I Can Fill One Too

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11082588_10150553819634956_3721361725399077905_nThe exhibit as featured artist at The Gallery at Elemar came to a close. I had to remove my art from the stage where the featured artist exhibits the work. It is someone else’s time to use the stage. My work was on stage since November 2014. I still show my work there. As I was moving stuff around and trying to figure out my exhibit area I was thinking about Pablo Picasso and his quote, “Give me a museum and I’ll fill it.” I can fill one too. Maybe a museum is too big for me but I’m sure I can fill a gallery or a studio.

I have more than 10 pieces on display at the gallery and about 20-30 other pieces at home ready for show and sale. I definitely need to start seriously considering studio space where I can display all these pieces and where I can have workshops and the sculpting and painting parties. That is definitely my 5-year plan but I guess I should consider making it a 3-year plan. I enjoy the sculpting and painting parties at Cafe Atlantique and all the other places, and the workshops at the Seniors Center, and I don’t see what those can’t continue even when having a studio space. However, I do need working studio space and having my own may provided a greater flexibility and expansion in the kind of workshops I can offer. Nevertheless, I hope to keep traveling and teaching despite having the studio or not. One thing can be done without dismissing the other.

11082621_10150552324439956_4430117058517044782_nI’ve been thinking about a figure study workshop and open figure drawing nights for a while. That I would love to do on a regular basis. Also, the studio space could be great for all the private classes. I could also hold open studios and show openings. It would be amazing to be able to present the new collection along with the book in a place like that. There is so much to dream about. That is the first step to make it a reality. Dream on, my friend.

Faded Creativity

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I had the chance to participate in a great event called Minds in Motion sponsored by the Connecticut Association for the Gifted. This is an event that offers workshops for children from kindergarten to 8th grade as well as presentations for the parents. I was providing clay sculpting workshops to 2 groups of children: the first group was 5th and 6th graders, and the second 7th and 8th graders. I had about 15 kids in the first workshop and 6 in the second. These kids went through 100lbs of clay in 3 hours creating all kinds of things that came to their minds from dinosaurs, to airplanes, vases, bass-relief sculptures, princesses, cobras, and many other things.

IMG_5311.JPGThis event was a lot of fun. There were very talkative children and very quiet ones. I was worried the kids in the first group would use all the clay leaving nothing to the second group. Their creations were very imaginative and they produced one thing after another. Some challenged themselves creating large pieces. The girls created less and smaller pieces than the boys but focused on providing details to the pieces. The first workshop was very dynamic and entertaining. We talked about cartoons, movies, made jokes about out names, music,  and some of them were even singing at times. The second group presented a different dynamic.

The kids in the second group were very funny and nice but the conversations were more focused on books. They were very quiet in contrast with the first group. The conversations were less and shorter. Their creations showed faded creativity. Their pieces were fewer, smaller, and took them longer to decide what to create. They created pieces of more practical things like pencil holders. They also created books and an airplane, and a few bases, and something else with angel wings and a mermaid tail.

What does this mean? What conclusions could be reached from these observations? I am not certain it is enough information to reach definite conclusions but it is a good start for exploration of creative tendencies within the age differences, gender, developmental states, interests, and socialization. It could be interesting to see how they create in isolation in comparison with the group dynamics too. I guess my researcher mind was very present during the workshops as much as the artist and the teacher. In all, it was a great afternoon with wonderful children. I am thankful for the opportunity.

The Joy on Her Face

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Photo Dec 05, 11 12 33 AM“I did this myself!”… With sparkly eyes full of satisfaction and proudly showing off her sculpture to her friends, this lady at the Milford Senior Center made my day. The joy on her face was priceless. During the last few months I’ve been conducting a few clay sculpting workshops at the center sponsored by Always Best Care Senior Services. In our last workshop, each one of the participants created a bust. I went to the center to glaze the pieces and return them to their makers. Three of the ladies were sitting in the living room of the center hanging out with their peers and listening to music. I came in and delivered their pieces.

Wow! If you could only see the joy and satisfaction on their faces when they saw their work ready to be displayed. Their peers were very impressed and began giving compliments. They were so happy. I must confess I almost cried. They were so excited and proud of their creation. That for me is one of the most rewarding aspects of what I do. The satisfaction I get when I see them happy is something I don’t have the intellectual capacity to articulate in words.

Photo Dec 05, 12 06 59 PMI honestly believe that what I do means nothing if it is not touching people, inspiring people, making them think, consider, reflect, wonder… Moreover, if there is something I want to see is change. I want to see people happy when they find themselves discovering new talents. I want people to identify themselves with my art and allow each piece to serve as a stepping stone to tell their stories. I don’t want my art to be another dead piece in a gallery or museum. I want them to speak to people. Not only my art, but everything I do.

 

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