2023
Domesticated presumably before cats and dogs, ferrets are my ideal animal for companionship. Making a ferret litter box is an impulse that always amused me but I never took it seriously until designing a show for corners. Ferrets are "corner eliminators" which makes them relatively easy to litter train. During its construction, it occurred to me that living with artistic impulses parallels life with a domesticated animal. Human and animal parties both adapt behaviorally. There's an optimal state that is rarely sustained but endearingly requires forgiveness and attention. The interface between verbal human and non-verbal animal, learning to meet needs without completely understanding, is a lot like accepting artistic impulses. Trial and error, observation, and instinct leads. Sometimes we even hit the target.