Responding
Beatrice Strawn and Sue Mills
CreateSpace: 2015
ISBN-13: 978-1503384378
$18.50, 48pp.
Reviewed by Eduardo Rey Brummel
Beatrice Strawn has been a consistent and sturdy contributor to Central Colorado’s art scene for close to three decades; and for 16 years, prior to retiring here, she crafted and taught in Denver. Here, in this book, 16 plates of Strawn’s sculptures are presented, with comments by Sue Mills on the preceding facing page of each.
I don’t know whether these sculptures of Strawn’s can be technically classified as “found art,” but they give the appearance of such. In her bio at the end of the book, Strawn mentions her plumber father, who encouraged Strawn and her sister to use his tools in creating things from the wood and other materials they scavenged. Based upon the artwork in this book, Strawn seems to be continuing along the same trajectory.
In her intro, Sue Mills says, “I’m not an Expert, … I’m an Every[wo]man.” However, the breadth and caliber of her responses belie that humble assertion – she sees, and makes connections, far more deeply than what’s (sadly) everyday normal. Time and again, Mills’ response shook mine, sending me to look again and differently at Strawn’s piece. Her responses stretched my own.
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All art, like all life, is persistent risk-taking. This is a simple book. A simple idea. And yet there are so many ways Responding could have simply gone wrong, could have arrived with a dull thud. Instead, our world has been gifted this wonderful love letter between friends. Here lately, in Salida, this is the book everyone has been celebrating and fawning over – and for good reason: It is, simply, a good book, well done.
Eduardo Rey Brummel has lived among Salida’s artists and writers for over twelve years now.
