Armstrong State University: Fine Arts Gallery
Three Heads: Lucy, Eric & Bob
Eric “Chico” Burns
Eric graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Art and has not been seen since - at least not by me. On the day that he modeled for our figure sculpture class he was not feeling well, thus the multiple layers of clothing including the leather jacket. Eric was known for a number of things: chasing the Grateful Dead, renting out bicycles at his shop on Tybee Island and surreptitiously climbing to great heights in the the live oak trees on the Armstrong campus to hang his sculptures.
If you see him please let me know.
Eric Burns with Leather Jacket
Permanent Collection
Arizona Museum of Art
• 2005 •
Eric Burns
Ceramic combat boots
Arthur C. Brannen
Arthur C. Brannen
With Crucifix, Plastic Spoon, Toothbrush and Shrimping Boots
Clay, paint, copper, wood. H: 63”
Arthur C. Brannen rowing his boat on the Skidaway River.
Greenware
Profile
Closeup
Raised at Bethesda Home for Boys, founded in 1740, Arthur lived on the islands around Savannah. He often slept in a small boat near Thunderbolt, GA. He could be seen riding his bike around the islands area and was known for repairing fishing nets. If you were lucky, you might have seen him standing in his boat while rowing through the intracoastal waterways. He if known for rowing to Fernandina Beach, a distance of around 100 miles.. He was a friendly lucid man who chose to live an independent life style.
• 1990 •
Lucy Poole Politelli
With Cigarette, Chenille Sweater, Gold Slingbacks & Shag Carpet
Lucy Poole Politelli
With Cigarette, Chenille Sweater, Gold
Slingbacks & Shag Carpet
Lucy Poole Politelli
Closeup
Lucy Poole Politelli
Lucy…..a classy, attractive and fun lady with a great sense of humor who really knew how to cook. She was one of the first models we had in my early figure sculpture classes and ended up with a cigarette in her mouth because she smoked a cigarette during every break. She was the first model whose image became part of the “Heads & Feet Series. Th top section was not designed to be on top of the pipe, that is why it is flat on the bottom. The last day of class Lucy made the class lasagna - delicious. Thanks Lucy.
• 1991 •
Obese Woman as Seen in Cracker Barrell
Lying Face Down, Paducah, Kentucky
Obese Woman as Seen Lying Face Down in Cracker Barrel, Paducah, Kentucky
Clay, paint, hair, mixed media. H: 65”
• 2005 •
Obese Woman
Greenware
Obese Woman, Detail
Screamin Spongeback Square Pants Ice Cream
Obese Woman, Detail
Legs, tennis shoes and “Puff Paint,” carpet
My wife Linda, son Evan, daughter Mary Catherine and I were driving from Savannah to northern Wisconsin. We drove about 740 miles and stopped at a Cracker Barrel restaurant in Paducah, Kentucky. It was packed. We waited about 15 minutes and were seated and immediately there was a commotion two tables behind us. A large man dressed in overalls got up to assist but was rebuked. A couple of minutes later Linda said “A woman fell off of her chair and can’t get up.” An obese woman and as Linda said “well coiffured,” accompanied by her husband and approximately 15 year old son was lying face down in the restaurant and couldn’t get up. She cried out - “Call the fire department, call the police, I can’t get up.”After 20 minutes 6 of us were able to help get her up. She sat at her table for a few minutes, got up, touched my arm while walking by and said “Thank you.”
I wrote this down and a few months later met with my friend Wayne who has dealt with obesity his entire life. He encouraged me to create this piece. When I asked him what he thought she should be eating, he said “At Overeater’s Anonymous we used to joke about binging on Twinkies. And, why don’t you have her cradling a 1/2 gallon container of ice cream, holding a candy bar and a donut.” I forgot the donut.
Woman with Viscera & Blue Flash Bulb Earrings
Clay, paint, plastic, metal& mixed media
H: 68”
Closeup: Torso
• 2005 •
Detail: Back
Woman with Viscera & Blue Flash Bulb Earrings
I have always been unimpressed with how little I know about my own body, the interrelationships of systems & organs, the whole miraculous quality of anatomy and physiology … of life itself. This is my attempt at learning more about anatomy and physiology - while creating an art piece
Rickey Hogue & the Green One-Eyed Ogre
Rickey Hogue, a Professional Puppeteer, designed and created the One-Eyed Green Ogre. He modeled for a figure sculpture class and when I found out he was a puppeteer I asked him to bring in one of his puppets and to do a short presentation on puppeteering. He did. He wore orange tennis shoes. This is what I created from that experience.
Rickey Hogue & the Green One-Eyed Ogre
Clay, paint, hair, mixed media. H: 75”
• 2007 •
Working Photograph
Green On- Eyed Ogre
Sunbeam Mixmaster & Plastic Hair Curlers with Barbie Dog
I am not sure where this piece came from— but probably out of the 1950’s. I think it relates to my mother Jan cooking for seven children, looking “pretty,” taking care of pets and pretty much everything else while my father was at this law office …..or, more likely at the Elk’s Club having a Manhattan. The 50’s …..and I think people were happy too, despite the heavy workload my mother always said she was happy
I asked my beautiful wife Linda to model for this and in the middle of the shoot our wonderful (lots of superlatives here) toy poodle, Barbie Dog, ran into the studio and looked up at Linda. Perfect.
I picked up the hand-sewn housecoat at Goodwill and modeled the Handy Hannah Hairdryer and Sunbeam Mixmaster from items I got at junk stores. Barbie is clay, with wool on her and the carpet is cut pipe cleaners on a clay base….. a tribute to shag carpet and the 1950’s.
Whip, Mix, Blend
• 2004 •
Linda modeling for Mix, Whip, Blend
Barbie Dog
Rudolph Valentino Bostic: Painter
Rudolph Valentino Bostic with his painting “Born to Die.”
Ceramic sculpture of Rudy by John Jensen.
Clay, paint , mixed media. H: 68”
Rudy with Mama sitting on the porch on W. 34th St..
Rudy with his paintings on cardboard and holding “Born to Die.”
Aren’t we all?
Rudy is a well known local folk artist. I can’t remember where I met him but I called him, asked if I could come over, he put down the phone and asked his Mama, who was 86 at the time, Mama, can Mr. Jensen come over? She said “OK, and a couple of days later I brought over Krispy Kreme donuts and they were sitting on the porch. We talked. Ate donuts. Rudy had hundreds of paintings on corrugated cardboard, most were biblical and all were beautiful. I took photos of Rudy for the sculpture and bought 3 of his paintings from Mama - she was his agent.
• 2004 •
Elton Van Brackle with Sun Glasses
Elton was clean, nicely dressed and well-spoken on the day that he modeled for us. I was attempting to “press” those pants and make them look as good in clay as real life.
• 2001 •