Found Objects + Recycled Constructions: masks

"Why do we fall in love with objects if they cannot requite our feelings?"

This blog will be dedicated to the work I do with found objects, repurposed materials, broken parts, obsolete tools, machine tooling patterns, utilitarian objects, abandoned musical instruments, discarded shapes and various odds-n-ends and hand-made stuff that I think I can use for sculptures and constructions.

I have been making found object constructions for over 20 years and have assembled a wide array of objects in my studio.

I have written articles about recycled art which you will find scattered in this blog, and have created many pieces over the years which I will continue to document when I come across the photos.

The re-use, recycling, re-purposing, re-constructing of amazing objects has been a way for them to be resurrected before they find their final demise with the rest of us in the land of misfit toys.

About

Born to an artist mother and philosopher professor father, Ursula Roma grew up on a farm near Choconut, Pennsylvania in an environment that encouraged artistic expression and taking pleasure in the natural world. Her appreciation for the elegant beauty of common objects leads her to create stunningly smart and sophisticated art from the most mundane items; cutlery and machine dies become graceful fish whilst discarded machine parts are transformed into delightful gardens of fantastical plants.

Composed of diverse pieces, Ursula’s found object constructions feature an intricacy of composition and the ability to combine an incredible array of unrelated items into a unified work. Looking closely, one will immediately recognize some items with ease; springs, spoons, badges and violin bridges... whilst others will confound: is that part of a piano or a car engine? Ursula knows exactly what they are, what they were used for and where they came from.

How does she gather her materials? Passing a skip or bin with interesting shapes peeking over the edge often causes her to stop mid-stride to investigate. Climbing in and frequently disappearing to the clattering sounds of digging, she will suddenly appear clutching curious bits of rubbish in triumph. With infectious enthusiasm she can plan her next artwork whilst standing on the pavement surrounded by discarded “junk”, making mental notes of the other disparate items stored in her sculpture studio.

Many objects of inherent beauty end up needlessly in the trash, so Ursula goes directly to the source; factory, workshop or scrap yard to “save” select items such as musical instruments, car parts and non-ferrous metal materials to give them a second life. Ursula has acquired complete cellos and violins with fingerboard and pegs that were headed for the landfill but now live on as magnificent works of art.

Once the found objects are back at the studio, a laborious process of cleaning, sorting, dissembling and reassembly takes place which can take hours, days, weeks or even months. Some metal items need to be “seasoned” with a patina by applying chemicals, soda or by being left outside to develop a natural patina of rust. Her back garden is its own sculpture garden of art-in-waiting. —MCA

Monday, September 26, 2011