Sometime during the past weekend (Friday, Sept 23 - Sun, Sept 25, 2011), Bob Cassilly, the founder and creative force behind St. Louis' City Museum was found dead in the cabin of a bulldozer that had rolled down a hillside. This accident occurred at "Cementland", a vision and creation that Bob had been working on for the past 10 yrs.
More photos:
http://blogs.riverfronttimes.com/dailyrft/2011/09/cementland_bob_cassilly_photos.php
Bob has many sculptures around the USA:
Sea Lion Fountains • St. Louis Zoo, 1999
Mysterious Monarch and Lopatapillar • Faust Park, 1998
Hippopotamus Park • Central Park, New York City, 1997
Turtle Park • Forest Park, 1996
Hippo Playground • Riverside Park, New York City, 1993
Six Lighted Entry Markers • St. Louis Galleria, 1991
Marlin Perkins Bust • St. Louis Zoo, 1987
and many others.
The following link will direct you to one of my blogs about the work of art that most St. Louisians hold dear, the "City Museum". Bob always hated the word "Museum", because of the very non-accurate image of a sterile institution that might be going through your head.:
http://mrtoadslivingoutloud.blogspot.com/2011/01/one-of-my-favorite-adventures-city.html
I am having a difficult time with this loss. Bob was my mentor. He had the strength, power and a driving vision to create things that many nonbelievers thought impossible, or they were just too damned lazy to think about it **at all**. I am from the proverbial "same school" that Bob attended! Many of the articles about Bob that have been written in the past few days say Bob never lost the curiosity of a child. I am told that on a continuing basis throughout my life, and I have always considered it as a compliment. To lose the mental flexibility of a child is to suffer from adult constrictions. That isn't living life, folks. That is "self-inflicted mental prison". Bob was the bright star that I hitched my wagon to. He helped to pave the way for people who think "way outside the box". It isn't easy to live an "outside the box" life, when I am surrounded by people who LOVE the constrictions that they have assigned to themselves. HOWEVER.... If it wasn't for people like THAT (constricted... controlling.... lazy.... leveling...), I would have one less thing to be thankful for! I am thankful that I have been SPARED such a life. I didn't say "Delivered". Mind you, it is better to be "delivered", than to be living such a life. However, the greatest gift of all is to be SPARED that life. If you will look at the rest of my family, as an example that is all-too-close to me, you will see how I have been spared rather than delivered.
Nevertheless, I am more than a bit bitter about losing Bob. He was a rare gem, indeed.
Why, oh, why, are the GOOD, talented, creative forces being quickly pecked off the planet, one-by-one, and we are left with maggots eating at our lives?
Refer to 00:50 - 1:20 in this video. This is what I am saying to God. I am grabbing one of the still-living, less desirable characters on this planet (and there are a ***LOT*** of them in our daily lives!), and I am saying, "Here, God - take HER! Leave Bob here with us, and take a whack at HER! Don't pass up this opportunity of a lifetime!"
From the first second to the last, I feel the way the ladies do in this video, especially M'Lynn and Clariee's parts:
I believe the wheels of justice have been tilted a bit in the favor of lazy characters who do absolutely nothing to uplift and beautify the world. In fact, much in the same fashion as "If I am doing something that makes me a lesser person, and I stand next to a shining beacon, it makes me look bad", those individuals hate the efforts of those who do, and will do anything to diminish or level our efforts.
This is why I often choose to be alone. Being alone feels better than being around maggots who try to level and diminish, if you know what I mean.
I can list names with blitzkrieg speed - please don't force me to do so. I am just wondering why I can't grab some of those individuals by the collar and say, "Here, God! Hit HER! Hit Her! Do mankind a favor! Take her out!" - and please - leave the talented, bright, energetic beacons SHINING.
