Human Hibernation

It's quiet on the home front, we have been doing our annual declutter. How we accumulate so much in life really bothers me. My heart yearns for a simplistic journey through life, yet I am a product of an over-indulgent society. I don't purchase things uncontrollably, it's rather the nature of how we as a society live that bothers me. The 'more more more now now now' approach. It's time for me to marry the two together and start practicing what I preach.

In an effort to get my mind clear and back to the pursuit of sculpture, I have embarked on a massive recycling of our goods. My child has enjoyed going through her own things, knowing they are going to be put back into the system for others to use, rather than just be dumped.

It's about this time every year, when we as a family get the urge to head back to the indoorsy things - deep conversation, home stews, warmth, quiet moments creating something - Human Hibernation. We pull out old documentaries and fill our minds with stories watched or read time and time again, about people travelling the globe, doing what we were meant to do - letting their heart touch the world.

So back to it, because bit by bit, my focus begins to narrow in on that art table once more.

School's Out!

It is the end of term, and my love affair with this sculpture has come to a halt. Not an end of course, because there are a zillion things to do with her. But it is almost the Easter break, and family are on the cards :)

I have brought her home from class so I can fine tune her, choose a colour for her, and hopefully apply it!

It was a magic feeling when she appeared from the mould! What a delightful process that was, hammering away to set her free...






Here she comes... a short and very enjoyable process to get her out the mould




Free at last! Free at last! I've missed you! But I chopped your eyelid off!





Into the baby bath for some soaking before repairs begin.




Here she is after some repairs with the plaster in the studio. I'll be doing more with my little tools at home.




This one is coming along VERY slowly... one hand at a time!





Here is my talented friend and his magnificent piece - one of his grandchildren




Until next time!

Changing Form But Still The Same

Latest pics of the sculpt in the studio, as well as the minimal progress of the sculpt at home.

Preparing the hands



Pulling the earth clay out. It was collected by Tom himself, many years ago. The clay is used for us to sculpt, then we make the mold, and then return the clay back to the clay pit - the heart of the studio. So this clay I am using has been used by many other artists to create their own pieces.
There is my teacher on the right :) and my dear friend Ray on the left. He is a special soul and so lovely to chat to.



she still looks so beautiful to me...





there she is... albeit a bit spooky but she has only changed form.

Time is never of the essence

It's almost the end of term, and I've been working a lot on these two. Problem is, one cannot see much of a difference! The smaller sculpt is taking me a lot longer than I anticipated, but then there really is no deadline when one is working on a piece of art. So instead, I am happy knowing that every little bit I put into her will result in a beautiful finished sculpture. Whenever that will be... :)

I've now baked her, so the next few days (or weeks, as it goes with projects) will be fine sanding her as best as possible. As she is at the moment, a piece I am going to cast, I want her to be perfect before I begin replicating her.



this one on the other hand, is progressing and meeting her deadline!



Until next time!

When it rains, it pours

...in a good way! Granted I love rainy days anyway. Here are some pics of an immensely progressive week in both the studios. I hope the same occurs next week!

Studio Wednesday

I'm sooo big on making time for sculpting, that I sat down at the beginning of the year and carved out one day a week for my actual class in the studio. This translated to me finishing up and coming home to my smaller 'studio' :) to continue the magic.

Here are pics of the progress so far.






Working on her bit by bit, she is making me smile already.

Slow as the Turtle

Progression on her, but ever so slowly, as I've not had a fulL day to enjoy uninterrupted sculpting.