Client: Private Residence

Overview

Dimensional, mixed-media, bright iridescent fiber, modern fiber elements, Myra Burg's fiber wrapped cylinders, known as Quiet Oboes, float over Liz Cummings' original paintings in an entirely fresh, new concept in original art installation. The canvases, often combining the depth of oil paint augmented by irridescent metallics, provide a background, or atmosphere for the cylinders of natural and synthetic fiber.

Goals

This wonderful client has a very neutral background and an absolute love of brilliant color and excelent art. It was more important that the end result qualify as a member of the client's gallery and superced the joy of an icon custom suite of pieces that had graced the space for 40 years!

The installation we were commissioned to replace was a spectacular suite of weavings depicting a toaster, with the coup de grace being a 3D woven toaster! Beauty, color, longevity and a sense of humor are a tricky act to follow. We went into it giving the client a guarranty: if you like it, we'll install it. If not, we'll build you something else....and all with no deposit.

Essentially, we built the whole project because we knew they'd love it, and they did.

Process

I was driving home to California from an art show in Arizona, road weary and tired when my cell phone rang, a Chicago area code on the screen. The client had seen my work in a magazine, explained that their beloved toaster installation was, alas, fading, and it was time to consider a replacement.

She described the space, and some loose ideas started to occupy the mush in my head. The next morning, I woke up crazy early, went into the studio and got started. Nearing the completion of her project, I called back, told her I had a great idea and sketched out what I'd built, adding some canvases that Liz had yet to paint. Pen had not yet hit paper. Then I called Liz and said "how soon can you be here? We have a project to do together." Once we completed it, we sketched it, sent it to the client and started blow-drying the canvases.

I had occasion to be in Chicago the very next week, and told the client they could take a look at the concept. Shorter story, from idea to installation: 12 days.

Additional Information

This project started an entire line of Atmospheric Installations that seem to be taking off at high speed. We love building these things!