How wonderful to have a sculptor in the neighborhood. One of the things I hoped to do this summer was buy one of Casey Bell’s sculptures to put in the garden. I got the last of my summer checks last week and realized that most of the work that summer money was going to pay for was completed. I had enough left over for a piece for the garden. I called Casey and asked if I could come down and look at the pieces he had on hand.
There were several that I liked, but Casey said he one inside that would look good in a garden, too. As we were leaving his studio, he remembered a piece that was wrapped and in a dolly–the last piece to be unloaded after his last show. He unwrapped it and I knew it was the piece I wanted. I looked at the one inside, and it was interesting, but I wanted to look at the other one again. It is a figure of a woman. The face is typical of the ones Casey does–sort of Easter Island meets Africa. But the woman had hair that trailed down her back in a long loose
braid. The back of the piece is as interesting as the front. The surface of the piece is somewhat rough. Casey named the technique he used but I can’t remember. He also said it took him all winter to create the piece.
She’s standing right now in my garden. Casey and his wife brought her down to see how she would look. I suspect she will not leave. Casey said something about pegging the statue, and I think that means he will stabilize her on the pine stump that forms her base.
She costs more than I initially wanted to spend, but she looks so good in the garden that I think I have to give her a home. She’s is made of Kansas limestone so she will weather the worst of Michigan winters, and gain a patina to show just how well she does that.
Garden 337 