Getting Ready for Artomatic

Hey, hope yall are good.  For the past two days I've been working on a piece to finish so that I can particpate in Artomatic.  I thought I'd share a little of what I do as a sculptor.  Its been beautiful outside, so, it was a perfect day to sit out front and sand one of my pieces. Normally, I would go out into the backyard and sit, but it seems that a mother cat and her kittens are using  under my patio & my backyard as part of their home/playpen. While it's annoying, I do like animals, she needs the shelter for the cute kittens, and I dont need the bugs dive bombing me every five seconds. So it was an amicable trade off  for me to go out front.

There are bugs out there too! But they are more interested in the flowers and bushes that they ignore lil 'ol me! Good bugs! It's quiet in the middle of the day in my neighborhood, at least until school lets out.

I have two pieces of stone, one a brownish/purple w/cream colored deckled specks in it. At first I thought it would sit uncarved for a while, but after putting a few cuts in it, it began to turn into this woman. Her name I dont know, yet. In a strange way my piece talks to me while Im working on her. Not verbally of course! but in a tactile way. Her story develops, beginning with how she allows me to handle her. Whether she is cooperative or difficult and how our relationship builds only to end with my name inscribed on her bottom.

This is her! She's in the sanding stage now and its only just begun.  She will be sanded 12-13 times before shes complete.  Then, she will be polished and her color will come through. In this photo, she kind of looks like a dirty rock with alot of glare! but you can see some of the deckles along the arm.
When I get about half way through the different grits of sandpaper, I switch to wet sanding. During this stage it really starts to show the deepness of the color.  Each piece of stone has its own challenges and difficulties. She was no exception.  This chick and her leg, just wouldnt cooperate, but somehow there was a compromise of sorts. I won! She's attached to the rock, and all I can think of its that old early 80's song by Paris, "Cant let go," holding on so tight, yet looking like she could break free, but she doesnt. Did I date myself with that song, wow!  So now its just a matter of time before shes complete. Come see her at Artomatic or check my website for her debut.

The second piece of stone is red. I have been looking at it for some time and could figure out what do with it.  Then, while taking a picture of gyrlfriend up there, I saw this red heded stepchilds backside just glaring at me.  Artomatic isnt that far away and I usually like to take my time with my pieces to get them just so.   But the temptation was too great and after taking a picture of the red stone, I went out back, (scaring the mother cat and her kittens, they ran off and hid) to use my trusty dremel to cut out the form I saw. Didnt stay out there too long, not with bugs dive bombin me! the mother cat and her kittens eventually came back. So take a look and see if you see this red chile's backside.

After working on her some yesterday evening and today, her form is being fleshed out. Its no where near finished, just got the basics of her form.  Decided that her head would hang over and her hair visible on the other side. She has a red headed story to tell. I can hear it in her hips and the robustness of her body. She already has spoken about her protruding bottom and the curves that need to be there to accentuate her best assest. Her need for me to remove the wrinkly butt and elephant legs she is beginning to have. Take her stumps and turn them into legs! Round her bottom so it coincides with her waste and not appear to sag like its a lumpy sack of potatoes. For some reason she wants only the back of her head to appear. At first, she seemed like she wanted to turn her face to the side, but the hair seems to be covering that up.

I did manage to smooth her bottom and round it up a bit, but her legs, are still stumps. Perhaps I will work on her some more tonight and show how her legs have progressed.  She definitely is proving to be a quicker piece than some of the others before her. Maybe cause she's red, a red hot mama.

Tomorrow I will go and select my site where I will exhibit and next week I will begin my volunteer shifts.  Hope to meet some new people and post their interviews as part of Getting ready for Artomatic. Check back for the next post. See you soon.