Trained
as a figurative painter, Constance Alyce Westvig Roberts calls
herself a "thing- maker." In her work, she bridges the realms
of fine art and folk art and tackles many subjects with sharp
wit and unrestrained humor. Roberts creates carved wooden
whistles, but this isn't always obvious at first glance. Usually,
the viewer gets caught up taking in all the images presented
by these sculptural pieces: a wedge of chocolate cake with
a birthday candle whistle, a dog angel, or perhaps a bag of
whistling circus peanuts. Her work seems to follow three different
tracks: popular culture where, for example, real- looking
candy bars with familiar names are altered slightly to bring
new meaning such as Sneakers Bars or Nestegg Crunch. Nursery
rhymes and cartoon images, and political commentary are two
other themes that influence her ideas.
Roberts
is prolific in her creative range of ideas, which also find
their way into larger, complex sculptures with whistle components.
One of these was a piece for Steven Spielberg commissioned
by the wife of well-known composer John Williams, commemorating
the ten movies on which he and Spielberg collaborated. New
York City Mayor Giuliani received a Big Apple sculpture
with appropriate whistles inside. Other well-known collectors
of Roberts' work include celebrities such as Robin Williams
and Carol Burnett. Roberts also collaborates with her husband
Michael, an artist specializing in realistic portraits and
allegorical paintings. Their portrait of Iowa Congressman Jim Leach currently hangs in the Portrait Gallery of the United States Congressional Banking Committee Chambers. California natives, the Roberts are
long-time residents of Iowa.
Details: single and multiple whistle sculptures $10-3000.
Click
here to see more whistles by Connie Roberts
Cabinet of Horrors 
