from Sweeping Changes
Cosmos Sequence, Wild Wood, dyed broomcorn.
Collection of Bankston-Thomas, Milwaukee
From Sweeping changes, and also appearing in Women, Domesticity, and Objects of Power, The sweep of the Milky Way is a subtle, beautiful interpretation of the night sky as a broom. Rae had the stick, a found sapling with characteristic spiral caused by growing with a vine entwined around the trunk. This wood cried out to be made into a broomstick, as so many similar sticks find their way into craft brooms at Art fairs and festivals.
She stripped the bark, smoothed the wood, and painted it flat black. Then airbrushed and daubed pearlescent white paint for stars spiraling around the stem. To make it glow, a clear coat of lacquer was applied. The result looks like it could be floating in space, slowly turning with the eons and circuits around the galaxy.
The base is dark brown dyed broomcorn, tied with black cord in 5 bundles, making a star pattern. The broom sits on a square of chamfered wood also painted black. This is very much a Witches Broom. Powerful and magical in appearance and energy.