Reflection on a Journey

Common things, transformed: My process of creating pieces of art

By Teresa Schreiber Werth

As my husband, Don, and I were opening boxes and hanging pieces of my art, I was struck by what a long journey it had been from the first time I picked up a catalpa pod until this moment.

Having an exhibition of my work was a dream, really. I knew from Adam, my artist-son, that creating a portfolio, submitting proposals to galleries and hanging a show were demanding tasks which may or may not result in an opportunity to show your work. But I was determined to try and thrilled when not one, but three opportunities were given to me in 2024!

In the summer of 2021, I was wandering around the woods at my friend’s little house in the town of Springwater, in the southern tier near Canadice Lake. I stooped over and picked up a long, brown, brittle thing. It appeared to be half of some sort of pod that had dried and split open, spilling its fluffy white contents on the grass. The half-pod was curvy and smooth. My friend told me is was a dried catalpa pod… and I was hooked!

Just holding it in my hand was almost spiritual.

Soon I was collecting catalpa pods of varying sizes and shapes. The pods were varying lengths and shades of brown, some very narrow and straight, some wider and quite curvy. They suggested motion to me. Yes, they were dry and dead but I could easily imagine putting them together in ways that would imply wind or water or movement of some kind. And so, I started collecting them by the fistful, then bags full.

Over the years, I had collections of other items like guinea hen feathers, pine cones, dried lotus pods from Bergen Water Gardens and dried mesquite pods friends had collected and sent from Utah. I had a bag of acorns from Florida live oak trees and giant sugar pine cones from our son’s house in California. I was sure all of these could be useful some day and it appeared that day had come.

This was one of those times when it was good to be a thrift store junkie. I began looking for picture frames that I could use to mount the pods on after my husband removed the glass and covered their surface with fabric remnants. Trays were a good option and slabs or pieces of tree bark. I looked for unusual vessels in which I could arrange these items. And there was a large rattan ball on a tripod (cat bed) at the curb down the street which was irresistible. (The word “obsessed” comes to mind.)

Our Community Gifting with Gratitude group was often a wonderful place to find frames and containers I could use. They were mine for the asking. Some of those same people even collected their dried catalpa pods and gave them to me. I scoured thrift stores and Facebook Marketplace to find unusual backgrounds, mirrors, canvases and shadow boxes.

And so, it began. Many, many tubes of E-6000 glue later, I have created more than 50 pieces of art. The majority of these pieces are in frames on fabric. Some are in vessels from small to large. I have two pieces made with beautiful tree burls and one made on what once held a huge staghorn fern. One of my first and favorite pieces is made using a discarded knife holder. The trick seems to be the ability to see something not for what it actually is but to see what it might become.

Since I picked up those first catalpa pods in 2021, my creative materials have expanded to include dried peony and mesquite pods, tree bark, feathers, broken glass and sea shells, pine cones from tiny quarter-inch ones to 14-inch sugar pine cones from California and everything in between. I’ve learned how to clean pine cones, seal some items and paint others. I have collected tree branches and been given bundles of bamboo and curly willow. At a house about two miles from mine, I discovered a treasure trove of fern fronds in the front yard and the owner was happy to share. I found that vintage jewelry is useful, even if it is broken. Eucalyptus, ting ting, dried grasses and maple “helicopters” have found their way into pieces.

Remember the cat bed? It was removed from its plastic tripod and attached to a beautiful, large hardwood stump with a crack that I filled with tiny live oak acorns I had collected in Florida several years ago and topped with an explosion of catalpa pods. My husband put a light inside.

Having a retired, engineer husband around means all of my technical problems get solved. And I feel able to explore new materials and take creative risks because he is right there to offer advice and figure out solutions.

My reward for all of this hard work is having a growing portfolio of work, much of which was on display at the 1570 Gallery at Valley Manor, 1570 East Ave. in Rochester, which concluded March 29. The show was entitled “Common Things Transformed” because that’s exactly what people saw.

As an avid supporter of Multiuse Community Cultural Center at 142 Atlantic Ave. in Rochester, I have been invited to display some of my newest work there June 30 to Sept. 1.

As an artist member of VIEW Arts Center in Old Forge, I will have an exhibit of my work there July 27 to Sept. 22.

Some of my work can be seen at www.teresawerth.com