                  no parking tape                                                                                                            Quincy St

6/23/10                  balloon                                                                                                                              Washington St

6/24/10                  chrysalis                                                                                                            parent’s house

6/25/10                  metal washer                                                                                                             Adams St

6/26/10                  fire cracker                                                                                                            Quincy St

6/27/10                  bubble blowing wand                                                                                          Wal Mart parking lot

6/28/10                  broken glass                                                                                                            electrical box, back porch

6/29/10                  blind                                                                                                                              Quincy St

6/30/10                  green plastic thing                                                                                          Webster St

7/1/10                     bone                                                                                                                              Quincy St

7/2/10                     note with my name on it                                                                        Quincy St

7/3/10                     Chuck E Cheese token                                                                                          parking lot at work

7/4/10                     Bendy Scarecrow                                                                                          Quincy St

7/5/10                     rice                                                                                                                              Washington St

In front of St. Joseph’s, from a wedding

7/6/10                     firework parachute                                                                                          field off of Adams St

7/7/10                     plastic thing                                                                                                             Butchertown

7/8/10                    brush                                                                                                                              Washington St

7/9/10                     clear cover                                                                                                            parking lot of work

7/10/10                  blue marble                                                                                                            Adams St

7/11/10                   wooden ice cream spoon                                                                        Washington St

7/12/10                  smoke bombs                                                                                                            Washington St

7/13/10                  match stick                                                                                                            Webster and Quincy St

7/14/10                  yellow plastic thing                                                                                          McDonald’s by work

7/15/10                  plastic battery packing                                                                                           Butchertown

7/16/10                  dead Butterfly                                                                                                            parking lot at work

7/17/10                  Drug Store Cowboy postcard                                                                        Ear-x-tacy parking lot

7/18/10                  large staple                                                                                                            Washington St

7/19/10                  broken pen cap                                                                                                             Washington St

7/20/10                  broken rubber shaped cross                                                                        outside work

7/21/10                  metal cap?                                                                                                            Washington St

7/22/10                  reflector                                                                                                            Buchertown

7/23/10                  plastic tie                                                                                                            Washington St

7/24/10                  tag                                                                                                                              Kroger parking lot

7/25/10                  propane tank cap                                                                                          Lowe’s parking lot

7/26/10                  fuzzy dice                                                                                                            garbage can, Washington St

7/27/10                  weathered King of Hearts                                                                         Quincy St

7/28/10                  piece of metal tubing                                                                                          Washington St

7/29/10                  orange toy figure                                                                                          Texas St

7/30/10                  cicada                                                                                                                              Washington St

7/31/10                  popsicle package                                                                                          Adams St

8/1/10                    rubber motorcycle clutch cover                                                                         Behind Quincy St

8/2/10                   maxi pad in package                                                                                          Adams St

8/3/10                   plastic piece                                                                                                            Adams St

8/4/10                   magnet                                                                                                                              Floor at work

8/5/10                   eye makeup applicator                                                                                           parking lot at work

8/6/10                   clearance sticker                                                                                           Wal-Mart

8/7/10                   spray paint cap                                                                                                            930 parking lot

8/8/10                   broken mirror                                                                                                            930 parking lot

8/9/10                   metal piece                                                                                                            parking lot at work

8/10/10                  Hot Wheels car                                                                                               behind Quincy St

8/11/10                  plastic plug                                                                                                        parking lot at work

8/12/10                  eyeglass cleaning cloth                                                                                  parking lot at work

8/13/10                  metal piece                                                                                                          Adams St

8/14/10                  small leaf                                                                                                            floor of Starbucks

8/15/10                  plastic ring from candy ring                                                                        Adams St

The End

The idea for these bottles predated the whole series, I had wanted to make little “message in a bottle” type pieces to give away and have been fascinated by the conept of the message in a bottle theme since hih school.  Being able to reproduce the jars and bottles to leave for people has been a motivation to finish this series.  The above is a collection of the seven objects represented in the whole series, snake skin/shed, small nation sack containing a man’s name written nine times, a dime and a single apple seed, a jar of tears, a bottle of dirt from a graveyard, a thorn, thistle and a piece of a bandanna. 

These bottles contain a vial of graveyard dust, a snake shed and ribs from a rattlesnake.

The ‘nation (domination) sack from the desire piece is reproduced here with the same same 9 elements, a 1930′s silver Mercury dime, an piece of parchment with a Man’s name written 9 times, a razor blade, a vial of honey, 7 apple seeds, a sprinkle of myrrh, a cinnamon stick, a snake rib, and a piece of a man’s bandanna.  The red top is the traditional red flannel used to make mojo hands.

 These last bottles contain the elements of the curse that relate to work, cursed earth in the form of a vial of graveyard dust, a thorn, a thistle and a vial of sweat.

