Tom Muir
Perrysburg, Ohio
Please Do Not Touch The Artwork
teapot, honey locust, sycamore, copper, 18 x 18 x 36
inches
The intimate knowledge of natural history and practical forestry supports my visible vocabulary; this symbiosis is vital to my artistic practice. This vessel stems from venerable craft traditions of metalsmithing, woodworking and textiles, establishing a link to long traditions of household use and ornament. While the vessel, generally speaking, is a metaphor for the
body and life -- the emphasis of the vessel is on the interior and speaks of
containment, shelter, and nourishment -- in this particular case, an ironic
tension exists between the ordinarily inviting domestic object, the teapot, and
its intimidating thorny structure. Yet insect egg cases are visible in the structure of this teapot,
reminding us that the thorny honey-locust tree protects the birds and insects
in its limbs. Thus, through the
evocation of a familiar domestic image, we are brought to recognize that nature
is a home for all creatures, and to reflect on the limitations of the human
perspective as well as its special insights.
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