After these many years of being in the world, I have come to believe that everything does seem to come from something -- be it language, story, surely the arts. I have had the joy of coming to know Ken Elliot, an amazing (never the [right adjective...] incredibly gifted painter. I have three prints of his work in my home...the one you see here titled "Grove and Garden" ... it sits above my bureau and I can walk into its elegance as I lie in my bed at night. I urge you to viisit his website http://www.kenelliott.com/index.html .. as some would say, "run, don't walk, to see the wonders of this man's gifts.
All of the prints Ii have are of his trees -- although his images are diverse. Just for me, the trees caught me by the heart. I am most grateful to him for so much support in my own work, and his encouragement to step out into the electronic world to share my own work.
All of this to say that the last piece I finished was a skeleton of a tree (raised image of tree in clay). I will was out the background, then glaze the actual tree. After which I will use some medium (as of now, undetermined) to create soft blossoms of color...probably connected in some way with the glaze. I have another tree piece in mind, taken from a pattern I found in some linens catalogue years ago, of an Indonesian tree of life. I may do this one in panels due to the size.
At the moment, I am still working on the piece with the dragonfly ... much more intricate and complex than I had imagined. But there's the energy of discovering and learning and growing. I am sure this current piece will be on my worktable for some weeks. And then, the 'terror" of the kiln ...will it make it through the bisque?
On another note, but in this theme, I wanted to share an interesting moment this morning while in a meditation group which I attend on Sunday mornings -- in a beautiful park called Maymont.
A photograph I took some years ago...
After a delightful conversation with a young woman about sculpture, she asked if she could take a class with me. And II had to say: I come to clay from a love of the medium first, then from having some fine teachers in ceramics, and most of all -- simply reading, watching, asking questions, experimenting. No MFA/BFA in my past (taught children's literature in higher ed). I do believe in my work and can see the growth, as do others. Yet, I can't bring myself to be a "teacher" here. A concept on which I shall do some reflection.
Now I just need to find ways for others to see this blog, and to interact with it. So much to learn...but am glad I've started the process.
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