Assignment 5 - Found Objects

Found objects:

Lunch Box

Moss and rocks

Glue gun and toothpicks

Various rock sizes

Final diorama

The purpose of this project was to use found objects that have one meaning but when combined have a different one.

“Found” coming across an object by chance or unexpectedly - Oxford Languages definition.

The thrill of thrift shopping is finding an object by chance, one that usually holds significant value to a person whether it’s monetary or sentimental. In this case, while hunting a local antique store I found a Yogi Bear lunchbox. It brought back memories of being a kid and taking a classic metal lunchbox with the flip latch to school every day. There is just something about the rattle the handle makes when your carrying it that stirs memories of my childhood.

This was the perfect found object to use for this project. An ordinary lunchbox, meant to hold consumable food items. However, it takes on a new meaning because of the figures that were painted on the box. The figures being Yogi Bear and Boo Boo, who became famous in 1958 when their classic cartoon in Jellystone Park began on television. It showed their escapades of trying to steal park visitor’s lunches. It was comical to see the trouble they got into and how Park Ranger Smith always had to help. I guess it’s one of the reasons I find it ironic that these two bears are on a lunch box, a box with no food!

Within the lunchbox I setup a diorama of a campsite in the woods, similar to one where Yogi would hunt for food in Jellystone Park. There is a campfire and dense forest, filled with moss, trees and rocks that I found in my craft bin. I used them to create a natural setting, paying particular attention to placement of trees and rocks so they weren’t uniform. The diorama is not just inside the box, it is attached to the inside of the lid so it gives the feeling of an extended scene.

With the scene before you, one can’t help but think of another famous bear that helps prevent forest fires - Smokey The Bear.

Comments

* A Few of My Favorite Things

1. Willow Tree Angel - this angel honors fallen soldiers and the wives they leave behind. 2. The last picture my husband took with my daughter before he died. 3. The last picture of a happy moment at Disney between my son and husband. 4. Angel wings Christmas Ornament - a special ornament I have displayed on a shelving unit. 5. An art project I did in 2D Design, the angels signify the sadness of the past and the hope of the future.

Intertwined - Grief and Hope

2D Project - create an image using 2 objects in various sizes to simulate foreground and background fading out of view. For this project I used two Willow Tree sculptures created by artist Susan Lordi to compose my project. As a military widow these two sculptures hold significant meaning. The foreground is composed of more Hero statues as it signifies more of the immediate grief after suffering loss. As you move toward the middle there is hope and grief mixed together. The background contains more hope then grief as you begin to find yourself again and move forward in your journey. Willow Tree Sculptures Hero and Soar Hero sculpture shadowed from various angles

Project 1 The Box

Project 1 – Boxed Mind The box remains a central part of my art work, so I decided to look further into its meaning. The definition of a box is a container, which is an object that can be used to hold or transport something. Synonyms of a container are a vessel, a casket, and pottery. In this sense, one could consider the human mind a vessel that stores memories. This concept was intriguing and worthy of further development. Focusing on this concept, the human mind became a space comprised of various compartments. Each compartment ranged from a single level to multiple levels. The multi-level compartment were for the more complex thoughts and feelings; places that needed more space to breathe. As I planned the sculpture, I envisioned a mandala, made with various shaped boxes instead of circles. Originally thinking about using paper to sculpt, my vision began to change as I cut out each individual area. The piece needed to be more solid and sturdy, so I brought in the natural elem...

Susan Williams

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