Paige Springs High Desert Rock
With digital additions
Niche Installation Photos (two of my “Burial” series)
On vacation for a bit …
Look/Gaze Even Here …
Gaze Even Here … I
These drawings are part of a set with the burial sculptures that I have been making from beeswax, gauze, driftwood, and found objects.
I even have the title for this collection: “Look Even Here…”. The title is drawn from an aticle in Orion magazine (Nov/Dec 2012), by Trebbe Johnson, titled “Gaze Even Here”.
The article, and my collection, is about looking at something which we might prefer not to look on. Trebbe uses the work “gaze” and her article explains her concept. I don’t want to use her whole article, nor do I want to write my own complete essay. But her thoughts relate well to the work I am doing. And I am working on a few of my own words that I hope to include in a future exhibit of this work.
Gaze Even Here … II
Look Even Here
This exhibit is based on the premise that it can be valuable to really look, with an open mind and heart, on even those aspects of reality which may frighten, horrify, or repel.
This is not about catharsis through fiction. This is about acceptance. It can be helpful to accept the realities of the world we inhabit, in all its aspects.
This is about learning to live with sorrow, fear, and even devastation.
This is about learning to live with death.
Copper plate etching, first attempt…
Copper Etching Plate 1 after one bite (workshop day)
Print from first draft of the copper plate
I had a great day in the workshop (taught by Julie Abowitt: thank you Julie!) at Corvidae Press. And I finally got to try ferric chloride copper plate etching.
My very simple line drawing relied on texture, shading & color that does not translate directly to the scribing for this process: I will need to learn more techniques and also draw differently for etching purposes. So I do not like this plate yet, but it may improve with further work.
Also I am very bad about tracing drawings, and somehow I lost the overall shape of the figure in tracing and scribing the lines into the Pledge floorwax applied to the plate.
I really do not like the shape of head now, and the body/bandages just look wrong instead of ambiguous in this version. Oh well, it is a start!
I will strip off the wax, and get out the burnishing tool to soften some lines, then think about the next steps.
More “Burial” Sculpture
Revising the Caretaker Mask
Caretaker Mask: Both Eyes Open
The Caretaker mask is on display with other recent wax sculptures.
What is the story here?
Who is hurt? How were they wounded?
Will the bandages help?
Who is the Caretaker who applies the bandages, and watches over everything?
Can she stay awake?
A Caretaker cannot forestall death: death will come eventually even if we all stay awake and pay attention.
So what will death look like?
Will we sail away, wrapped in our dreams?
Bandages & Wounds, on display at the RoseWind Common House
