solo

Hard work worth doing

Making clay, making clay, start around 10 a.m. finish around midnight most days. I didn’t realize a life size sculpture was 10 times the work of a half-life size one. The first time around anyway, the next time, I’ll have the same clay to re-use, for years, it will last for many years! If Plasteline were cheaper, I would go that route, and wouldn’t have to cover my sculpture to keep it wet while not working on it. I love sculpting, how else could I be focused on it every waking moment? But clay has a nice feel. I like that it’s physical, bending metal, even the boring making clay part, carrying wood, sawing, etc… I love the mental challenge of figuring out the complexity of the human body and the aesthetic part of course of trying to capture the beauty I see. I’m determined to get some nuance in my work beyond the obvious pleasant shapes, symmetry, balance, rhythm and anatomy that comprise the incredible human body. There must be something that stays with you, something special that comes not even from me, but it appears while deeply immersed in the work. It keeps your interest. Since I was a kid, I feel the urge to re-create the amazing world I see in front of me, whether it’s a sunset or the structure of a face or body. It takes a leap of faith to pursue what you love and not go for the supposed “safe” route. I had that, making 3d animation, it was killing my soul to work with technical matters 95 percent of the time.

Today, now, I’m getting a propane heater for the studio, I don’t have a car, so I will take the bus, wheel it on a skateboard back to the bus stop and carry it up 6 flights of stairs. Then I will make more clay in preparation for continuing with the sculpture of Line. She is an excellent model, her first time modelling. She is on time, most of the time, which is the most important thing (showing up). Secondly, she has a beautiful body and a pleasant personality, easy to work with and I’m very appreciative of her time. It is taking longer than expected. Working with sculpture pretty much the same way as they did in the time of the renaissance is a slow process. The good thing is, when you create something decent, it will last forever, through whatever seasons of artistic fashion that come and go over the next year to whenever, 100 years. I’m in it for the long haul. I love the process, I like the challenges, though sometimes frustration levels run high till I have a mental breakthrough.
“The man with a new idea is a crank until the idea succeeds.”
–Mark Twain
I hope to moderate my mood to be pleasant to be around, while pondering my work. I’ve learned a lot by doing on the present sculpture. It sure would help to have another sculptor around and we could move faster. At some point, I will have an assistant. Till then, I do it all myself, the idea, finding a model, preparing the metal armature, getting materials, creating molds (formspå Norsk), preparing the metal in forms, pouring and sanding, learning anatomy, studying, studying analyzing, finding a place for an exhibition, designing posters and invitations for the exhibtion , contacting people to come, finding clients etc… I love it, I’m my own boss and surely with this much energy, focus and determination, what else could be the result???????? One word, success. I’m already there. When you wake up in the morning, have compelling work that you love and feel that it has meaning, well, that to me is success. Today, small commissions , tomorrow, the sky is the limit. The Lincoln sculpture in Washington D.C. by Daniel French is a something that stays with me. Michelangelo’s amazing sculptures never leave my subconcious mind. I have big shoes to fill, and I’m going for it!
Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. - Theodore Roosevelt

Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure… than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat. - Theodore Roosevelt