I Build......

A view of Sam Rodia's Towers

A piece of Emery Blagdon's Healing Machine

I never really considered myself an artist but rather a builder or a "maker of stuff". It has always been something I am compelled to do. I think that's why I am so fascinated by people like Sam Rodia, Fred Smith, and my newest favorite Emery Blagdon (even if he's not a mosaic artist). They all had their reason's for building. Fred wanted to create a destination, The Wisconsin Concrete park. Sam Rodia wanted this too, but his real reason was to fill his time after his wife left and he wanted to quit drinkin'. Lastly Emery Blagdon wanted to heal people, namely his parents and believed that the electrical currents collected by his healing machine could do this.

As a wannabe "crazy lady on the side of the road" I look at them in awe. Men of creative genius. I am not sure I will ever measure up, but I wonder if their real reason wasn't to live on past one life. To insure that they weren't forgotten in the environment of one life.

I recently purchased a new DVD called "I Build the Towers" a biography of Sam Rodia's journey and a history of the towers. Great works of art that were nearly lost because some people didn't understand why they were built or of what importance they are. Do we really need to understand? They are important because someone took the time to do it. This is the legacy, and I can't believe that any of those who wish to bulldoze the art of the crazies, those who have never built anything themselves, will die proud of the legacy of tearing such works down.