"The Floorboards of Amerika"

This is a piece that I actually did very early in my pursuits as a sculptor, and as it is much earlier work for me, it has been admittedly neglected in my efforts to give it a presence in the public realm. No more of that nonsense though, right? I'm beginning to shift my thoughts on
how a blog should function, and instead of making this site an overly formal "online portfolio" that only exists because I can't afford a website, I'm going to embrace the format as one that shows much more than just my "best" work. It's going to be tough for me, as I am very picky- but I think I can do it. Anyways...

The piece is titled "The Floorboards of Amerika," and it is a mixed media sculpture consisting of wood, and painted plexi-glass. The symbolism in this piece is much simpler than obvious, and unlike much of my sculpture work, the piece really draws upon formal concerns of aesthetics, as opposed to conceptual challenges. Although simple, I really do think the piece is composed thoughtfully with regards to both metaphor and aesthetic. 

My disregard to the sculpture as being very "early work," and the subsequent lack of attention I gave it, had recently prodded a very ironic outcome in a gallery show this last summer. I was showing a handful of brand new pieces at a gallery event in Milwaukee, and as the curators had some extra space, they suggested I fill it. Without expectation, I decided to grab "The Floorboards of Amerika," because most of my other work was not able to be transported on such short notice. I put a fairly modest price on it for the night, and to my surprise, one of Milwaukee's most prestigious collectors happened to be there, and happened to LOVE the piece. I was elated to say the least.

He put a "SOLD" tag on the piece, and I drank more then a few extra whiskey sours that night. As it turned out, I was given his information, and had no luck getting ahold of him before I departed for the west coast for the summer. When I returned several months later, I contacted him, and he claimed that he was not in the financial position to buy any pieces at that time. 

So, short story long: "The Floorboards of Amerika" is still for sale, and I also learned a valuable lesson. Don't underestimate ANY of your work, and don't trust collectors ha ha!