Over Labor Day we went camping at one of our favorite places — Abram's Creek in West Virginia — with our friends the Wilhelms. The campground has an artsy/new-agey vibe to it and we're always finding interesting creative contributions to the natural beauty of the woods and creek.
On my way to the port-a-john, I spotted a rusted pole and metal strap in a wood pile and my first thought was that I needed to find a way to take it home with us (hmmm...maybe leave a child behind?). Later, while sitting around the campfire, I read an article on guerilla art in one of Susan's craft magazines and — cue the clichéd light bulb going off in my head — I decided that making a piece of environmental art was what I should do.
The biggest challenge was how, with only a Leatherman for a tool, to fit the two pieces together. I struggled for a while until Rick Wilhelm offered his help and, between us, we were able to make it work. Rick helpfully suggested "Man's Inhumanity to Man" as a title, but an earlier story about Rick's South American colleague's use of an obscure word gave us the perfect name: "Protuberance, Number 7."
Knowing that the placement of a piece of environmental art is key to its success, I searched for the just the right spot to put it and a perfect rotting stump at the edge of our campsite. Protuberance, indeed! I hope Vince and the crew at Abram's Creek leave it it up so we can see it next time we're there.
If you want to see some legit environmental art, check out Robin Croft's impromptu work. Amazing!
