H’m … is a sculpture made with ‘Alambre recocido’, a stiff masonry wire used in Mexico for binding reinforcement rods placed in poured columns and foundations.

I thought my sculpture needed a “Masonry” setting, so I built this little room for it in Photoshop.

H’m … normally sits on a corner shelf in my dining room.

This sculpture evolved one day when I had little inspiration for working with the camera and the computer. (Sometimes I just have to work with my hands and feel something evolve within them). I had been bombarded with hammering and dust from construction next door for several weeks and finally decided that rather than resist this intolerable invasion I might feel better if I appreciated the skill and effort of the masons creating all the clatter. They really are skillful craftsmen, and their art adds beauty to the neighborhood. They take elements found beneath our feet and mix and mold them to create wonderful structures which often bear the tests of time. The finishing touch of humor that wiggled its way into this piece most likely resulted from my looking for a bright side to the whole affair, and of course its a fitting aspect of the sculpture’s underlying theme of self evolvement and creation – the ability to laugh at one’s self and enjoy the journey with all its surprising bends.

The sculpture is 7" tall by 6.5" wide and is made from one strand of wire. It rests on a piece of broken concrete block.

Photographs: Olympus E-3, 50-200 mm lens, f/11, ISO 100