The Making of 'Brain Bucket-2'

There will always be a market for nostalgia. One of the last pieces of art to close out 2021, and in a way welcome 2022, was a second version of a classic called the ‘Brain Bucket’. To change it up I wanted to show the frontal section of the helmet, or the ‘grill’ as it’s called, instead of the quarter-turn view as in prior version.

Was sacrificing vision a way to create fear to an opponent? I just remember a number of my teammates taping the two chin pads together while hanging around a phone booth (yes, I’m dating myself) in high school and kept thinking to myself “that’s kinda’ weird, but so cool, too.”

The vinyl dipped, metal bars (or were they iron?) of the face mask was the next thing of wonder. It was heavy but they protected your face, no doubt. A few bent marks from numerous shots to my head are visible and I can still ‘feel’ that ‘rubber-rock’ hitting the bars! Next up are the curved sections that made up the roof, or crown, of the helmet. Add in those playing card-like decal panels on it and you were ready to go to battle.

And battle it was. This cumbersome piece of classic equipment, to me, represented a tougher time, with limited options, greater demands and no excuses. At times, I find myself putting this thing on and wondering how I played in it, but then remembering that’s how it was like it, or not. Only GREAT memories!

This new piece, ‘Brain Bucket-2’ is a salute to a different time and era. Kudos to all who still have their ‘buckets’ from ‘back in the day’ and happily share their stories of proudly wearing them. Oh the nostalgia! :o)

Now available for purchase, below.