I get a call this morning from someone who was not able to attend the show. Through ripples of laughter, I was told that flamingos might try to escape by flying north, but that they will never be able to escape east coast doll people. "You don't mess with doll people!" I was admonished. "No, I wouldn't dream of it" I said.Then I was asked, "And WHAT was that scary thing that you had on your shoulder??" I said, "Polly? You've never met Polly?" She said that no, she had never ever seen anything scary on my shoulder and that it was so scary and the person was so frightened that she couldn't even describe it. My caller said, "Is it a dragonfly?" I said, "Oh lord, good heavens, no. Certainly nothing like a dragonfly."
Polly is huge. Polly is approximately six inches long and five inches high. Polly has pokey little legs to perch properly on one's shoulder. Polly is a fine art sculpture created by Richard, a professional artist who lives in a multitude of acres in upstate New York. He is not to be confused with island resident Richard Gardner, who produced "Bebe": the photographic exhibition of my work and that with A.D. People who missed yesterday's show, and who would like to see Window, can visit http://www.richardgardnerphotography.com/ . The Richard who created Polly has a degree in Fine Arts and produces sculpture for a living. Last I spoke to him, his work is not online and is available only through shows and galleries.
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As the physical incarnation of Richard's muse, Polly is extremely special. Richard is a Vietnam vet who came back safely and began to make Polly to share his good fortune with others. Others, who are typically artists and art lovers. Polly is discussed often and the consensus is: only someone with the heart and soul of an artist can appreciate Polly and wear Polly with the love and pride that Polly deserves. Polly often accompanies me to my rare public appearances at shows or exhibitions and immediately identifies me as a member of the fine arts community to others of that same community. Outsiders are alternatively intrigued or appalled, attracted or repulsed. Polly wards off 'normal' people nicely.
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When Richard came back from Vietnam, he attributed his homecoming to the angel that sat on his shoulder. This angel, he said, never left his side for the entire war. He is grateful that this angel brought him home to do his art. He named the angel Polly, because of the parrots that sat on pirates' shoulders while they were at sea.
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Like a parrot, as an angel, Polly has wings. Polly is a Spark Bug; out of Polly's butt is a spark plug. Polly's snout is a doll hand, with the little finger pointing. The spark of creativity comes from its butt and shoots out its snout, just like in the Michelangelo painting. Polly's eyes are red glass and Richard's wife would not let him make them light up. Polly's wings make the sound of helicopter blades flying over 'nam. Helicopters meant food and rescue; their blades a welcome sound.
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Richard also makes Pollys big enough to put on the roof of your house, in case you'd like big time protection. All Pollys are one of a kind and completely different. But, like the finest art that they are, all are recognizable Pollys. And, just when you thought that all of this is more information than you ever could want to know about how wonderful and how incredible and how special Polly is, the story of Polly gets even better.
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There is a heart painted upon each Polly's back. Polly comes in two sexes. You can choose whether you would like a male Polly or whether you would prefer a female Polly. My Polly is a "well balanced male". And how, do you tell the difference? Everyone asks. Well, female Pollys have heart. Males have a heart on.
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