ENTRY FOR THE 2023 LOUISA ARTIFACTS SHOW 
JUNE 2 - JULY 21, 2023
PRESENTED BY
​THE LOUISA HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND THE PURCELL GALLERY  

THE CHALLENGE - INTERPRET A HISTORICAL ARTIFACT IN A CREATIVE WAY

NOVEMBER OF 2022,
THE LOUISA HISTORICAL SOCIETY & THE PURCELL GALLERY INVITED ARTISTS TO SUBMIT THEIR OPEN INTERPRETATION OR CONCEPT OF ANY OF THE MANY ARTIFACTS IN THE COLLECTION OF THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY. 

THE PROCEDURE -
​CHOOSE AN ARTIFACT WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF A CURATOR, MAKE A PROPOSAL TO THE JURY AND SUBMIT THE FINISHED WORK WITH AN ARTIST STATEMENT OR A STATEMENT THAT REVEALED WHY THE ARTIFACT HAD BEEN CHOSEN AND INTERPRETED AS THE ARTIST HAD DONE.

MY ARTIFACT WAS A MINER'S KEROSENE POWERED LIGHT THAT ATTACHED TO A MINER'S HAT. AN INTERNAL WELL OF FLAMMABLE LIQUID AND A WICK SEEMED BEYOND DANGEROUS TO ME... I HAD TO CHOOSE THIS ITEM!

I PROPOSED A 24 INCH TALL CERAMIC FIGURE OF A MINER WHO'S FACE WOULD BE A REPLICA OF THE ARTIFACT. IN HIS ANONYMITY, HE WOULD REPRESENT ALL MINERS AND THE RISKS THEY TAKE IN THEIR ESSENTIAL WORK. THESE ISSUES ARE AS IMMEDIATE AS TODAY'S NEWS OF MINING PRECIOUS METALS FOR ELECTRIC BATTERY PRODUCTION AND RELATED SUBJECTS OF DISCUSSION.

THE PHOTO ABOVE WITH MASKING TAPE IS THE START WITH THE BODY BLOCKED OUT. INSIDE ARE BLOCKS OF FOAM, FOIL AND OTHER FILLERS. THIS FORM GETS COVERED WITH CLAY. I USED AN AIR-DRY CLAY TO AVOID HAVING TO FIRE THE FIGURE IN A KILN. 

ABOVE, THE DETAILS OF THE CLOTHING ARE ADDED AND THE REPLICA OF THE ORIGINAL LAMP IS IN PLACE BUT NOT SECURED. IT IS MADE FROM CLAY,  GALVANIZED METAL STRAPING AND METAL WIRE.THE LENSE I CAST WITH CLEAR RESIN INSIDE A SILICONE SPHERE. I MANAGED TO LIGHT THE LAMP WITH A TINY LED LIGHT INSIDE THE REPLICA WHICH ADDED TO THE ILLUSION AND THE FUN..

A HISTORICAL NOTE: IT TOOK UNTIL A SMALL COMPANY IN PITTSBURGH, PA , THE MINE SAFETY COMPANY (EST. 1914) SOUGHT THE HELP OF THOMAS EDISON TO DESIGN A TRULY SAFE ELECTRIC LAMP FOR MINING. EDISON FOUND A WAY TO SEAL A RE-CHARGEABLE BATTERY SO THERE WOULD BE NO DANGER OF SPARKS IGNITING THE CHARGED ATMOSPHERE IN MINES, OR GRAIN ELEVATORS OR ANYWHERE CHARGED PARTICLES IN THE AIR COULD BE A DANGER.

THE FACT THAT MY FATHER WORKED FOR THIS COMPANY  MADE THIS AN INTERESTING PROJECT IN ITSELF. I THINK HE WOULD HAVE BEEN AMUSED AT MY CHOICE.

​LOOKING FORWARD TO ANOTHER 3D PROJECT SOON!

MY PROPOSAL TO THE JURY