Monday, March 20, 2006

Continuing the theme: Naked people

Sunday, I was determined to get the chores done. Package up my income tax information, wash my hair, vacuum, and so on.

And by four or five in the afternoon, I'd cleaned up the polymer clay mess I'd made. The "should" chores were still waiting.

I was pleased with this particular figure...I like that it started out as a female figure and ended up somewhat androgynous. I find that anything I make tends, to some extent, to become what it wants to become, rather than following my plan.

The gilded color came from coating the polymer clay in metallic powder before the piece was cured. Can you make out the spiral patterns on the body?

So. Step one. Now I just have to figure out the rest of the piece and do the work.

"Just."

Click to enlarge. Actual size is 6&1/4 inches.


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6 comments:

Mary said...

"I find that anything I make tends, to some extent, to become what it wants to become, rather than following my plan"

Yes, absolutely. The same applies to poems I try and write. They actually end up pushing me to one side and writing themselves.

The figure is really good. I love the gilded colour - and the spirals. She still has a feminine look to me .....

LJ said...

Hi M.

Poetry, visual art, craft, singing, music, acting...all the symbolic languages, I think. I read a wonderful book on art therapy once that spoke of the need for shamans - not appropriated shamans from other cultures - but allowing the archetypal shaman within us speak. The language of symbols is the language of the unconscious is the language of the shaman. The author talked about moving over and making room for the art to speak to you...to tell you what it wanted to be. And when we get blocked, in whatever medium we use, the block comes from fighting what the unconscious wants to do. So said the author - and I've found it's a really useful concept.
Not to mention the fact that it outs itself anyway and I have very little conscious say about things. I'm just the fingers typing or molding or holding a needle. Not the boss.
But it's magic - even though the unconscious doesn't offer to pitch in when it comes to doing the tedious stuff. The editing, the problem solving etc. (she whined)
Why can I not talk to you without going on for pages? Laughing.

LJ

Jess D'Zerts said...

She's beautiful, LJ, and seems wonderfully female to me too. So strong and youthful. A much better investment of your time than the vacuuming would have been. I look forward to seeing where she ends up.

phlegmfatale said...

It's lovely, and yes, I can see the spirals. Speaking of should - I've got a ton of jewelry to produce for a show in 3 weeks, and the minute I have orders or commitments, it crosses over from a "passion" to a "job". Ugh. It's a mental block, I know. I suppose I should just admit to being tremendously lazy. Why do I have to prove anything - shouldn't the world pay me just for being fabulous and for my impressive shoe habit?

LJ said...

Thanks Jess. This is the problem with not planning. She has to dictate the piece now and I'm in the experimenting stage. Waiting for the weekend so I can not-vacuum again - and get down to some drawing.
Hi PFatale: I know that sweatshop stage, trudging to the workbench when you usually can't be kept from it. Good luck with the show and the factory work in-between.
And yes. It is my considered opinion that you should be paid for being fabulous and your shoe habit. Life is just NOT fair.

phlegmfatale said...

You're playing my song, darling!