Make No Little Plans

"Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work."
— Daniel Burnham (1846-1912)

Architect Daniel Burnham, whom some consider the inventor of urban planning, offered a vision of what he believed a civilized city should look like at a time of urban disorder. He believed that a city could be both beautiful and efficient.  His work sought to merge things often thought of as opposite such as business with art and the practical with the ideal. Burnham’s influence is strongly felt in Chicago as well as across America.

My newest piece, Make No Little Plans began as a simple wooden cube. Any of you who are familiar with my work will find this shape to be of no surprise! The square shape encourages balance and underscores the potential dichotomy in everything.   It symbolizes a prolonged state of presence and is a dependable and grounded structure.   I find comfort in its stability, predictability and familiarity.

I began by making a simple cardboard model, as I often do.  I have my Father to thank for the construction of this wooden base.  I promptly thanked him with a homemade sweet potato pie (his favorite).  There is no picture of said pie as while, I was told, it was truly delicious, it was a sad looking little pie attesting to my lack of baking skills! 

In a September blog post titled Challenges are a Good Thing, http://afboehmnews.blogspot.com/2012/09/challenges-are-good-thing.html, I wrote about my latest series of paintings.  In this new series I adjust the way I treat the encaustic and fiber materials I use in my 3D Vessel and Sculpture series. The results are unquestionably 2D.  Pattern and repetition play key roles in these new works.  The interplay of colors in the highly textured fragments of larger images feels harmonious.  The flowing lines resulting from the placement of these small pieces set a visual path that gives rise to a calming sense of rhythm.

Make No Little Plans, detail

This new sculpture, Make No Little Plans, is the perfect combination of the 2D use of materials with the 3D sculptural form!



Make No Little Plans
encaustic, cheesecloth on wood base
10"x9"x9"