Those Smiles
We had a great sculpting night at Café Atlantique (33 River St, Milford, CT) last Wednesday night. We had so much fun. It was an awesome group. Some people cancelled because of impending weather but we just got some rain during the event and things were warm and cozy inside as people sipped some wine, had a good cappuccino, and sculpted a female torso. Those two hours go by so fast by the end of it people want to stay a little longer. The smiles at the end are so satisfying to me. It is worth every minute of it.
There is so much more to it than just sculpting. People discover a new way of relaxing and having a good time. The opportunity to socialize is great since people can’t really be on their phones that much unless they want clay all over it. Above all of that there is a sense of challenge and satisfaction that grows inside. You can see it in their faces. They are challenging themselves to transmit to their hands what they see with their eyes and what they perceive with their minds. Once immerse in it time flies by. Two hours don’t seem enough when people is having fun.
For me is a little longer than two hours. I have to prepare the bases we use, make sure the supplies are ready, and get there earlier to set up. During the party I’m trying to keep them entertained telling stories and making jokes (that’s the stand up comedy reminiscences in me). At the end I stay longer to help clean up and organize. It is a lot of work and not as easy as it might look, but I love it so much. Those smiles at the end are so satisfying to me. It is worth every minute of it. The comments the day after and beyond are very encouraging. Can’t wait to do it again.
Detailing the muscles is very challenging but so much fun. I work one small area at a time and connect the muscles until the figure is complete. Hair comes after. To add a little something to the composition I added flowers this time. I was going in different directions with the flowers once I added the blue roses (which were originally purple) close to the head. First, and that was the original idea, I wanted to create a ‘u’ shaped frame of flowers and vines on the bottom half of the canvas. It was too much for me. The next idea was to just add a few flowers closing the figure at the bottom. I was not feeling it either, so I left it like that with just three blue roses. The rest is about cleaning up the details. After about 12 hours I was very satisfied with the result.
“I did this myself!”… With sparkly eyes full of satisfaction and proudly showing off her sculpture to her friends, this lady at the 
I 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.
Finding Meaning in Our Work
“Are you having fun?” I ask this question almost everywhere I go to people who is working. Most of the time people just laugh and respond with sarcasm.
We work a lot. Sometimes too much. It seems like our agendas are based on work and fitting other activities where there is no work. That is not a bad thing. I find it an issue when work becomes more important than people around you. I also find working a lot an issue if we don’t enjoy our work or the fruit of our labor.
What does it mean to enjoy our labor? It could mean different things for each on of us. Certainly, that’s the point: finding meaning in our work. Finding meaning in what we do, and purpose to all the effort we put on everyday for so many hours makes a difference in our attitudes and aptitudes in our performance. It also alleviates the stress that comes with the job. If we enjoy what we are doing, time seems to move faster and the day goes by quickly. Sometimes we don’t even notice. The opposite is also true when we really ‘have’ to work but we don’t want to work. The day seems to drag forever.
What does it mean to enjoy the fruit of our labor? Again, we need to find our own meaning. It could be just to be able to kick back at the end of the day and be satisfied with what was accomplished. It could be being surrounded by the people you love, or having that alone time we all need. A glass of wine, a good book, a movie, food, all this things that makes us feel that it was worth. Our days are indeed few, and our lives go by like a short clip in the very long movie of existence. Why not enjoy what we do while we do it and then after?
This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot. Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God. They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart.
Ecclesiastes 5: 18-20
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