A Playful Path to Art

Liz Mamorsky's "Functional and Dysfunctional Art" is a glorious testimony to the connections between junk, art, and fun. A brief tour of her online gallery makes the case for play as an aesthetic experience, over and over and over.

In her own commentary, she reveals precisely the kind of openness and spontaneity and inspired madness that is required for anyone who wants to play art:

"With sculpture, form determines function. A new object arrives and sparks an idea of what it will become, joined with materials that may have been lying around the studio for years. I love dismantling machines and finding the treasures within the interior landscape. I don't sketch, but instead lay out the objects on the floor, adding and deleting until the piece evolves. Often the outcome is markedly different from what I had roughly envisioned. Since my sculpture is entirely self-taught, I still have the thrill of new challenges in construction. I do not weld, as I work largely with wooden foundry patterns and circuit boards. Instead, I use a variety of screws, hinges and other joining devices. Glue is used only when absolutely necessary. I hate the stuff! I enjoy the mechanical challenge of building the piece and doing electrical wiring. I am present and grounded..."

Embracing the realization that, as she so openly states, "often the outcome is markedly different from what I had roughly envisioned," she captures the essence of the spirit that guides her along the Playful Path, towards delight, surprise, and the realization of her unique vision. Kinda makes you think that even you could be an artist.