Long before the call of the wild, we were all just stardust. In essence, the geometric fox was inspired by a resident fox who trotted by my frosty window while living in the woods. Living in a low lit area of NH, the night sky was brilliant with star maps. The geometric fox was just one of the many star maps that were visible to me. Combinations of Earthly forms and unearthly patterns cultivate familiar, but unusual shapes. How can we give life to what we see and imagine? Make something.
Hand sculpted Sugar Skull Ring made from precious metal clay. How can we fill the deep, distorted cracks that have shattered our heavy hearts? The only answer is with more love and more creativity.
While we are grieving, the only thing we can do is honor our loved ones. By choosing art therapy to honor our loved ones, we are using creativity to process our loss. Reshaping our pain into new forms is essential for moving the crushing weight that swirls upon our chests. I chose to sculpt a Sugar Skull. Beneath the layers of clay, paint, and hand made paper flowers, lie foraged bits of symbolism that represent pieces of what made our loved ones especially unique.
Our professor is a surrealist, abstract, organic painter. We explored one of her techniques. I didn’t quite know what I was painting until half way through. With a lot of stretching and pushing, it finally bloomed into cosmic compost. We drift into tipsy territory while not knowing our destination. Choosing to drift into chaos is nonsensical, but when we carve a path through it, it becomes invaluable knowledge.
Bones and Flowers charcoal, chalk, paper 24×18
Trusting the process for this charcoal and chalk drawing was challenging. My skills for building volume and perspective were not developed, and still linger in the underdeveloped realm. By continuously reworking lines and shapes, my eyes saw where to drop the charcoal and begin smudging. Mistakes are essential for learning. This one is filled with them! But, are they mistakes? I like them. By leaning on my teacher, she taught me how to trust the process.
Hand Made with 2 Ingredients: Smokey Quartz, Sterling Silver