How to stop men from picking up a precious wood sculpture?
""Don't touch art" was a family rule when I was growing up. Terry and I taught that to our daughter. One-finger touching began when she was a baby.
But some men make a beeline for this white cedar loon bowl on my coffee table, picking it up with dirty hands. I cringe. Worse are guys who toss keys or change into the center.
"Don't do that!" I tell men. "That's art." ("Were you raised in a barn?" I think in disgust.)
I purchased this white cedar carving by Kwakiutl artist Lloyd Wadham, Sr. in 1984. His carvings are featured in art collector books.
"You need to keep the loon bowl in a plexiglass case," a professional art restorer advised.
Women show good manners and don't touch it. I have displayed it on my glass coffee table for 30 years. Some men feel entitled to handle whatever they want. Their poor manners appall me.
When children visit, I put it on a high shelf.
Your thoughts?
p.s. Thanks for your advice, everyone. I put a small sign by it: "Do not touch."
As with children, I will put it away when new men come over.
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58 comments (51 - 58)
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.Sorry but if you leave something that looks like an ash tray on a table in a room people are going to think it is a bowl or an ash tray simple as that.
I have a display cabinet in my front room and anything precious to me (mainly presents or achievements by my kids and grand kids, but some art and antiques) are kept behind glass, safe and clean.
LenHazell53
Level 9
Aug 23, 2019
1
You think it looks like an ashtray?
Clearly you know nothing about Northwest Pacific Coast Native art.
It's an exquisite white cedar carving by the late Kwakiutl artist Lloyd Wadham, Sr.
@LiterateHiker
You are quite right I do know nothing about Northwest Pacific Coast Native art, and so too I expect do about 98% of other people.
Is it altogether reasonable for you to expect every other person to have such knowledge in order to fit in with your personal tastes?
I am very versed in the art and culture of ancient Egypt, I would not dream of expecting anyone else who came in to my home to understand and show respect to a statue of Sekhmet I have in my front room, so I keep it safe.
I am sorry if you find it unreasonable for "men" not to mistake the (quite reasonable) uses and purposes of your art without prior knowledge, but I find it unreasonable for my entire sex to be labeled as uncultured and bad mannered because you choose to have your home fitted out to favour your enthusiasms with not thought for the protection of your art or the sensibilities of others.
@LiterateHiker Not an ashtray but it does look like it serves a function with the hollowed out back. This leads me to believe that the man who carved it probably thought it should be used as more than art.
Also... I'd wager that 99% of us know nothing about Northwest Pacific Coast Native art.
Just put a small sign beside it that says "please do not touch!" and call it a day.
@RiverRick It is traditional in some parts of England that ashtrays have an ornate base with a delve in them into which a fitted brass, steel or glass bowl sits, and to be honest I agree it seemed to be this was the functional purpose of the art, and as such was meant to be picked up and moved to where needed.
On a yellow card, I printed "Do not touch" with a black Sharpie pen. Set it beside the Loon Bowl.
The Loon Bowl needs to be seen from above. On a high shelf, the exquisite carving is concealed.
This would spoil it for me, too.
What makes you think I put no thought into protecting it? You are wrong.
Heat would crack the wood. So, it never gets direct sunlight. It's not near a heat vent. It is by my enormous Christmas cactus that provides moisture. I set the Loon Bowl on the far corner of the coffee table, away from drinks and food.
At Christmas when the coffee table is needed for gift unwrapping, I put the Loon Bowl away.
This is a beautiful piece of Art. I don't know what to tell you about some men who touch things without asking. If you don't know the person well and have them over to your place, perhaps the best thing to do would be to put it up out of reach like you say you do with children. Thank you for sharing the pictures!!
Redheadedgammy
Level 9
Aug 23, 2019
1
Thank you. That's what I will do.
Refine your guest list
I can't imagine touching something this beautiful. It would not occur to me to ask.
Mitch07102
Level 8
Aug 23, 2019
1
Good advice, people. I put a sign by it. "Do Not Touch."
@RiverRick. You're right that wood should breathe. No plexiglass case.
@BestWithoutGods, @evergreen. @MoontigerII.
I will put it away when new men come over. Thanks.
LiterateHiker
Level 9
Aug 23, 2019
1
Aside from what you have already mentioned, other options I can think of would be to seal the wood, have an artists do really nice painting on it, or place it in a hard to reach but visible place such as a shelf or hanging from the ceiling.
Itisntwhatitis
Level 5
Aug 23, 2019
1
@ChicagoMike
Sealing the wood would ruin it. "Don't put oil on it," the art restorer said.
@LiterateHiker how about glass top coffee table and placing it on shelf just below the glass?
@ChicagoMike
It is on a glass-topped coffee table.
The bottom of the coffee table gets very dusty from heat vents. And people stick their feet there.
Put three fake eggs in the bowl when people get there. You can get marble eggs on ebay. And a patch of felt so the eggs will not dent the wood.
PondartIncbendog
Level 8
Aug 24, 2019
0
No way. I don't want to encourage people to put things in the carving.
@LiterateHiker Tell em only dollar bills? Or higher?
The carving is not a receptacle. It's art.
Although funny, you are missing the point.
@LiterateHiker I know. I would lose my mind if someone came in and threw anything in one of my pieces.
It's beautiful.
@LiterateHiker Here are the others I have finished in the last two months. I have one just about ready. You can't see it till it's done.
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