We hiked up near the base of Mt. Alyeska after dinner night before last. It was an incredible evening. The Swallows were feasting on the bugs, though the mosquitos in Girdwood are not nearly as bad as they are in Anchorage. The "Magic Carpet" kids ski lift sat on grass a few feet off the ground. The chair lifts looked quiet and enormous against the green, summer ground. Hard to believe we were skiing down this mountain just a couple of months ago! Alaska has transformed itself once again. When I think of the incredible changes that Mother Nature does all on her own, seam
lessly and most of the time quietly, sometimes it's hard to believe. These transformations got me thinking about how I change the surfaces and texture in my artmaking. How the metal can transform with air, chemicals and rainwater. Lately, if I want a rust patina finish, I've been giving my sculptures a spray of Kaboom (isn't that a great name! I think it's like that towel called ShamWow!) before they get a commercial patina applied. I don't want to think what that stuff does to bathroom fixtures let alone the environment. I know, I know, not very green of me (yes, I do have guilt about that and working with steel in general...). I'm always wanting to change the rawness and rigidity of the steel and copper. The soft malleable clay get fired to hard bisque then a glazing further transforms my clay pieces. No the stress of the Shows
isn't getting to me and making me all emotional and reflective, this all just amazes and inspires me.Oh, by the way, the Alaska Botanical Garden Art Show Artists got all of their images and information to me (with a few exceptions) and the Show is shaping up GREAT! I can't believe the level of quality that the Show now attracts. When I was putting the brochure together and I was feeling a bit reflective (sorry for myself) because of all the late information and lack of needed details, it made me reflect on why I really like to coordinate the Show. It is because I love to be surrounded by art and artmaking. I love hearing the inspirations that instigated each work and all of the different mediums and forms that artists work in. I'm especially looking forward to the set-up next week because for a short time all of these talented and creative people will be gathered in one beautiful place with all of this incredible artwork and it fuels me to want to volunteer for the Garden year after year.
5 comments:
I know exactly what you mean...it's hard not to find deeper meaning in nature's transitions and power and draw parallels to your artwork. Makes me melancholy, too. :) Julia
Hi Julia- thanks for the post. Your post on Dirty Secrets Thursday had me laughing out loud and has had me thinking of some of my own... :o)
Hi Cindy, you hit it right on the nose, hearing about artists tell about their inspirations to make a particular piece of art and see the different mediums, is at once wonderful and awe inspiring. I often think about this and wonder what sets humans apart and really feel it is the art, how the materials and tools are utilized to make something unique and wonderful, many times it is what surrounds the artist but more often it comes from or is within the artist and how they synthesize and transform their surroundings.
it DOES get to me!! all the time...thank goodness somethings get through our tough shells....
Cindy--I honestly don't know how you do it all! are there 3 of you? do tell!
Hi Linda -that is a much more eloquent way of putting it :o)
Hi Christine! I wish there were three of me! I am pretty disciplined... sometimes not much fun, but very good at time management I think. I don't watch a lot of TV (except movies) and I don't have a lot of "girlfriend" time though I'm working on it... I think being self-employed forever has taught me that don't put off tomorrow what you can sneak in today before you have dinner!
Post a Comment