C’mell (a work-in-progress)
Italian calacatta grigio marble, Tennessee pink marble, cast bronze, found cast iron, found vintage wooden wedge and wood & brass folding rule, taxidermy nose, found cat whiskers, unglazed stoneware, hardware cloth, gesso and paint on wood panel
18¾"x 20½"x 3½"
This state is about 23 hours of work since mid-February. The three to four coats of white gesso which completely cover the surface of the panel have yet to be toned by rubbing of dry pigments or washing with thinned acrylics. The rubs/washes will be in both warmer and cooler tones, as well as some lettering in crayon or charcoal and probably some sgraffito as well.
This was one of four panels I fabricated back in June of last year which were going to be for a project which was de-railed, so three of the panels remained blank in the corner of the studio. Two of the panels are made as a pair, this one — slightly smaller — was to be a preliminary ‘test’ piece for them. But after I started working the fitted elements into it about a month ago it took on a life of its own. The cast bronze element and the Italian marble (both 29 years old) were the first pieces fit, followed fairly shortly by the wood and cast iron found objects and the stoneware (all about 23 years old). Then the taxidermy nose (purchased 27 years ago) and cat whiskers (collected over a 14 year period) became the focal point following a connective dream which also suggested the working title, courtesy of author Cordwainer Smith and his underpeople . . .
