John Ready | River Gems | 2009
Brass, stainless steel, copper, alabaster, wood,
aluminum, marble, tin, glass, ceramic, found objects
John
Ready’s extraordinary River Gems collection of urban jewelry will be installed at various locations along the Milwaukee River. His
sculptures, compiled of interestingly familiar objects, will grace harp lights, bridge houses, and balconies of the RiverWalk.
Harp
lights will be adorned with pairs of earring-like sculptures, made primarily of recycled housewares, like pots and pans, colorful
plates and bowls, unusual ashtrays, common lawn mower tires, and many other “found” objects. Spectacular six-foot steel rings with
sparkling settings made of decorative lamps, marble, alabaster, and truly
unusual items like polished bowling balls will sit on the
RiverWalk. Quite exquisite in appearance, necklaces constructed of brass and steel spinnings, blue spatterware, martini shakers, cookware,
camping accessories, and other gem-like materials will beautify bridge houses. Balconies along the RiverWalk will be magically lit
by an array of dazzling brooches. These sculptures, made from ordinary aluminum Jell-O molds are riveted together to form glitzy,
shimmering, oversized pins that are fitted with solar lights designed to light up like glistening gems.
When commenting on the goals
of the project Mr. Ready stated, “I’m not certain we have goals as such. I don’t think we have any agenda and these pieces are not
necessarily content driven. We are creating this series of jewelry-based images that function within the context of downtown Milwaukee.
The materials are intentionally reused items of our own lives. Most materials come from Goodwill or Salvation Army — secondhand
stores.
I think it is important that the viewer begin to identify the constituent parts of the sculpture after they have experienced the piece
as a whole. I think this might help us reconsider what we have and how we treat the things in our lives.”
Mr. John Ready’s most recent
exhibits have included: INDUSTRIAL ARTS: Fobs, chains and Chatelaines for the jet set and the chevro-let set at Rochester Art Center,
Rochester, Minnesota; and Art on Site at Madison Museum of Contemporary Art / Olbrich Botanical Gardens, Madison, Wisconsin. Ready
is currently an associate professor and Director of University Gallery at UW-La Crosse. Mr. Ready resides in La Crescent, Minnesota,
in an 1860’s home on his family’s farm atop the Mississippi River Valley. His on-site studio is a big red barn constructed by his
grandfather in 1930. To learn more about John Ready’s work, visit www.jready.com.