Elvis Has NOT Left the Building

Happy 74th Birthday, Elvis!

This metal sculpture of Elvis by Bill Reed of Racine, Wisconsin, greets everyone coming and going in our entryway. We had commissioned it about twelve years ago. My husband had communicated through the Chicago gallery with the artist about details. In the mean time it has become a collaborative work with Lee's added touches.
Elvis is "king", right? He has gained a crown. We haven't figured out whether the pink flamingo is serving as a microphone or feeding Elvis his pills from his built in "Presley's prescription pill pouch".
Lee made additions here, too. Other added doo-dads include the Las Vegas show girls and glued on jewels and mirrors.
Speaking of jewels, they're all over the place including finger bling ... some of which are sculptural as well as added.
There is also a turning drum in his mid-section which features 37 locations around the world where the real Elvis may be. Just give it a spin to find out. Brrrr... it's cold and snowy in Macatawa. Hope he's gone down the shoreline a bit to Kalamazoo. It's warm at Burger King.
The artist had Elvis walking on water. Our interpretation is a bit different through the addition of another sculpture.
You do recognize the RCA dog, don't you?

My birthday is a few days before Elvis's. This is one of the presents from my husband ...
a bracelet full of Elvis charms. It's not meant for me to wear, but to disassemble and sew each charm to a crazy quilt which is a project I had only been THINKING about. True, I had begun gathering some stuff in a box just in case I decided to go ahead with this project. The item that got me thinking seriously about doing this project was the silk blouse given to me by a friend.
So, I guess there's no backing out now. Elvis definitely won't be leaving. He's begun to occupy my thoughts and in time he'll be taking over my studio.