The artist date was me sitting down with a cup of tea and reading my newly checked out library book. I read only the chapter about Adrian Arleo's work. The reason I realized I was on an artist date was because it just suddenly occurred to me that I was having a moment of sitting down, paying deep attention, and spending quality time with my artist. Oh sure, thoughts would arise - like "oh, I'll never be able to do sculptures that large or that well." And you know when those thoughts appeared, I just let them go and turned my attention back to how much I was intrigued and inspired by Arleo's work. I took the time to study details and soak them in. It was nice to read what she had to say about her work and how she evolved her work. Then a thought like "Well she studied clay since she was a small child and she went to undergrad and grad school in clay - you'll never get there" Again I let the thoughts go. Back to finding the things that gave me pleasure. I think a lot of Arleo's work is about transformation and perhaps I just fell deeper into that feeling of my own transformation. All and all another great spontaneous artist's date. I will actually plan a date one of these weeks.
While in my studio I created a tiny little sculpture which was the outcome of a series of micromovements. I mixed up some slip (that is goopy watery clay to help glue two pieces of clay together). After that micromovement I said -"okay, I'll cut my bag of clay into working chunks" Then one chunk was smaller and so I said I'll just play with that. I started making long snakes of clay and coiling them around to make an eye shaped or seed shaped form. I decided to give myself permission to make ugly clay works. In essence, I decided to pump the stagnant water until it runs clear so to speak.
" If the judgment 'ugly' persists, try intentionally painting an ugly painting. It can be an effective liberation from the tyranny of good and bad." -Michell Cassou and Stewart Cubley
I don't know that I first heard this advice from Michell Cassou and Stewart Cubley, but there it was in their book that I choose to randomly flip through the other day.
As I worked on my tiny little clay piece I formed a figure (female) to put inside the coiled form. She took on bird like characteristics, and human, and even penguins (We watched this movie the other night and I liked it very much - especially visually). Although I could see the influences from Arleo and Penguins I just tried to be a child making something. I tried to find that quiet place inside of me that was unattached to the outcome. Gosh it felt - Good!
