I've finished the first sculpture in the new studio! I like them best when they are still wet, so these pictures are the ideal state to me. They lose a little bit of their plumpness after drying and firing, and no glaze has the same sheen as the wet clay. She's terra cotta, so she'll be that orange color you're all familiar with. She measures about 14" long.
A couple of my earlier pieces are available here in the shop if you're interested.
6 comments:
Love the belly. In some views she looks tortured. Was this your intent?
My main interests are suggestions of underlying anatomy and movement implied through torsion. This one also has an element of landscape to her, inspired I am sure by the red desert mountains seen on my recent trip to Las Vegas.
The intention is that they appear at once overstuffed and drawn, fatty yet sinewy & tendonous, and always slogging through, as well as sensuously rolling in, some invisible mire.
I am always intrigued by what people's initial reactions are - and you're the first to offer one on this little lady - so thank you so much! Men tend to find them sensuous (except for those who say they are disgusting) and women tend to be disturbed by them (except for those who ask how I know what they look like naked.)
My hope is that the dichotomies I attempt to build into the figures, and whatever impressions individual viewers take from them, illustrate each person's views on body image and sensuality.
the rest of the figures I have made over the past 3 years or so can be seen here - http://www.flickr.com/photos/sunshinelovesyou/sets/72157594548453036/
the dichotomy definitely comes through for me on this one.
as a female, i am not disgusted at all! i think i am more intrigued and moved by its beauty instead.
i am drawn into the more subtle parts of the form, the small divets, peaks and valleys. it has such a landscape feel to it. especially the desert. the terra cotta works nice for that. i like that it seems tense and relaxed, all at the same time.
this is a beautiful piece, sunshine!
dirtbike - thank you so much for your thoughtful response. as I said in the comments of the previous post - I was really annoyed yesterday that the internet cares more about my clothes than my work. But I think it may well seem that I care more about my clothes than my work. I work super hard, but I am also a frivolous girl. There's some hard work to be done on that front as well.
what's funny is i am day behind on my bloglovin (i'm usually playing catch-up anyway) so i hadn't seen your post about being annoyed, etc. but it is relevant nonetheless. the internet and the fashion blogging community is mainly focused on that alone: fashion. as an artist, as well as someone who enjoys fashion i can sympathize. i have yet to really start blogging, but i have seen exactly what you complain about before. it makes me consider the audience we reach. you and i both know there MUST be other people like us out there, right? ...right?!! realistically, i am sure most people just care about clothes, but rest assured i appreciate the break and focus on your art because to me, your blog is about YOU and YOU should blog about whatever the f you want. and if we really want to get into it, the biggest piece of art and artist creates is themselves, so naturally you should enjoy and encourage your fashion revelry.
dirtbike - It's so funny that I've been published in a book for fashion blogging when that's not what I do! you know I made a conscious decision not to pigeon hole the content here. I couldn't have done this for 5 years now if it was just fashion or just my work or just movies I love. It's whatever is happening in my life and inspiring at the time. Frankly I get bored with those that are the same style and same content year after year and I stop following once I get what you're saying and see there's nothing else there.
Perhaps I haven't been as prolific as I intend with my "legit" work, but it really takes time to develop a piece that I'm willing to put out there for all the public to see. There are countless failed pieces in between. and I wonder if the people who just read for the fashion stuff have any idea how terrifying it is to put the real work out there at all. While I believe I am capable of something great I know it hasn't happened yet, so showing my best attempts so far has an inherent element of humiliation. But if the work engenders no response at all then I need to change it up or go back to being a well-dressed file clerk.
Thank you so much for your insight. Even if only a handful of readers give a shit about the work that's good. Really really good.
Post a Comment