Lasting Impressions

Bogwater Jim

Lafayette, NJ

973-383-6057

It's no wonder we have such a crush on old wooden foundry patterns. They are strong and graphic, without pretense. Skillfully crafted years ago by incredibly talented carpenters, they were the precise form to be cast in steel. Pressed into a sand/cement mixture, then removed, they left a void to be filled with molten metal.

Stored for years in the lofts of old factories, they are now being rediscovered as genuine articles of American Art.

These patterns, once again, are leaving a lasting impression...this time on the viewer. Used as wall art, sculpture or as part of a deconstruction, they embody a hard-working, rough and ready attitude and remind us of how resourceful we can be.

Deconstruction

Bogwater Jim

Lafayette, NJ 07848

973-383-6057

My creative friend Barbara, who can envision and construct just about anything, stopped by the shop the other day. She needed a coat rack. Twenty minutes later, she was motoring away with a few odd bits and pieces...an old iron mannequin base, a wooden foundry pattern and a handful of zinc hooks.

The next day...there it was...a quirky work of art!

Constructing useful furnishings out of old stuff, repurposed, is a trend afoot that gives new life to the mundane. It's thrifty and clever and makes the viewer smile. The endeavor challenges one's ingenuity. The result is always "one-of-a-kind."

Coat Rack - Barbara Stanek 2010

Global Interest

Bogwater Jim

Lafayette, NJ

973-383-6057

World globes...As a schoolgirl, I remember my first encounter with them as a proud moment. Having such a grown-up navigational tool in our classroom could only mean one thing...we had arrived.

There were the crisp, efficient lines of longitude and latitude that always let you know exactly where you stand. And crazy-shaped continents, vast oceans and wiggly rivers that, together, promised a lifetime of exploration. And the colors...azure blue, viridian green, mountain brown, surely confirming our status in the solar system as the "prettiest" planet.

These old globes remind me of the world as it used to be. They provide an interesting, nostalgic and studious artifact to any environment. Now, when I look at them, I find the ever-shifting borders and renaming of countries fascinating. It reminds me that change is always on the horizon.

Everyone Gets a Pagoda

Bogwater Jim

Lafayette, NJ 07848

973-383-6057

In the late 1800's, the English economy was booming. Working folks, who formerly just wished they could own some beautifully decorated dinnerware, suddenly found it possible. It was called "transferware." Copied from earlier, hand-painted ceramics, these prepared, stock designs were applied in scenic patterns, whether Oriental, pastoral or floral. Quantity and affordablity made transferware the rage of the day. One can imagine the kilns of the English potteries never cooling off.

I think of the young women of the period, carefully choosing their favorite color (red, blue, brown, green, mulberry and black). So many choices. Instead of lunch or a book club meeting, "girl's day out" might have meant a trip to the mercantile to add another piece to the household collection. How lovely, meeting a friend to discuss the merits of a farm scene vs. an Asian landscape.

The introduction of transferware just may represent a turning point in anthropology... the moment when homes got prettied-up for pretty's sake and shopping for everyday furnishings became a working class pastime.

I think this highly decorative creamware was a brilliant, happy, comforting addition to civilization.