The Spirit who Guards the Door 1989 Polychromed Found Wood/ Dowels/ Nails/ Beads 18"H x 11"W x 6"D   The Spirit that Guards the Door began as a gnarl cut from a fallen beach tree. The surface was wire-brushed, but it was not cut or rasped. The teeth are dowels, and the headdress incorporates the imagery of fabric. The beads which encircle and ornament the eyes enhance that imagery. The nails in the forehead are inspired by two of the figures that were exhibited in the exhibition "Noble Ancestors" at The Cleveland Museum of Art, but their meaning is different. Here they represent the accumumulation of experience and wisdom that a benevolent spirit must have if it is to accomplish its task in a gentle yet effective manner. Like the bristles on a dog's back, however, they also make the spirit more fearsome looking. Similar sculptural objects, albeit in classical form, protect the exterior of buildings across Europe.

Exhibition History: The Truth of False Faces, Sandusky Cultural Center, Sandusky, OH (1992); Oberlin Bound: Alumni Artists, Firelands Association for the Visual Arts, Oberlin, OH (1991); Best of 1990, Ohio Designer Craftsmen, Canton Art Institute, Canton, OH (1990); 1989 May Show, The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (1989).