For more stories about Bob Cassilly, do a simple Google search on "Bob Cassilly", "City Museum St. Louis", "Cementland", or click here:
http://www.bing.com/search?q=bob+cassilly+cementland&go=&qs=AS&sk=AS1&pq=bob+cassilly+&sp=2&sc=4-13&form=QBLH
- Michael
Bob's CementLand:
More photos:
http://blogs.riverfronttimes.com/dailyrft/2011/09/cementland_bob_cassilly_photos.php
Bob has many sculptures around the USA:
Sea Lion Fountains • St. Louis Zoo, 1999
Mysterious Monarch and Lopatapillar • Faust Park, 1998
Hippopotamus Park • Central Park, New York City, 1997
Turtle Park • Forest Park, 1996
Hippo Playground • Riverside Park, New York City, 1993
Six Lighted Entry Markers • St. Louis Galleria, 1991
Marlin Perkins Bust • St. Louis Zoo, 1987
and many others.
The following link will direct you to one of my blogs about the work of art that most St. Louisians hold dear, the "City Museum". Bob always hated the word "Museum", because of the very non-accurate image of a sterile institution that might be going through your head.:
http://mrtoadslivingoutloud.blogspot.com/2011/01/one-of-my-favorite-adventures-city.html
I am having a difficult time with this loss. Bob was my mentor. He had the strength, power and a driving vision to create things that many nonbelievers thought impossible, or they were just too damned lazy to think about it **at all**. I am from the proverbial "same school" that Bob attended! Many of the articles about Bob that have been written in the past few days say Bob never lost the curiosity of a child. I am told that on a continuing basis throughout my life, and I have always considered it as a compliment. To lose the mental flexibility of a child is to suffer from adult constrictions. That isn't living life, folks. That is "self-inflicted mental prison". Bob was the bright star that I hitched my wagon to. He helped to pave the way for people who think "way outside the box". It isn't easy to live an "outside the box" life, when I am surrounded by people who LOVE the constrictions that they have assigned to themselves. HOWEVER.... If it wasn't for people like THAT (constricted... controlling.... lazy.... leveling...), I would have one less thing to be thankful for! I am thankful that I have been SPARED such a life. I didn't say "Delivered". Mind you, it is better to be "delivered", than to be living such a life. However, the greatest gift of all is to be SPARED that life. If you will look at the rest of my family, as an example that is all-too-close to me, you will see how I have been spared rather than delivered.
Nevertheless, I am more than a bit bitter about losing Bob. He was a rare gem, indeed.
Why, oh, why, are the GOOD, talented, creative forces being quickly pecked off the planet, one-by-one, and we are left with maggots eating at our lives?
Refer to 00:50 - 1:20 in this video. This is what I am saying to God. I am grabbing one of the still-living, less desirable characters on this planet (and there are a ***LOT*** of them in our daily lives!), and I am saying, "Here, God - take HER! Leave Bob here with us, and take a whack at HER! Don't pass up this opportunity of a lifetime!"
From the first second to the last, I feel the way the ladies do in this video, especially M'Lynn and Clariee's parts:
I believe the wheels of justice have been tilted a bit in the favor of lazy characters who do absolutely nothing to uplift and beautify the world. In fact, much in the same fashion as "If I am doing something that makes me a lesser person, and I stand next to a shining beacon, it makes me look bad", those individuals hate the efforts of those who do, and will do anything to diminish or level our efforts.
This is why I often choose to be alone. Being alone feels better than being around maggots who try to level and diminish, if you know what I mean.
I can list names with blitzkrieg speed - please don't force me to do so. I am just wondering why I can't grab some of those individuals by the collar and say, "Here, God! Hit HER! Hit Her! Do mankind a favor! Take her out!" - and please - leave the talented, bright, energetic beacons SHINING.
For more stories about Bob Cassilly, do a simple Google search on "Bob Cassilly", "City Museum St. Louis", "Cementland", or click here:
http://www.bing.com/search?q=bob+cassilly+cementland&go=&qs=AS&sk=AS1&pq=bob+cassilly+&sp=2&sc=4-13&form=QBLH
- Michael
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