Jody Pilon

Mixed media

Metal open air vase & collaged sticks, 39 x 29" (approx.)

Every year community homeowners routinely do a spring clean up in their yards. If you are fortunate enough to have trees in your yard, there are often felled limbs or branches that need tending. Cities often have specific days in the spring for workers to pick up yard waste. Neighborhood driveways have piles of neatly tied bundles of sticks that, to me, look more like creative supplies than waste- so they come in the house.

During the first of many covid lockdowns, I worked happily in my studio. The spring of 2020 saw us with mandated closures at every turn. During this time, the 'yard waste' sticks sat in a vase in my workspace. I loved their shapes and thought how much more I would love them if they had colour! I spent the better part of a morning sorting through bits of fabric (left over from other projects) and carefully wound the 'yard waste' with bright strips of fabric that I dipped in glue. Each piece of fabric was left over from another project... from another time.

The open air vase was designed using boxboard. I took pictures of the prototype and sent it to a metal-working friend who was able to reproduce it for me.

Strange times littered with happy memories.