Brian East and I collaborate on so many art projects, I figured he'd better have a place of his own on the website. Despite the fact that he was asked to "pursue other interests" rather than continue playing trombone in his Elementary School band (he always had a few extra notes to play at the end of every song), he cannot escape his artistic foundations and finds himself compulsively creating in multiple media. Perhaps his most unusual medium was when he spent 20 years bringing lifelike, natural appearance and expressions to the dead as a professional embalmer. Now he works more conventionally, carving stone, bending willow, and working with me on needle felted projects. He's deceptively handsome and charming. He is also witty, but don't encourage him. Honest. This corner of my website is for Brian, it is his to edit and though I will check it from time to time to clarify blatant exaggerations and even litigous statements, I can only hope your sense of humor prevails.
Charlotte
Thursday, April 1, 2010 at 7:53AM 
While working one summer in Wyoming, I took note of all the snow drift fences. They line the highways and some back roads. They seemed like a good place for something. I was actually working on another project when the season started running short. That's when I turned it into Charlotte. She sits on a fence that's on a side road between Atlantic City and South Pass City.
Here are some folks taking photos of the spider while on vacation
My Dad went through there two years later and took this picture. The elements are merciless out there and I'm surprised it's holding up this well.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010 at 3:02PM 
The pond by our woods had a swimming beach for kids. What swimming beach would be complete without a sea monster? Late in the fall I started making what would end up being three pieces. The idea was to mount them in the water. This had me eventually up to my waist the following Spring, in water that weeks before was frozen solid. We named her Sarah, and she lived in the pond 4 years. When we moved from there, I went out and worked on her one more time. I found bird nests in her head and back sections.
Reassembling the Woods
Monday, March 22, 2010 at 7:45PM 
The Nest
We were clearing debris from a brook when I thought of it.
I began by placing the logs into a square, then turned the next square a little, and the next a little more. Soon I had built a nest. My girlfriend loved it. She even claimed her right to throw out the sticks she didn't like.
I then decided to build a Weaver's Nest. I began to cull shaded saplings from around the woods. Most of these were in tight bunches, and by the looks of their companions, destined to die beneath the canopy. I bent and twisted them, weaving them into a nest that eventually featured a snow cap and front door with a port hole.
