©"Big Fun Ferris Wheel" 1996 California State Fair, Award of Merit

©"Big Fun Ferris Wheel," 5' x 5' x 10," galvanized steel, batteries, Clarissa 1996

Division 410 - 3-D Artwork Class 4 – Recycle (I used old batteries)

This piece was a direct entry to the "California Works Exhibit," specifically the recycled division with the theme of the 1996 California State Fair, "Big Fun," included in the name of the piece. There were 1,150 entries and only 170 were selected for display in the exhibit. Over the years I had many friends bring items to my house that they just couldn't throw away, thinking surely I, as an artist, could create a piece of art. While in Blythe California, a metal engineer brought an empty metal spool that had held very expensive wire for his machine shop and said, "I can't throw this away, it's yours to do something with it." Later that summer while driving from Blythe to Redding, California, we stopped at a Kmart for some snacks and walked by the jewelry section where they had a cylinder full of old watch batteries. I asked the clerk what they were going to do with all those watch batteries—this was long before recycling was happening at disposal sites—and she said they were just going to throw them away. I asked if I could have them and she reached over and gave me the whole cylinder full. There must have been 3,000 watch & hearing aid batteries of all sizes. I used the metal frame that was given to me and shaped all these batteries into famous little people, making a very small Ferris wheel that won 1st Place. It was about 20 inches in circumference. When we moved from Blythe, California to Lancaster, California, I requested the California State Fair catalog and discovered there was a recycling section for the Fine Arts. Like many artists, I wanted to see if I was really an Artist, so I designed another Ferris Wheel from two giant irrigation wheels used in commercial fields where they grow alfalfa and other food items. I made more little people to go on the huge Ferris Wheel and created designer clothes for them. It has always been super fun for everyone to try and guess who the famous celebrities were. The Award of Merit received at the 1996 California State Fair/California Works Exhibition was a special honor—a prestigious recognition given to outstanding entries that go above and beyond standard ranking ribbons. Out of 1,150 people entering, with only 170 selected for display, receiving this top-tier award was an amazing achievement that confirmed, “Yes, I am a real Artist!”                                                                                                       

STOP!❗️DON'T PEAK❗️

YOU MUST GUESS THE CELEBRITIES AND WRITE THEM DOWN FIRST!  Then between the Hearts, highlight what looks to be a blank area to reveal the answers! ❤️Page 1: BB KING, CARROT TOP, LIBERACE. Page 2:  CAROL CHANNING, DIANAN ROSS, PRESIDENT CLINTON, MARK SPITZ, "BIG FUN FERRIS WHEEL. Page 3: BARBARA STREISAND, MARILYN MONROE, DOLLY PARTON, CYNDI LAUPER, BLUES BROTHERS, JOAN RIVERS. Page 4: MINNIE PEARL, STEVEN SPIELBERG AND T-REX, THREE STOOGES, EINSTEIN, TINA TURNER, STATE FAIR PIN SIDEWAYS.❤️