Thursday, January 22, 2009

The Light Bearer











Ages ago, reading about the most excellent Madame Curie, I was inspired to make The Light Bearer.


I put together the armature and asked Spencer to add some lights.

A lot of things happened so that I didn't get to finish her. She sat on the shelf, patiently waiting to become more of herself.

Last week I was overcome by the urge to do a painting, but knew I should finish our dear Marie.

So I decided to take her into the Mysterious Steam Punk World Poppets love to visit. Perhaps the choice was a matter of communion with Poppets.

I thought you'd like to see her and I'll be happy to answer questions about how she is made.
And yes indeed, once I finally started, she took all the hours and hours I expected, and then a few more.
They were good hours though, and I gave this bit of my life to her willingly, and she shared with me her experience of coming to be. It's a good arrangement.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

She is perhaps my favorite so far, and that says a lot.

I apologize for lurking for so long without posting. Found you awhile back through Neil and have enjoyed my visits.

:)

Anonymous said...

Beauty. Love the little touches, especially the eyeglasses.

Stacey said...

A beautiful and inspired tribute. Mme. Curie is such a fascinating individual, "lightbearer" seems so overwhelmingly appropriate. Beyond giving us a treatment for cancer, she has always seemed to me the ultimate feminist, in that she smashed through glass ceilings because it was inevitable that she should go that way, not because it was her "cause."

Maybe this is why she accomplished so much, because she was moving to the next thing as it became necessary. One of the other things about her that I find so interesting is that she was so autonomous, even though her husband was doing such tremendous works of discovery of his own. Yet, she wasn't possessive in her work, allowing that "light" to be used and accessed by scientists around the world, by not being proprietary about her discoveries.

Your sculpture is stunning. I love the softness in her face, and the tilt of her head toward her lights. I believe I remember reading somewhere that she used to carry radioactive isotopes around in test tubes, like an ornament, because she thought the light was pretty, not unlike the bouquet of lights you've placed in her hands.

Thank you for sharing it.

Anonymous said...

She's BEAUTIFUL!!! And since Stacey already said so eloquently what I would have wished to say, I'll just agree that "Lightbearer" is a most apt name. And I've had a soft spot for Marie Curie for several decades: hers was one of the first biographies I ever read.

Perhaps there should be a series of Lightbearers...I wonder how Albert Einstein or Thomas Jefferson or (insert your favorite bringer of the light here) would look as seen through Lisa's eyes?

mordicai said...

WHAT. THIS IS KILLING ME. DUDE.

Holly said...

what Jes said.

ravyn said...

Stacey, you said it better than i ever could. And thanks for the tidbits of info that i didn't know!

Lisa, she is simply gorgeous!

AletaMay said...

I join in the praise for Stacey's words. Well said.

She is so beautiful Lisa, if I had the cash I'd snatch her up in a minute!

I have a great fondness, for the Steampunk aesthetic and have loved all of the work that has come of you visiting that world. I really think that Madame Curie fits there perfectly.

Ed said...

Yes. Madame Curie more than fit in the Steampunk worlds, she's a
Major Symbol, as a Pioneer both in Inspired Science and Woman's Rights.

Stacey, your words carry so much. She's one of my most beloved scientific historical figure too.

I join the others in exceptional praise m'Lady, and bow to such overwhelming Beauty. Thank you.

lisa said...

Thanks to each of you, for adding your own dimensions to this work.(and past works) I too love the steampunk world, and Mme. Curie is definitely a hero and influence.
I've had some deep trials and nearly lost heart this past year, but the work was always quietly present. Now I find myself falling in love with it again, as if for the the first time.
You often lend me strength with your frankness and humor. You (likely unknowingly) influence the process that becomes the art
In other words, you are terrifically cool, bigger inside than out.

Stardustgirl said...

*sigh* Blogger ate my comment, so I'll just add "agreed" to what the others have said. She's absolutely beautiful!

Wolkenjägerin said...

She is gorgeous!

Miss Bliss said...

Lisa are those Grain of Wheat lights? The whole thing is beautiful...as a lighting designer I adore anything that lights up. I'm also with everyone else here about Stacey's lovely words about Mme. Curie...wonderful.

I need to do some light sculptures...sigh...after I finish my writing projects. So many things so little time...if only I could give up sleep.

ariandalen said...

Wow

:)

Carl V. Anderson said...

"I thought you'd like to see her"...

You thought right!!! Very beautiful, I'm so glad you got inspired to finish her. It is great to see these results of you reconnecting with your muse, of falling in love again with your craft.

I echo Miss Bliss' question, what kid of lights are those. I'm not sure I've seen anything like them.

Craig Steffen said...

That sculpture is amazing, and a fitting tribute to the great woman.

I don't know how many people have won multiple Nobel Prizes, but she's one of the two that have won them in two DIFFERENT areas. She was really quite extraordinary. I expect her and Pierre's early work, before they became famous, was all done by hand themselves (without graduate students).