Wednesday, January 2, 2013

A Little More Than A Foot


 



"A Little More Than A Foot"
This piece has been on my work table (and in my head) for a year or more.  But for some reason, I was not able to finish the piece.
Several weeks ago I read an online article titled A Soleful Life, about a shoe repair shop owner named Guiseppe (Joe) Campieri. I was so touched after reading this story that my motivation to finish this piece was renewed.

  Photo by Adam Williams

This piece itself, is simple, yet complex on many levels. I love the idea of containing things in boxes. I almost always like to cover the boxes with in glass. But for some reason, this one stumped me. The shoe form is full of age earned patina, and surface scratches that come from a lifetime of useful service as a cobbler's shoe form or perhaps even as a shoe stretcher.
I really like the idea of allowing the viewer the ability to touch the nicks and 'scars' the piece has earned in it's lifetime. So I opted for no glass.
The shoe form is contained in a single bottle wine box from the now defunct Quail Ridge Winery. This was another reason I struggled so much with this piece (the Quail Ridge brand is owned by the same guy that makes 2-Buck Chuck wine and in the past few years the company has been involved in some pretty creepy labor and legal issues.)

The vintage shoe form is a G.E. BELCHER STOUGHTON industrial shoe form is made of wood and iron. On the top of the foot form, you can read the words "Oil All Moving Parts".
The inside and back of the box is covered in text from a vintage encyclopedia. I overlaid the back side of the box with pattern tissue. The back is embellished with a found metal roof nail cap, used to hold the shoe form in place. A skirt marker frames and finishes the front of the piece.

I love the richness of the wood in this vintage shoe form, and the stories it can tell.

17 comments:

  1. belle pièce pour la nouvelle année! superbe!

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    1. merci Elfi. c'est une observation très intéressante. . . meilleur pied en avant, et tout ce qui.

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  2. Hi Rebeca. Your pieces are always so interesting. Leaving the glass out was a good idea. I would want to touch the shoe form. You really find a lot of great things in your searches. Happy New Year and have a great rest of the week.

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    1. Thanks Glo!
      Happy new year to you too!
      i see you soon, in blogisphere!

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  3. I love the piece and the story behind it! Happy New Year.

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    1. happy new year to you Pam!
      i am delighted to learn about your new commissioned piece! Congrats!

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  4. Oh I think you were wise not to encase that patina, the joy of wood is always tactile. It's a lovely piece and will tell its own story.

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    1. i am so glad you agree. (they worked hard for that patina!

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  5. Hi Rebeca
    thats a great patina on it and a lovley story.....
    and do not miss......

    S
    A
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    Y

    S
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    it is FUN :)
    WELCOME
    Håkan ( The Roseman)

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  6. Nice finds and you make them look so new!

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    1. Thank you for stopping by Helen!
      i just love these old shoe forms.

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  7. Wonderful piece, love the story it holds. Your work is very interesting

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  8. I love the rich colour of the wood. It is complete without the glass. How wonderful to be able to touch the old shoe last and look into the box without the glass reflecting. It is a wonderful piece!

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