Scarecrows: Making Harvest Figures and Other Yard Folks
Rushing, who credits his interest in scarecrows to his uncanny resemblance to these stuffed people, has gathered a marvelous compendium of lore and how-to's designed to enchant all ages. Superstition and myth as well as good-hearted efforts to chase away crop-eaters surround this ragtag hero of the fields; most ancient civilizations, we learn, created some sort of creature-god for protecting their harvests. Crows, too, get their day in Rushing's court; a chapter of esoterica--aligning this bird with death and fertility--will amuse. But the real allure is, of course, the more than 20 figures incorporating every recycled material imaginable, such as paper plates and bags, pottery, old metal parts, and the ubiquitous tin can. Directions are easy to follow; photographs help guide little and adult fingers alike. Even the artist in us gets pressed into scarecrow service, with a chapter spotlighting some dramatic forms. No heart's missing here.Barbara Jacobs