I told you I'd take photos of all the animal-head sculptures that live in the library display cabinets. These are projects that students made in an art class many years ago -- before I got my current job in 2013. So I've been staring at these critters (and they've been staring at me) the whole time I've worked at the school.
Now the current librarian is talking about swapping the artworks out for something new. If the animals do get removed, they will apparently go live in the art building.
Excuse the dusty shelves. No one ever cleans inside these cabinets! I love the platypus on the right.
I think that lizard, or sea creature, or whatever it is, is from a different art project.
The one at bottom right is a boar -- sorry the light is right in its face. The one next to it is a walrus. All these heads are made of clay and they're quite heavy.
A pretty good assortment of creatures! Some are better than others but I do enjoy them all, so it's nice to have a record of them now.
I'm afraid most of them could go in my opinion. I really like the rabbit.
ReplyDeleteThe rabbit is one of the best, for sure.
DeleteThey may not be beautiful but I quite like them. Well done to the kids that made them. A much better effort than anything I could have done.
ReplyDeleteThey have a lot of personality!
DeleteGood creativity..have them retired, yes, but replaced my more current work
ReplyDeleteThat's the plan. I'm not sure what it will be.
DeleteIt's a shame they're getting rid of them, but at least they're not being thrown away! It’s cool how you’ve grown so used to seeing them over the years that they've just become a part of your daily scenery. I can see why you'd be attached to them, dusty or not. The platypus is definitely a standout.
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I would save them all if they were going into the trash!
DeleteSome really good work there, and a fun display. I hope they all get good treatment in the art department. And I hope the new librarian comes up with something equally fun and energizing.
ReplyDeleteI suspect the animals will wind up staying through this year, actually. We're all too busy to devise an alternate plan.
DeleteThese are wonderful. I love the eyes - such friendly expressions, mostly.
ReplyDeleteThey are very lively, though I think the beady eyes of a few freak people out. LOL
DeleteI have always loved student art work. I still have a lot of art work that was created in my classroom. Looking at them always brings a smile to my face.
ReplyDeleteIt's great that you save it even after you retired!
DeleteOh gosh, as nice as they are I think they would be giving me nightmares for a while until I got used to that many sets of strange eyes watching me. Having the photos will be a good record now that they are being re-located. It will be interesting to see what replaces them ... and whether the shelves will be dusted!
ReplyDeleteHa! Yeah, I'm not sure why the shelves aren't on a steady rotation for dusting, but they're not.
DeleteSome of these heads are really good. I wonder if the makers would like to reclaim them. Also wonder what will replace them. Let's hope it's more original art by students.
ReplyDeleteI think at this point all those kids are young adults, probably into their 30s! They'd be astonished to know their animals are still here. Whatever replaces them will definitely be student art, but who knows what it might look like.
DeleteI think all of them are very well made. I think you should make enquiries about exactly where they are going and if they will still be displayed.
ReplyDeleteThey'll go to the Art Building and be displayed there, as I understand it.
DeleteThese are quite good. So good that the creature is a recognizable nudibranch. Very neat.
ReplyDeleteI wondered if it was a nudibranch! At some point, one of the teachers had all his kids make nudibranchs. I think that's the last one we have left.
DeleteOh, no, actually I see at least two more on another shelf.
DeleteI love them, and hope that if they get moved they get a new display wherever they land.
ReplyDeleteThe Art Department head made it sound like they definitely would not be discarded.
DeleteI think that is an awesome display! I'm glad to hear they will be retained and perhaps displayed elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteMe too!
DeleteWhat a great job those kids did.
ReplyDeleteDidn't they? Not only are the animals (in most cases) a recognizable likeness, they all have a lot of personality.
DeleteSome are pretty wild-eyed but recognizable! Certainly an interesting post!
ReplyDeleteHa! Yeah, they look like they've been drinking too much coffee!
DeleteThose are fabulous, what is wrong with the new person in the Library? The heads are so wonderful!
ReplyDeleteI see no need to change them but apparently I am in the minority.
DeleteI wonder if any of the artists who made these would want to reclaim them. I think they're very good. I'm impressed with the kids' work.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure we could even figure out who made them at this point, unless the names are on the undersides.
DeleteI like them and hoped they are saved in the Art Room. Thanks for showing them to us, Steve!
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome! I hope they entertained everyone here as much as they entertain me every day.
DeleteThanks for showing us. Some of them are really pretty good. I like the rabbit and whatever that big eared thing is in the fourth picture down on the left. I wonder if they students got to pick an animal or they were assigned since no two are the same animal.
ReplyDeleteI think the big-eared critter is a fennec fox. Just a guess.
DeleteI think they are a marvelous group! I am glad they are going to be kept and not disposed of.
ReplyDeleteMe too!
DeleteThe students produced some very good sculptures, and they look great in the display case. I hope they will continue to be displayed somewhere (ideally in their current location) and not stored in a closet. If they go, I'd miss them too. If they go into a closet, I'd consider a midnight acquisition.
ReplyDeleteHa! If they said they were going to throw them out I probably WOULD acquire at least a few of them.
DeleteI like that they are (mostly) smiling. Even the ones that would eat you in real life, look as if they'd be smiling as they did it!
ReplyDeleteYeah, probably some anthropomorphizing going on there. :)
DeleteI think they're clever and WAY above my artistic ability. I can understand going in a new direction though. Sometimes a change is good, although difficult.
ReplyDeleteI agree -- I could never make anything like that.
DeleteI think there are a lot of excellent artists in your student population. Love these.
ReplyDeleteI wonder what the teacher's directions were. He seemed to urge them to be as detailed as possible and to try to instill the animals with personality.
DeleteI think overall, these are pretty astounding for high school kids. For anyone (I couldn't do that!). And clever selection -- a platypus? A walrus? Jungle cat? Who thinks of these! Young, creative minds. I hope the art department will continue to display them. They're wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI know, really unusual choices of animals!
DeleteThat's an exquisite collection showing some real talent.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it?!
DeleteOh lord wonderful
ReplyDeleteAren't they great?!
DeleteThey're great, especially the pigs and platypus
ReplyDeleteI agree -- I love the pink pig with the earring.
DeleteI think they're great. But, I also think that after 12+ years, it's time to consider showcasing more recent student work. The student display in the library where I used to work is rotated yearly, and is always impressive.
ReplyDeleteWell, that's exactly the argument -- that we probably have more current art to show.
DeleteI think it's a fun display, but I guess there's nothing wrong with wanting something newer, perhaps done by current students. I hope their new home puts them on display rather than packed away somewhere.
ReplyDeleteEven packed away is better than thrown away, though frankly if they get packed up it's probably a step toward discarding them.
DeleteSome of these are pretty good and some will awaken a talent or abilitiy that is there.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I wonder if this project inspired any of those kids to continue working in clay?
DeleteI think these are great, and I hope none will accidentally fall when they are all going to be moved to a new home. It will be interesting to see what will take their place - after the shelves are dusted... ;-)
ReplyDeleteThey are quite heavy, and I imagine if they fall they could do some damage in addition to breaking themselves!
Delete