Another note, another time
A synopsis, another perspective, another expression.
At some point during intuitive exploration, this condensed version of my perspective had “come to mind.” I scribbled it down on paper.
From Birth
Use reason
Be practical
Be sensible
Be normal.
Subconsciously
I nourished reason
yet felt unfulfilled.
Piece by piece,
subconsciously,
I constructed
my reality,
yet
Human spirit,
my human spirit
was not about to accept compromise.
Many years I wandered.
I explored the high mountain.
I explored north and south.
I explored under the earth.
I explored under the sea.
I explored east and west.
I explored up in the air.
I explored the world academically.
One day it occurred to me
that I might explore intuitively.
A little over-simplified,
that statement.
For now,
let it
suffice to say
I seized the moment.
I chose to explore
beyond reason
wherever that might be.
I chose to explore
that which is not,
not verifiable by reason,
that which is
intangible.
An impression formed,
“Do sculpture.”
Surely this is not practical?
Surely this is not reasonable?
Is this an expression of the intuitive?
Again, I seized the moment.
I shall honor the intuitive.
Paddles came to mind,
unusual paddles.
I sketched the impressions.
I will sculpt.
I will not question.
I will turn down the volume
on reason,
on practicality.
The first paddle evolved.
Not very functional.
(In the usual sense of the word).
More sculpting,
the second paddle evolved,
two handles,
again not very functional.
What next?
I reviewed my notes,
two interconnected paddles.
I walked a beach.
I began to hear,
I began to feel
this piece was right.
Take it home.
It was down the beach,
It was wet,
It was cold.
I struggled with the weight.
I took it home,
thinking,
thinking of what I would sculpt in the piece,
thinking it would become
two interconnected paddles.
I began carving.
“I am not paddles” somehow came the message.
Yes, I agreed.
I released my grip on paddles.
I released my grip
on going
where I wanted to go.
I went with the flow.
I glimpsed a canoe.
I carved.
I listened.
There was more,
much more
I carved what became “Transformation.”
I saw a metamorphosis in the piece,
and,
I experienced a personal metamorphosis.
I too was transformed.
I continued to explore the intuitive.
More pieces evolved,
further transformation.
Then stump with roots
and metal too
was drawn
to my attention.
Was this piece to join the sculpted group
or was it
soon to be terminated,
excavated,
obliterated
as humans clear the landscape?
I will extricate this piece.
This piece will join the sculpted group.
This piece
its upward growth
cut off,
sawn off,
growth arrested
not by tree’s intention,
but by human’s intervention.
And add to that
young tree altered,
sliced by steel.
Embedded still.
This youthful tree
put out new growth,
accepted steel into itself.
And wheel rim too
found upon the earth
gently encompassing
art piece to be.
Integral too
this wheel rim,
young tree
within its radius.
Yes,
this piece
it feels appropriate.
It feels appropriate as well
that wheel rim
remain integral.
Recover,
uncover,
include the root.
“There is an easier way,”
rational, clever mind chimes in.
“Leave root unearthed.
Extraction
it will be quick.
Remain above the surface.
Cut it there,
less fuss,
less work.
Do it!
Do it!”
Inner listening prevails.
Perspiration it entails.
Embedded metal,
rim of steel,
those were the first and main attractions.
Yet face to face
the roots I trace
the focus of my actions.
I thought of prime importance
was metal in this tree
only to discover
those roots
uncovered me.
This piece joined the sculpted group.
“Body Parts” was carved.
Many parts.
Many perspectives.
More pieces were added to the group:
more sculpting,
more insights,
more revelations
till once more
I walked a beach.
I walked.
I listened,
a few kilometers,
until I found a special piece,
or it found me,
which in turn aroused intellect,
which helpfully suggests
“Too heavy
Too much work
for thee.”
I paused,
recalled
“Transformation” as a tree,
regarded as a
a heavy piece.
It all depends on me.
Reason placed its wedge.
All is relative.
I contemplated.
Time passed.
Five months I waited,
procrastinated,
then found the strength to
dissolve the wedge,
to bring piece home.
This was the piece,
I felt that much,
yet,
what was its form to be?
I could not see
I could not see.
Oh goodness me
what would it be
this large sculpture
from a tree?
I looked.
I listened.
I felt
I wanted to be inside,
to get inside.
This piece was solid.
There was no opening.
I detected no visual cues.
I sanded.
I smoothed.
I softened the lines.
Then,
“Put in more figures”
that intellect
helpfully chimes.
“It has worked before,
other pieces,
other times
You will have another good piece.
You’ll have one more.
Do it.
Do It.”
I turned down the intellect,
explored listening,
not thinking.
I sanded.
I smoothed.
Time passed.
I felt
I wanted to make the opening,
an appropriate opening.
I listened.
I was to get inside,
to be inside.
I sanded.
I smoothed some more.
I looked,
yet
no visual cue.
I waited.
I waited.
I waited
to know for sure.
I sanded and smoothed.
Four months I waited,
frustrated.
Was this not
the age of instant messaging?
Was I experiencing
a void?
Avoid a void,
I might have turned away.
Was I afraid?
I did not see
so
I did not saw.
I paused,
then
I started saw,
walked around the piece,
plunged bar into wood.
Chips flew!
Again I stopped.
I gasped.
What am I doing?
I wasn’t thinking!
I relaxed.
I listened.
“I wasn’t thinking”
I continued.
I read the wood.
I read the signs.
Follow the grain.
Turn here,
connect those visual lines.
Now visual cues.
I carved,
smoothed and shaped,
made the opening,
crawled inside,
experienced resonance
within sculpture,
within self,
heard sound Inside,
much like an instrument,
I am an instrument as well,
to my surprise!
Now time to finish up.
Applied the oil,
stood back,
contemplated.
So abstract.
Is this my work?
For those artists that did those abstracts
I did not have the time.
yet as I now step back and look
I realize,
their work,
it is now mine.
Twelve more months
I ponder
wood and stone.
I listen.
I ponder.
This piece
it is
comparatively large.
Is there also something large
I am to understand?
Then across my path
there came a story
and with it bone,
ear bone of whale.
I brought bone home
for further contemplation.
For whale and sound
has “The Abstract” too.
I ponder.
I wonder.
I listen inside.
I listen for resonance.
Sound and whale,
whale.
and sound,
sound and whale,
bone in hand.
There is resonance.
I look around.
I listen inside,
and there…behold,
beheld
was ear bone of whale,
and before me too
in wood with stone
was ear-bone too.
Such beauty in that moment
sending shivers down the spine.
Listening with inner ear,
seeing inner ear,
feeling deeply touched.
And now
experiencing
the openings,
the opening of “Confirmation.”
The opening to confirmation.
To metaphor.
Contemplation,
the focus
to be inside.
To listen inside.
To listen
with an inner ear.
Something large all right.
I did not know
I did not know
I did not know
Now
I know
That it is so.
Now I know
Confirmation.
Balance comes,
balance goes.
Tide comes in
tide goes out.
Breath in,
breath out.
Go within
or
go without.