Another day, three weeks into carving this piece.
I am carving on the work that eventually evolved into “Confirmation.”
Inspired today to work on “Cedar and Granite.” Although I haven’t visualized anything specific that I am inspired with, I am aware that there is a lot of wood that just isn’t supposed to be there. I worked away at that wood while at the same time desired to get to a deeper essence of the piece. It has been about three weeks of carving and contemplation. So far, with my current approach I haven’t been getting to the essence.
I thought, “Why don’t I visualize the work as finished, and in an appropriate setting?”…well voila!..not a totally clear image yet it appeared to be suspended and in balance, feathers in balance with the stone…white feathers, overflowing with white feathers. I am not visualizing the details of how it would look but the general essence feels good. Until I feel otherwise I will focus on that direction. I feel inspired to grind, to sculpt with my power tools again tonight.
I am glad that I, at the time of the sculpting wrote these comments down as I have no recollection of these particular visualizations taking place. I feel a little embarrassed to include this writing as I was in those moments stretching the tether of reason particularly thin. I do understand that this exposure comes with the territory of providing accurate descriptions of the process. I was doing this journaling to assist myself in seeing and in understanding my own process as I was experiencing it. Verbalizing and writing has been very useful in my personal process.
Another day
Making lots of sawdust fly again this weekend. The vision continues to alter, to morph and remains elusive. As I visualize the rectangular granite rocks, I visualize placing round granite stones toward the other end of the piece. That visualization feels good. As I think about that image, the symbolism tends to indicate transformation. In this instance I refer to the transformation of round features to rectangular features, or vice versa. It is no wonder that that image feels right. The transformation continues. Now to visualize a setting for the transformation. I have plenty of visualized ideas; they look good to my mind…yet not the visualization where I feel a definite “Yes!” that continues to hold. There will be a definite, confident “Yes!” I am confident of that! I do want it to happen. I am pleased so far. I anticipate a wonderful piece. I am thinking, I am feeling how fortunate I am to have an occupation such as this.
Flash! An Insight? Maybe a rib cage is to be carved.
Another day, another flash
I’m getting a visualization of the large granite/wood piece, with granite boulders electroplated with silver, gold, copper, zinc or other beautiful patina surfaces.
This image did not come to pass…the idea did not pass the test of time. The process of testing loosely involves taking time to digest new visions, new ideas as, given any opportunity, the clever brain is eager and willing to get involved in the idea department. As I settle after the excitement of what might at first appear as intuitive expression, I listen again, and maybe again, to expose attempts at the intervention of possibly clever, often subconscious thinking. To me the differences may be subtle yet allowing the passage of time tends to provide clarity.
Another day
Grinding away today. “Cedar and Granite” feels good. I feel inspired to work on the shaping of the form today.
Another day
January
Sculpting continues. The massive trunk portion is not as yet revealing itself. The lack of definition may be representative to me of having to take more personal responsibility for whatever is to be carved there.
Yet another day
March
So what is the rest of the piece about? I feel this is the time to deal with the blank areas. I am reasonably comfortable with the granite trunk end. Basically I have a lot of sanding left to do there.
I am feeling that it is time to deal with design and with relationship to the whole, or is it “the hole?”
In the morning the chips are going to fly. A uterus maybe? That feels OK. Something like that maybe. I have had a few flashes of a character folded over with a rock or something in the middle, maybe an opening with round stones in it. I trust that my dreams, visions and impressions will provide guidance.
Next day
As I am confronting “Cedar and Granite,” I am confronting myself in order to go forward with myself and the work. The piece appears to have, as yet, no distinct up or down. Various views look good in the up position. Other views ask to be there as well, to share a time of being in an up position. That suits them well. How do I deal with this jockeying for position?
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Choose one specific up and down? This doesn’t sit well with me.
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Rotate the piece using some sort of screw mechanism? This is a feature that I haven’t yet become comfortable with.
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Stand it on end, probably cutting the trunk shorter so that the view is not a horizontal one, instead choosing a vertical configuration? This is a view with which I am neither comfortable nor as yet inspired.
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Just buck off the trunk at two meters or so?
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Carve one of those clever designs into the trunk portion?
Why does there not appear to be one specific standing position for viewing?
How can I, by the positioning of the piece, give the viewer the best possible viewing angle? The solution is perhaps to offer lots of viewing possibilities.
As I reconnect with this particular journaling note, I recognize a comparison with my decision to include various written perspectives in the form of sculpting notes. In the writing, I am offering the viewer a variation in viewing possibilities. There is a similar approach utilized to achieve a similar outcome with both sculpting and with writing.
I now understand more clearly why I was not clearly visualizing a definite up-down configuration. The passage of time has brought revelation. I now understand the nature of the then-abstract object I had sculpted…I will, later, offer more clarity as the last few comments may be well worth the reader’s, the experiencer, review later as the significance of the sculpture is revealed. There are within these notes subtle expressions offering clues that I was not yet connecting to the essences that would be understood later. I was unknowingly sensing “possible insights” that suggest premonitions of possibilities.