Sculpture and little a art

Last night, for homework, the little one read from Dr. Seuss's ABC book. "Big A, little a. What begins with A?"

Art begins with A. There's BIG ART and little art.

Big art is where you sign your name.

Little art is mostly anonymous, where you simply take pleasure in the craft of doing a job well. The concrete removed from the driveway is becoming benches, stairs and rubble behind the retaining wall. I'm using the gravel underlayment of the driveway behind the retaining wall to have clear soil for the new fruit trees.

While digging I remembered my grandfather telling me that when they butchered hogs on the farm, that "we'd use everything but the squeal!" They wasted nothing.

It shocked me at the time because it is such a vivid expression. But it's come to be my definition of little a art. Use whatever material you're working with for maximum efficiency and least wasted material. To make work that lasts. Art with a little a.