A Place to Reflect: Broken bowl in parking lot becomes art in Power of the Flower exhibition

Title: A Place to Reflect

Medium: Assemblage

A creature of habit, I park in the same section at the parking lot gym. But this particular evening, a car got in my way and I had to make a detour in the parking lot. I grumbled over the inconvenience and found myself in one of the first parking spots closest to the building. I guess that was a win.

As I gathered my things from the car, I noticed someone had dropped a dish. There were broken pieces everywhere. I picked up a random piece – it had a butterfly on it! I picked up a second piece and noticed a vine.

I ran on the treadmill and pondered my lucky find in the parking lot. I returned to my car and got on my knees and picked up all the broken bits I could find.

I contemplated my life’s choices. Here I am on a Friday night, picking up a broken dish that may or may not have food particles on it. It rained earlier that day and I think the rain may have helped clean the dish. But it still seemed gross. Is that cheese I see?

I have lost my mind.

Young male gym rats with muscle cars were blaring music a few feet away. I hoped they would not see this middle-aged woman collecting stuff from the parking lot.

I went home and washed the items – the dish hadn’t been that dirty. And the pieces were gorgeous.

Not convinced I picked up EVERY piece, I went back to the same parking spot the next day and scoured the area. I found a few more pieces.

The pieces sat on my kitchen counter for a few days… then a few weeks. I don’t like puzzles – so why would I think I can put this dish back together?

If I can fit just one piece of this puzzle, I will prove to myself I have the patience and ability. I examined the pieces and found a match. Now I was hooked.

Then I spent a good hour searching the internet for the dish pattern – to no avail. On a whim I showed the broken pieces to my mom – and she quickly identified the brand. I searched the company website to no avail. I emailed customer service and explained my very oddball story – I need an image to help put the dish back together. Can they help? I didn’t expect a reply. These are the types of emails that customer service would surely roll their eyes at and say, “really?”

But a few days later they indicated they examined the pattern and determined it was a knock-off.

Without a reference image, I decided I wasn’t going for an impeccable reconstruction. I don’t have all the pieces, and the object was a bowl in its previous life. It’s time the pieces live on as something new.

I added thread – which when you look closely, requires the pieces to be extended to add tension. I also painted the broken edges gold – to celebrate the beauty of imperfection. The reflective cardboard adds a level of confusion, which I love!

I imagined the piece as a sculpture my miniature people could visit and contemplate beauty from unexpected materials. Looking at it this way changes your perspective on what is perceived as useless trash found in a gym parking lot.

Experience the artwork in person! It is on a beautiful round pedestal WITHOUT an acrylic cover. I want viewers to get close to the artwork. Feel the enchantment of the sculptural space created for miniature people and normal sized humans!