From the Dust

Musings on anything and everything as drawn in the sculptor's ubiquitous studio dust. Unattributed works are from my hands, the rest are copyright the respective artists. www.dondougan.com

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Gahan Wilson (American, 1930-2019)

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Gahan Wilson (America, 1930-2019)

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OASIS

cast & stained paper, Persian yellow travertine, black & red colored glass, washed ash frame with ssc glass - 17"x 8"x 2"

This was originally framed as just the natural white cast paper piece back in 1997 but never exhibited, however in the 19 years it had lain dormant the paper had developed some minor foxing which discolored the pure white of the cast paper piece. To remedy this I decided to rework the piece completely. To stop the foxing process and obscure the discoloration I sealed the paper casting with a clear matte acrylic spray. When the sealer had dried completely the white work was tinted by application of a light application of light-oak spray stain, followed by multiple coats of thinned white acrylic paint brushed-on to tone down the intensity of the ocher-colored stain.

It then required some secondary elements to complement the new color scheme. The Persian yellow travertine was cut down from a larger, thicker slab to about 1/8" thick slab which was modified slightly and polished, and fitted to the paper element. Tertiary elements of black & red glass were added to complete the design. A new title was given — OASIS — to reflect the newly revised expression of the design. Altogether about three more hours of re-working.

Sometimes nature persuades us to re-evaluate and modify our design solutions.

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Helene Appel (German, b.1976)

Fish Fillet - encaustic and oil on linen - 2017

www.instagram.com/hel_appel/

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unattributed - cutout paper

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green jadeite axes from Donegal & Westmeath - evidence for long-distance trade in the Irish Neolithic - c.6000 years old - the stone they are made from comes from a series of Neolithic quarries in Italian alps

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stonemason's mauls or pounders - diorite — harder than most other igneous stones used for sculpture in ancient Egypt — held in between two wooden handles bound with leather thongs - Old Kingdom

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double-headed female figure - ceramic - Valdivia culture, Ecuador - c. 2300–2200 BCE

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Edward Hopper (American, 1882-1967)

Sun in an Empty Room - 1963

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Glen Baxter (1944-2026)

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Glen Baxter (1944-2026)

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FRONDE

occhio di tigre alabaster, black granite - 5½"x 5"x 4"

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Virginia's Song

green Connemara slate, Allatoona travertine, Champlain black marble, glazed earthenware ceramic, dichroic & clear glass, schlag metal leafing, verdigris patina, dark wash - 13"x 13"x 1⅞"

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Country Joe & The Fish - Electric Music for the Mind and Body - 1967

One of my favorites back then, and still . . .

Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine

She hides an attic concealed on a shelf Behind volumes of literature based on herself Runs across the pages like some tiny elf Knowing that it's hard to find The stuff way back in her mind Winds up spending all of her time Trying to memorize every line

Sweet Lorraine Oh, sweet Lorraine

Sweet lady of death wants me to die So she can come sit by my bedside and sigh Wiping away the tears from all my friends' eyes Then softly she will explain Just exactly who was to blame For causing me to go insane And finally blow out my brains

Sweet Lorraine Oh, sweet Lorraine

Well you know that it's a shame and a pity You were raised up in the city And you never learned nothing 'bout country ways Oh, 'bout country ways

The joy of life, she dresses in black With celestial secrets engraved in her back Her face keeps flashing that she's got the knack But you know when you look into her eyes That all she's learned she's had to memorize And the only way you'll ever get her high Is to let her do her thing and then watch you die

Sweet Lorraine Oh, sweet Lorraine

She's the one who gives us all those magical things And reads us stories out of the I Ching And then she passes out a whole new basket of rings That when you put on your hand Makes you one of the angel band And gives you the power to be a man But what it does for her you never quite understand

Sweet Lorraine Oh yeah, sweet Lorraine

Well you know that it's a shame and a pity You were raised up in the city And you never learned nothing 'bout country ways Oh, 'bout country ways

Yeah, 'bout country ways

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James Abbe (American, 1883-1973)

Bessie Love - warming by the stove - photographed either 1925 or 1928