Where Theory Ends

A few days ago, I posted about the difference between the sketch, as theory, and the piece as practice.

Of course theory only takes us so far:

The wreckage you see as the kiln opens is what is left of this.

The clay had been thoroughly wedged, so it was not an air pocket that exploded. More likely it was residual humidity which had nowhere to go… until the piece blew up.

I still have the sketches (remember that theory stuff?) So I’ll remake the piece, and fire it when the air is dryer.

One More Week !

These two pieces are at the St. Thomas-Elgin Public Art Centre: 

Cloud Walker                                          Broken Blind

Drop by and see them before the end of the month.

There are always  good things to see at this community gallery, so plan to spend some time … and sign the Guest Book !

The Dorchester Artist Network …

… is having their annual Art Show & Sale next weekend.

I look forward to participating in this show every year, and I hope to meet some of you there. My friend Robin Baratta and I are both members of this group, and you’ll have a chance to say hello to Robin, too.

The show takes place May 29 & 30 at the Dorchester on the Thames Golf Club. Friday’s Gala Opening runs from 6pm to 9pm. Saturday we’ll be there from 10am until 6pm.

Don’t miss it!

Theoretical Drapery

I’ve been working on a number of pieces lately that involve drapery as an element. In the sketch phase, when the design is two-dimensional (with or without colour), the drapery is a kind of theory, a hypothesis about what drapery can do.

 

Once the piece becomes fully three dimensional, the drapery is no longer theoretical. It is an illustration of what practise tells me drapery can do.

As I move from two to three dimensions, there is a kind of discussion or negotiation that goes on between (or among) the image in my head, the sketch on the paper and the piece as finally realized.

By the way, the piece above has just come out of the kiln. I’ll show you what it looks like when it’s finished.

Appreciate the Arts

Above are a couple of my pieces - "Cloud Walker" and "Hecate" on exhibit at a wonderful event in St. Thomas.

"Appreciation for the Arts" has been presented by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints for the last twenty-three years. It included an opening night gala with vocal and musical performances, as well as work by dozens of local artists.

The works and performances were of very high quality, and as you can see by the bottom pic, the show was VERY well attended!

This is the sort of community-based art event that I love, and I make an effort to see as many of them as I can.

You should too!

When Surface Fights with Form

Take a look.

The top picture is of a recent piece. I thought it was finished, but there was something that bothered me about it. I even exhibited it with the blue surface treatment.

Then I re-did the surface, and the bottom picture shows how it looks now.

I'm happier with the piece now. The old surface was in conflict with the form, while the new colours - more subtle, more variegated - pull the eye in to the form of the piece rather than pushing it away.

It's a huge difference for such a small change.

In the Studio

Here are two pieces I've been working on.

At the top is a study for a sculpture I'll be starting soon.

Below that is a piece that is nearly ready for firing.

I've been crazy busy lately, but it is the time in the studio that makes the busy-ness worthwhile.

Working

Recently, I ran across this quote from Sir James Dyson. He's the guy who invented the hugely successful Dyson vacuum cleaner. Here's what he says:

"... if you want to discover something that other people haven't, you need to do things the wrong way. Initiate a failure by doing something very silly, unthinkable, naughty, dangerous. Watching why that fails can take you on a completely different path.

"[Society] admires instant brilliance, effortless brilliance. I think quite the reverse. You should admire the person who perseveres and slogs through and gets there in the end."

Right on! Apparently, it took Sir James more than five thousand prototypes to get his vacuum cleaner right (!), but each "mistake" ("experiment" is a better word) took him closer to his goal.

That's the way I feel about my work. The important thing is to do it every single day, and to keep on doing it, knowing that the day's work is moving you (me) forward.

We talk about "art works", but forget sometimes that the works come from The Work.