A few days ago, I've cleaned out my shop and threw away a lot of rubbish (broken tools, wooden off-cuts, useless material, etc...) It's nice to be able to find things easily again, and walk around without bumping into something (usually sharp or scratchy). I had to throw out several old tree stumps that were given to me in the hopes of turning them into artwork. A few of them had split open in several places and were useless as carving material; others were mouldy beyond use due to being propped up against an external wall. Some of the timber was salvageable and I started making a Native American style flute out of it. I haven't the foggiest clue what sort of timber I am using, but it is extremely light and has a depth of resonance that puts cedar to shame! I can't wait to see and hear how this one turns out.
After two years of art studies and two years of trying to get my foot on the artistic scene, I've returned to my workshop and have been doing woodworking instead of drawings and paintings. It's a phase, I know it will pass and I'll revert back to doing two-dimensional work once more. I can't help it, my ageing body won't allow me to sustain this sort of labour-intensive work for any length of time.
A few days ago, I've cleaned out my shop and threw away a lot of rubbish (broken tools, wooden off-cuts, useless material, etc...) It's nice to be able to find things easily again, and walk around without bumping into something (usually sharp or scratchy). I had to throw out several old tree stumps that were given to me in the hopes of turning them into artwork. A few of them had split open in several places and were useless as carving material; others were mouldy beyond use due to being propped up against an external wall. Some of the timber was salvageable and I started making a Native American style flute out of it. I haven't the foggiest clue what sort of timber I am using, but it is extremely light and has a depth of resonance that puts cedar to shame! I can't wait to see and hear how this one turns out.
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It's been a while since I've posted on my blog. Reason being is that I haven't been very artistically productive. Lately, I have pondered about my creative style and where it fits in the grander scheme of contemporary art. A friend of mine, who just recently finished her advanced diploma in visual arts, told me that the whole time she attended school, her teachers would harass and harangue her into adopting a different artistic style and creative concept. From everything she told me, it sounded as if she had to explain, prove, and justify her "genre" to them. In the end, they conceited and simply told her to stick by her own personal vision. How very useless and distressing for her!
I have always been a self-taught artist, and it's only recently that I've acquired my Certificate III and IV in visual arts. I have learnt quite a bit from those couple of years, sharing the creative journey with amazing people, and pushing the boundaries of my comfort zone. But since then, I feel I have returned to my roots and my original way of perceiving and representing the world around me. Why is that, I wonder? Why is it that my friend and I have come full-circle with our creative license? Perhaps it is because it is the very manifestation of how one perceives the world and wishes to communicate with others. Therefore, imposing a style or "genre" on an artist is not only counter-productive, it kills the very soul-sensitivity and personal vision of the artistic individual by censoring it and forcing its own packaged agenda unto it. |
About the AuthorI am a student of life, a nature nut, a passionate artist, a staunch individualist, a quiet introvert, and childlike at heart. Categories
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