This is a baby a whole baby, he says, pointing to a yellow section and then the darker ones on either side of it. This is my dog Abear and [this is] a friend of mines dog, Woody, to protect this little baby, Gilbert explains. When he talks this way its hard to see how Gilbert can then go on to explain how the works have no spiritual meaning to him. He says he uses ashes because, more or less, he thought it would be an original idea; he sees the ashes as art materials to be used to create different colors, textures and images.
Gilbert says after People magazine did a story about his work he got some calls from people wanting to commemorate relatives. They would say things like, Money is no object, says Gilbert. I turned it all down. He says he didnt want anything to interfere with his work. But he did say hed accept any donations: If you want to send Uncle Henry hands off to be part of what I call my universal family
they can become a part of any piece of art I want. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays to Fridays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays. Through December 14. Art League Houston, 1953 Montrose. For information, call 713-523-9530 or visit www.artleaguehouston.org. Free.
Mondays-Saturdays. Starts: Oct. 25. Continues through Dec. 14, 2007