Andrew's ClockHurricane Andrew destroyed the wonderful house Norma and I recently built. We were in it at the time. The storm departed and we were left with a massive cleanup, as was the rest of the county. I spent my time frantically dealing with the messy loss and a mild form of PTSD, for want of a better diagnosis. No usable clothes, no water or food and all roads blocked for miles. It was crazy.
One of the greatest property losses was at Fairchild Tropical Garden, an extensive collection of tropical and subtropical trees and plants. The storm did enormous damage to buildings and landscape. A wealthy benefactor provided funds to turn some of the downed trees into lumber. A committee selected 15 Miami artists to produce a show using this material. I was one of those selected, and this clock was the result. I worked on the piece for about a month, and that work focused my mind back on a creative path. The show at Miami’s beautiful new art museum was a great success and my clock is still prominently displayed at Fairchild Garden. |