I intended to finish up my exploration of the imagery of art of dying by passing out these pins I had made of a pressed flower and obituary page on these hand cut and stamped coffin shapped business cards.  The pins took far longer than expected, so here they are, ready to be launched into coffee shops and other places I frequent hopefully to be found by unsuspecting folks going about their day.

It’s a lot to ask of any creative endeavor to “make a people think” so I will send these off with a prayer to just help folks pause and possibly just be blessed by a gift. 

I have written as much as I think I will for now about the art of the dying but this site has several expressions of the imagery of fading flowers, wilting grass and flying time.  There are a couple of  bigger pieces and while I continue to be fascinated by the works of Holbien the younger and his Dance of the Dead wood cuts and other such works of art, and while I have some more ideas along the same path I am pretty excited about exploring what’s before me, “Family Curse” and expect to spend a good amount of time working on that theme, as well as some other projects in the coming months. 

I hope to revisit the art of dying themes next fall for Day of the Dead, but for now this is where I rest from this series.

“All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field…The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.”

More imagery exploring the art of dying, these pressed flowers and obituaries were actually the inspiration for the giving tins. 

Visually, I have found the obituaries a striking and linear background to the organic and fragile pressed wild flowers. 

 The theme and text are taken from Isaiah

“All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field…The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.”

For this image in my exploration of  the art of dying, I wanted to focus on the flowers that fade.  Not only is it an image used in memento mori art but even traditional painted still lifes (formerly called vanitas) relate the wilting flower to the frailty of our passing glory. 

I discovered a pressed rose in an old Bible I picked up at a Goodwill store.  What could be a more striking example of the vanity of our lives? 

A forgotten rose from an unknown funeral in an unmarked Bible. 

And so the flower fades.  Our lives pass.

 The theme and text are taken from Isaiah. The tins consist of flowers picked from fields, old obituaries and headstones inside the tins, copied from shapes in local cemeteries.

A voice says, “Call out.”
Then he answered, “What shall I call out?”

“All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. 

The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the LORD blows upon it; Surely the people are grass.

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.”

Continuing my interest in the art of dying, these giving tins were developed as another contemplation of our mortality, the shortness and frailty of our lives.

The theme and text are taken from Isaiah. The tins consist of obituaries and grass from a cemetery, viewed through a headstone shaped hole. 

Again, my interest is not a teenage morbid fixation on death (well I hope not at least) but rather exploring new expressions of memento mori.

I am still amazed by the old watches I got this summer, and as I have been researching a couple projects about the art of dying  I have seen the image of the hour glass with skulls, reminders that our “days are numbered.”  Making the most of the time we have is the theme, from the ancient Romans who gave us tempus fugit to the medieval focus on morality and preparation for death.  However you choose to think about your mortality and spend your life, the fact remains that time moves on and you can’t get it back.

I find the image striking either way and just enjoy looking at them.  Hope you enjoy.

Just a few pieces I made playing with some great old pen nibs.  The images used are all basically from this original post.

Organizing the box of treasured old watches and watch parts I was amazed at the intricacy, design and amazingly small scale.  A couple hours spent sorting through them and seeing more and more possibilities for art projects, jewelry, photographs, etc. But I kept coming back to how beautiful the little timepieces were all by themselves. 

In such a compact space, there are such small and delicate parts that fit and work together, with precision, with a measured accuracy.  There are screws, gears, and springs, of all different sizes.  And the composition encased in metal.  Dials and small hands, all of which create a larger beauty when put together than they could as interesting little pieces all by themselves.

I wondered about the individual who had collected all these pieces to work on, wrapping individual watches in little pieces of thin paper and labeling little plastic bins of higher end watches.  I wondered at the mind that would use thin pieces of paper and old cat food cans as their sorting system. 

But even if this treasure trove came from a collector, someone made them, engineered them and constructed them, and I marveled.  I still do.

There was a sense of the beauty of these pieces of art and also of the mind and personality of the creator behind them.

I realized that the single cell, a single atom, DNA, were far smaller, more complex and too, pointed to the mind and personality of a designer.

Teachers in both the Old and New Testaments pointed to created things to impart some truth.  Consider the ant…Consider the birds…Consider the lilies…

Often time the created order also was a pointed reminder of the care shown by the Creator for his creation.

Sometimes, awe in the face of creation, at even being noticed in such a grand piece of art

When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
              The moon and the stars, which You have ordained;

What is man that You take thought of him,
                And the son of man that You care for him?

Creation of things of beauty can often remind us to consider the creator.  That’s what happens every time I look at these little works of art, and then too I am reminded to consider the Creator.

I share this little treasure with you and pray it may be a silent witness to the existence of a Creator, who has drawn near to your life, closer than you may know.

­As I considered how to share these little gems I thought it best to let them just be a little picture themselves, and not try to add too much visually to their intricate and delicate beauty.  They are encased in small watchmaker tins, the actual storage bin less frugal watchmakers and watch repairmen would use to sort out watches and parts.  The images on the sides are from the above mentioned examples in the scriptures, the ant, the birds and the lilies.