A little backtracking in the writing as I review another earlier note, a description of events concerning what was to become “Transformation.”
I was on the beach looking for appropriate driftwood for a specific project I had in mind. I stopped. I pondered. I had imagined that this particular root ball would become two interconnected paddles. I was not able to completely envision the two paddles, yet I did feel that this was the driftwood piece to take home. In the studio I began carving what I had imagined to be one of the paddle blades. I was uncomfortable with the process. It wasn’t working. I paused, I pondered. As I looked at the driftwood I could faintly make out the form of a canoe. I had been studying the form of the Aboriginal canoe for another project yet this former mental image was not at all the way I was seeing a canoe in this piece of driftwood. There was a canoe forming in the wood, much more dominant than the forming of the two originally conceived paddles. I began carving, bringing out the unusual shape that this canoe was taking. I carved tentatively. During this phase of the carving process I became aware of a dorsal fin of an orca whale protruding from beneath the form of the canoe and from within the main bulk of the driftwood root ball. To complete the full body of the whale while incorporating this dorsal fin, all within this driftwood piece, it would be necessary to tightly wrap the form of the whale around the underside of the canoe. There did appear to be enough wood available to complete the full body of the whale. I slowly carved the whale. I slowly carved the canoe. The carving on each progressed slowly as I chose to carve only while feeling comfortable with each part of the process.
As my comfort level decreased, I would scan the driftwood piece for another area that felt more comfortable. Eventually, other figures in the wood piece became in one manner or another discernible, recognizable, then comfortable. The whale was sharing its head and body with the body of an otter. The otter was sharing its body with dolphin. Frog’s leg became lizard’s tongue. Heron morphed with whale. The transitions were beautiful. I would continue, or begin carving in the area of comfort. At one point I had seen the rear leg and humped back of a river otter. There seemed to be enough wood to carve the front paw. I carved, then proceeded to the otter’s head features. The otter was destined to share its head with the whale. I was amazed at that particular transition, that of otter into whale, of whale into otter. Even though I was the sculptor I was amazed. I continued. I carved other figures. All the while, with visual cues I was carving other figures within the root ball, listening, carving then listening again. Carefully, in touch with my level of comfort, I listened, I carved. Throughout this process I was becoming aware of a feeling that I was not designing this piece.
Notes continue
I must say that I find the carving process on the piece to be amazing. Letting myself go, relaxing and having my relaxed mind take care of telling the carving tools what to do and where. I have merely allowed myself through trust, that is, a believing in possibility, along with undivided presence to access the information. I have approached it on faith, or possibly trust. This project has provided a terrific sample of the results of showing trust. As usual it sounds much like a paradox. That is probably a good indication that we’re living life or seeing it as it really is. As a pair of ducks! No, no, not to be taken too seriously, just seeing a play on words.
Notes continue
I was fascinated with the whole process, particularly the evolution of the process. I woke up enthusiastic to begin each day with this driftwood being the primary focus of attention. Putting the situation another way, I did not do the carving thinking, “Hey, why don’t I carve an undulating canoe, why don’t I wrap an orca whale under the bow of the canoe? And the whale? It will share its head with that of the otter. Maybe I will carve a herculean human with arms outstretched, wearing a bald eagle headdress, entwined, connected to, another human.” No, these were certainly not my conscious intentions. Certainly transformation was in progress. Root ball driftwood piece becomes two interconnected paddles, becomes sculpted “Transformation.” The transformation process had been subtle, unconscious, yet out of this unconsciousness, conscious awareness awakened, and “Transformation” became visible, tangible. As its sculptor, I too was changed, transformed.
I began thinking of what I was going to carve in the piece, thinking that I was going to carve two interconnected paddles. Instead, I had released my grip on my paddle concept. I went with the flow of the wood. I went with the canoe. “Transformation” evolved. I was no longer doing what I had in mind.
I pondered, I questioned. How might all this tie in with my decision to explore the intuitive? Why have I carved these unusual paddles? What might paddles be about? The canoe: it is associated with paddles, and possibly associated with journeys. I pondered.
Dorsal of Orca
