NEWS In November, 2009 third graders at the Somersville Grammar School studied and created Native American Talking Sticks. Scavotto served as a Visiting Artist for the exciting meaningful project.         In August 2009, children at the Lego Creative Child Care Center in Enfield created marvelous figurative sculptures using aluminum foil, fabric and all sorts of materials and found objects.  Scavotto guided them as a Visiting Artist for the afternoon. Here are some examples of their imaginative creations...   THE CRADLE PROJECT In June of 2008, 1000 cradles made by artists from around the world will fill an abandoned warehouse in Albuquerque, New Mexico. All cradles are constructed with scrap materials. The Cradle Project, founded and directed by photographer Naomi Natale is an art installation designed to represent the plight of the estimated 48 million children who have been orphaned by HIV/AIDS, disease and poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa alone. The Cradle Project will promote awareness and raise financial support to help feed, shelter and educate these children.  Heartfelt gratitude to my dear friends Susan & Rick Taff from Glastonbury, CT and special friends of my loving Mother & Father - Dan & Estelle McNamara, Windsor Locks, CT for sponsoring my cradle sculpture. For more information or to learn how you may help, visit www.thecradleproject.org "DOUBLE DREAMS" ...scrap steel spools reconstructed + orphaned curtain segments...     read the cradle statement...

Scavotto's  Puzzled and  Dispositions sculptures from the Humans Being Series have been selected by a National Juried Book Competition and published in  Best of America - Sculpture Artists and Artisans Kennedy Publishing

Puzzled

Dispositions  was recently selected for publication in Lark Books, edited by Veronica Alice Gunter 500 Figures in Clay - Ceramic Artists Celebrate the Human Form

Dispositions

JAN’S CHAMPIONSHIP JACKS  

Enamel Painted Steel   2005

Purchased by Enfield Street Elementary School, Enfield, CT

When we were in elementary school, Jan and I were best friends.  Playing Jacks was one of our most fun-filled past-times. We loved the bouncing of the small red ball and the excitement of picking up the metal toys quickly and skillfully.  Jan would almost always win but once in a while I was victorious.  She taught me everything that I knew about the challenge of playing Jacks.  Most importantly, Jan and I enjoyed being together and sharing friendship.  Today, we remain as close as sisters. I am dedicating this sculpture to her and all that she has taught me about Jacks and life.

Jan’s Championship Jacks is welded of steel and painted with enamel colors. The steel is heated, melted and fused together. The sculpture is designed to fit into a corner and is always displayed as a grouping.  I wanted the jacks to playfully tumble out from the wall onto the floor. Smaller and lighter colored jacks give the appearance of being farther away while larger and brighter jacks are closer to the viewer.  These are the some of the effects of atmospheric or aerial perspective.

I love to draw. The sculpture is like a drawing in space since the body and round tips of the jacks are made with lines – long rods of steel. To give a more playful look, the balls on each corner of the jacks have been scribbled. The space around and between the jacks is very important in the composition – the direction, balance, harmony, rhythm and unity.

In addition to sculpting the memory of playing Jacks with Jan, this sculpture reflects my love for POP Art.  The size of the jacks is huge compared to the real game objects.  Have you ever played the game of Jacks?  Besides having fun, you may improve your concentration and co-ordination! 

Barbara Scavotto Earley Sculpture