Sculpture for Fund Raising
In 1980 I was asked to design the “Benefactor Pin” for the Brandeis
University Library. I had little experience in jewelry making, but I was
intrigued. I received an honorarium for the design and then after acceptance
of the design, I became the manufacturer. The donor contributed $1,000
and I charged $100 to make the pin.
My pin was very popular and the library sold a large number. What a marvelous combination! I created something people liked, I did what I love to do best, money was raised for the institution and I was paid for my work. This combination started me on a new pathway which has lead to institutions raising funds in a much more interesting and creative way.
Three Generations
I had received a fellowship to Virginia Center for the Creative Arts,
which was affiliated with Sweet Briar College. One day, the development
officer, Mark Whittaker, from the college and I were talking. Sweet Briar
was celebrating a year when three generations of students had all attended
the school. It was the grandmother, the mother,
and the present student.
Mark was putting together a campaign that would raise $1,000,000 for the President’s Circle. He asked me to make a sculpture where 10 donors would give $100,000 and receive my sculpture. I was delighted. And of course complied.
Sharing
The Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
was to have their annual “Animals in Art “ event and John Bowen,
the development officer asked me to do the signature piece which was to
raise $100,000.
Since I am intrigued with symbolism, I asked myself what activity is essential for all of us - animals as well as humans. I decided that eating is the most fundamental, not only for survival, but as a social activity. The idea of sharing was another. I put these two ideas together and the result is a cat eating out of a dog’s bowl with the dog watching rather passively. I added the cat’s small bowl full of food for clarity. The sculpture is resting on the casting of a real stone in order to imply outdoor space with the picket fence depicting shelter and protection.
I added the rabbit for design but also as an indication that the MSPCA treats animals, other than dogs and cats. The three animals further symbolize the three existing MSPCA hospitals, the 7 pickets of the fence represent the seven shelters in the state. The sculpture is signed and numbered and the initials MSPCA are on one side. This is a small edition of 10, mounted on a Travertine marble base, under which is a small rotating Lazy Susan.