BELT BUCKLE: SATURDAY NIGHT SPECIAL (dump 'em to the bottom of the sea)
This piece was created as part of Boris Bally’s Rhode Island version of The Innovative Merger of Art & Guns to Inspire New Expressions, or IMAGINE PEACE NOW Exhibition, which is a call to arms, hearts and hands intended especially for contemporary metal artists.
Having lived in Texas since 2009 and as a faculty member at a University where the carrying of concealed handguns is permitted by state law, I am increasing concerned about America’s self-deceptive obsession with firearms. Their presence is no longer questioned and becoming increasingly commonplace. This piece was partially inspired by the lyrics of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s song, “Saturday Night Special” (which are etched into the back of the piece). I also consider this piece part of my Aquatic Series. Conceptually, I am proud of the combination of issues that I have strong personal feelings about—gun control and environmentalism.
The process of creating this piece brought together new explorations (casting and painting pewter) with other more established elements of my studio practice (Thurmanite, etching, dieforming, found object usage, microhardware). The cast pewter ring was made from a mold of a variety of found stones and actual sea life.