Forestcombing

Not long ago, we had a conversation with Rich in Jackson, Wyoming, who was looking for a word for using natural objects like rocks or driftwood or antlers as decorations in the home.

And I think we came up with a found object.

Right. We settled on things like objet trouvée, found objects, and other terms for natural art and natural findings.

Yeah. And that prompted an email from Tess Golblatt, who lives in Virginia Beach.

And she wrote, I beachcomb on Buckrow Beach in the Chesapeake Bay area, and I make art assemblies of my beachcombing.

So you could say that Rich is forestcombing and artistically using her forestcombing.

And I really like that word, forestcombing.

I like that, extending beach coming out to other kinds of geography, other environments.

Interesting.

I’m thinking about dictionary combing too.

Oh, yeah.

I was just thinking about what’s it like when you do found objects in an urban environment?

My father-in-law, when he takes walks, collects all the random bits of metal that you find alongside the highways and the freeways and the passageways.

And he makes art out of them.

Oh, he does.

So, yeah.

So, what is that?

Would that be metal combing?

Highway combing?

What would you call that?

I’m not sure.

Anti-littering.

That’s great.

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