It's amazing how quickly things can go wrong. Yesterday I accidentally destroyed a little piece I'd worked on for about six hours. It wasn't so much the time in, but that I loved the little creature. I even kissed her when I put her into the oven I've used to fire originals for years. Then I pushed the wrong button and went away.sigh.
When I returned, she was a blackened husk and I cried for a bit, like a baby.
The discipline to let it go and move on has been hard won, for sure.
So. Moving on:
I want to share this exercise with you. One of the difficult aspects of sculpting is to get both sides of a symmetrical work to match. In the case of the piece I destroyed, and am now recreating, the symmetry is for the face, and wings.
I've done no research on this, but in my own experience (this is my disclaimer) this writing exercise helps. It's not a hand thing---it's a brain thing. And I believe it works.
You can do it anytime you have a doodling opportunity. Even if you're not an artist, it may exercise a part of your brain that might be a little out of shape. Write anything, then write its shadow. Have fun.
I did have a bit of success this week, in finishing this mirror box. It was on my 'long overdue' project list, and is for friends and collectors, Roland and Robert, aka guardianalien. I thank them both deeply for their outstanding patience.
It's titled "The Magnificent and Marvelous Doctor Crow, and is truly bigger inside than out.
Another small success---the tortie came within two feet of me today. She very nearly took a bit of chicken from my hand. But only nearly.
Sigh. My kitty I cannot touch.
I've bought bulbs---hyacinth and tulips and daffodils.
I'm going to spend the afternoon outside, with creatures not human and likely smarter.
Have a good Saturday.
8 comments:
How horrible! Poor little poppet. Poor little poppet creator. And it's a new moon today--wonder what that means for the rebirth of this little phoenix poppet. I hope the rest of your weekend makes up for disaster.
So sorry about the Poppet disaster! Happy, though, that you are recreating her. It can be the same with words, of course, but there's something about having that physical manifestation go wrong that seems, somehow, worse.
Regardless of the identity of the being-recreated Poppet, I think perhaps a Phoenix Poppet is in order for the future...
Re: your untouchable kitty, please retain your hope. I had a similar situation in 2008 with a skittish feral momcat; it took a few months, and she never became a lap-type cat,but she ultimately let me pet her and would rub against my ankles. She unfortunately died from labor complications in March 2009 (too long a story), but at least she knew she'd found a Good Place. I think your tortie is slowly coming to that same idea, and I look forward to the day you can report the first ear skritch.
ooh that mirror box looks FAB!!! And I don't even have to be jealous about who gets it.
When I was very young, we had a feral cat come into our yard. She was barely more than a kitten herself, and pregnant. She had a litter of six kittens in our garage by the end of the summer.
She was extremely skittish, but would come sit near me on the lawn. It took her a long time to allow anyone to touch her, and I think it only worked because she was so young and so hungry.
We had her spayed after that litter, and she lived in our yard and garage for the rest of her life - some 14 years. She was very elderly for a feral outdoor kitty. When she was older, maybe 10, she would come in the house, as long as the door was left open for her escape route. We didn't dare close the door though, because she would go berserk, and throw herself against it in a frantic effort to get back out.
My brother loved her so much, it took him over 20 years to want another cat. She was special.
Oh how awful! I can imagine that you did cry, I know I would cry...after cussing like a sailor...if the same thing happened to me. I truly hope you can capture the same love and affection for the creation the second time around.
I suspect Roland and Robert are thrilled, their patience is being rewarded with something amazing.
Melissa P: I used it well. I took a deep breath and started again.
I took breaks and got outside.
Thank you!
Syd: I've lost words and art to accidents over the years. Both are difficult. Hmm. This very likely merits a blog discussion.
guardianalien: Yay! I hoped you'd be happy. It seems you like the crows. It took forever but then, it would have been a completely different work. The experiences between are certainly in there.
And really, the box is an illusion that's a lot more fun in person. I hope you have lots of fun watching people figure it out for the first time.
Stacey: Thanks for that story. It helps me see the relationship with this cat as the beginning of another.
Carl: Heh---between you and me, I say plenty of those. Life in the studio can be full of...surprises. But oddly, this one was different. It felt a little like grief. Thank you.
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