Monday, June 16, 2003

What is this good for? I occasionally get folks asking what a particular piece can be used for. This is often the case with my smaller containers that look like they were made for something in particular, or they have an unusual element that throws people. My vessels that we've been discussing this week fit in that category. So what to do? Store your grandmother's sewing thimble in the hold, write a poem about her on the sail, and point it towards the old homestead. Direct the vessel toward your favorite vacation spot, hoist a photo of it as a sail, and place a rock you collected from there in the hold. Raise a mast from an old, dried, leaf, lay some seeds into the hold, and steer her towards the horizon where the sun rises at the Equinox. Most holders of small objects (keepsake holders, trinket jars, memory boxes, etc...) conform to some common notions. Most holders of small objects have lids...so stuff doesn't fall out. My vessels are open so that one can see the contents, for they effect the meaning of the piece. Most holders of small objects can be set down in most any direction. They may have on obvious front, and back, but that is about it. My vessels allow one to specify a particular direction they are to face, and that, again, effects the meaning of the piece. Most holders of small objects do so in and of themselves. My vessels allow for the owner to directly include their own elements on the piece, in the form of sails and text. These three features of my vessels open up a multitude of options for the owner. They go beyone the typical container of small items, and thus may cause some confusion. However, with some thought, they can be used to great effect. Of course anyone add these features to their vessels. 11:03:32 PM