Take a closer look and ask yourself ... If I let this go, will I spend days, weeks, maybe even months and years lamenting that I passed it by?
I've walked away from art that spoke to me before and the voices of those pieces haunt me still. In the case of this Doug Sargent sculpture, discovered at Urban Roots Community Garden Center in Buffalo, I listened. Doug creates his sculptures from recycled materials: the slate top of this "Table With Legs" was once a blackboard in Buffalo public schools. I am so very glad that I listened to the voice within telling me that this sculpture belonged with me. And I am even more grateful to Doug for all that he did to get it from Buffalo to my corner of Katy. His careful crating ensured that it made it to me intact.
I set the Staghorn Fern on top because I wanted something there and that fit. I'm not wild about it, though. I'm seeing some kind of ornamental grass or spiky succulent. The table is currently placed in the courtyard but I'm not welded to leaving it there. If I find a better spot, even inside, then I'll move it. (Which statement caused me to roll my chair over to size up a nearby wall ...) I'm not sure my courtyard is worthy of the sculpture ... perhaps if I clean the bricks and place some container plantings around it, I'll be happier with it there. Maybe the wall needs to be painted ... what I'd really like to do is create a mosaic/found object wall similar to that of Jill Nokes in Austin (a tiny portion of the wall is visible behind her in the picture on her website). To heck with resale values ... I'll be in this house long enough to make it well worth my while!
Whatever I do or wherever I place "Table with Legs", it will remind me of my trip to Buffalo and the wonderful people of that city. I must repeat my heartfelt thanks to Doug and say that I don't believe this will be the only piece of his work to find its way to my corner of Katy.
Comments
You did good. Reminds me of our world famous Menil Collection artwork.
David (Tropical Texana/ Houston)
P.S. It was HOT today, wasn't it?
Elizabeth, ah, a kindred spirit who knows what I mean!
David, wow, the Menil? I will pass that comment on to Doug! Re the heat, I was surprised that I was able to stay out in it as long as I did! More on that in Sunday's post.
Layanee, isn't it great?
Jim, I smile every time I see this in my courtyard. Tell the Urban Roots folks I appreciate their helping get it to me, too!
memento of Buff. xx