FAUXBOT 1000

When I was a young girl, maybe 10 or 12 years old, I built a spaceship / club house in my parents side yard. Truthfully, it looked like a heap of boards stacked in some weird world cone shape. And though I don't remember much about how many people could fit inside or even if I ever climbed inside it myself, (it was about the size of a 4 foot tall porta-potty), it marked a great accomplishment for me. I built something! And I think it must have been a success as I came home from school one day and it was gone. Right now, as we go about our merry lives, that pile of boards and nails may be orbiting our planet or be on it's way to world's unknown. Of course the truth is more likely my Dad threw it on a burn pile and that was the last of it. Yet I like to think of it somewhere out in the universe - an unmanned ship - so I never asked too many questions.

Recently, my friend Julie, my son Barnaby and I stopped by a new restaurant / art gallery in Greenfield, Indiana. It's called Rock, Paper, Scissors. As I walked into the restaurant, in the corner stood a 7 foot tall robot sculpture made mostly of wood and what looked to be old stove parts. Immediately, I knew that I had to have one. A few days later I was at work and I happened to look out across the street to the parking lot and I saw a hunk of black plastic. I walked over and picked it up. At first I thought, "What if this is a bomb placed here by terrorists?" (That's just the way my brain works). It had "Ford" imprinted on the top of it so I figured that it had fell off someone's vehicle. I couldn't help but notice that it had 2 holes where eyes would be and well I kind of went from there. A week later I had made what I refer to as a FAUXBOT - it looks like a robot but doesn't really do anything. I figured it for a garden sculpting. It can hold a planter and has a bird house in it's back. Also, the roofing rubber that covers it's body makes a great chalk board message center. I like the idea of garden art make from junk. Maybe it's a way of keeping more debris out of landfills. FAUXBOTS of the world united to preserve the planet!

An overall view of my studio

I have been cleaning in my studio today. I've hesitated until now because it is a bit cool in there. Instead, I work in a smaller, heated, office type area in another part of the building. Over the winter my studio has become a catch all for everything in boxes and bags looking for a home. Now that spring is starting to show itself, things are warming up and I long to get in there and get cranking on some art! My studio is in a building that was once part of the Madison County Indiana School System. About 5 years ago, my husband bought the building and started a kitchen and bath cabinet company - Central Cabinet- and set me up as the sales force. Ha,ha. (He is the same guy who said that I couldn't sell my way out of a paper bag.)
I started this blog to showcase what is going on in my studio. I have every type of art supply that a person would possibly need to make anything. I am so blessed. Yet, lately, I feel like I am looking at my art through a thin veil. Recently, I started studying the art of Jean-Michel Basquiat. I envy the freedom that he brought to a canvas, whether it be on paper or the side of a building. Slam - bam -art I am! I want to loosen up and slam some art myself. I want to clear out the clutter in my life and brain and have nothing but room to fly into an art rage.
Also, right beside this building is a railroad track. It is so close to the building that it often looks like they are parking the train in the back of the building as it goes past. The nice thing about this is that I get to see the graffiti on trains as they come through. You might be amazed to see some of the things I have seen painted on rail cars. Once there was a person's screen printed image on the side of a train. It was gorgeous as it went past. So I decided that I will try to keep a camera on hand to document this travelling art show. I will also try to post a few on my site.
And I want to let everyone know that I am working to get a Flickr site established on my blog because I have lots of things to show you. It takes me a while to figure things out but I will keep at it. Right now I struggle with getting the photo images loaded to this blog. They will load but moving them into the right spot is another story.