ENTRY 04 – Hammer Away!
In my previous entry I mentioned that the mentor I was paired with is Mark Aeling. We’re a few meetings deep by now and I’m pleased to report that they’ve been quite productive and inspiring. At the outset we created a rough outline of topics to cover over the duration of the grant period that we could use as discussion points for each meeting. A sample of topics we included are my personal plans (1 year, 5…10…), exercises for creative process, business plans, contracts, networking, staying connected to the creative process, and artwork reviews. Even though I’ve been working with Mark for going on six years now, having this formal process to engage in deeper creative discourse is proving to be most beneficial. I’m confident we’ll both see the fruits of these discussions in the years to come.
“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” – Roman philosopher Seneca
First of all my assignment was to develop the parameters for the body of work I aim to produce during the grant period. Hence I seek to create a new series of sculptures that enable me to use this opportunity to get back to basics and just simply ‘play’. I am creating up to five pieces that will serve as maquettes with the potential of them being further investigated and made into larger than life pieces in the future. The sculptures will be additive in nature and explore a theme of portals via biomorphic abstraction (a term I have pleasantly reacquainted myself with).
I aim to work primarily with steel and will invoke an emphasis on pattern, repetition, movement, balance, and harmony. Form, texture, and space are the crucial elements I am to consider while experimenting with these new pieces. I don’t expect that any piece will exceed two feet in any one dimension. In addition I’m open to them being presented in the round or wall-mounted depending on the result.
I had a busy weekend getting the studio space reset after finishing up the commission I showed in earlier posts. With new tools and materials on hand, I’m eager to get in and start playing around. This week’s addition to the studio includes an order of sandblasting abrasive media. I’ve had a small sandblasting cabinet laying around and figured this would be a perfect opportunity to get it up and running. That’s all for now, see you in the next post!
