Getting Over Myself (A Very Hard Thing To Do)

Yesterday was my last day working at the winery and even though I have some mixed emotions about leaving I am glad I will have more time for my art this summer. I leave for Colorado in two weeks and then I am pretty much traveling most of the time until the middle of September. It's going to be really fun.

I'll be doing my usual thing in Marble, going for two sessions which I really missed doing last year. Then I am home for a couple of weeks which gives me just enough time to prep for Burning Man and I am off again. Immediately after Burning Man I will go straight to Reno to install the Bottle Cap Tree as part of a public art installation, Mangrove, that will be up until the middle of December. Finally, I will be spending a week in Waco, Texas working as a visiting artist for a new stone carving symposium there. Whoo. I'm tired just writing this. But, really, I can't wait.

I am really looking forward to being able to work in the studio much more between now and when I leave for Marble on July 12th. I have a lot of work to do repairing the Bottle Cap Tree and creating my new bottle cap sculpture Spin 'Em! as well as just generally getting ready for Marble.

I am having so much fun right now making Spin 'Em!. It's such a simple project but gives me enormous amounts of pleasure. I hope it will do that for others as well. The title says it all. It's basically seven old bike wheels decorated with bottle caps that are mounted on steel posts and people can walk up to them and give them a spin. The bottle caps make a cool clickety noise and also the caps themselves make a neat design as they spin. These photos give an idea of what the wheels will look like.


In addition to the sculpture itself I have the opportunity to decorate the alcove area that the sculpture will be displayed in any way I see fit. So I am going to incorporate a couple of other wheels that won't be spinable and some lighting and bottle cap flowers as well as a way for participants to add bottle caps to their own bike wheels. I am truly proud of this overall idea and really think it's going to come together nicely.

I just love that the piece speaks for itself; no underlying Big Idea. It just Is What It Is. I am not going to have any statement attached to it because what more do you need to know besides Spin 'Em? It's about experiencing the art.

So often with my other artwork, especially my stone carving, I have this whole concept tied in. And to me the concept is very interesting and I get frustrated sometimes when people don't take the time to try and understand the bigger meaning of my work. They just enjoy the art aesthetically and, really, what the heck is wrong with that?

I have realized in the last few weeks that I just need to Get Over Myself. My art should be Fun, not Heavy or Deep. It can be appreciated any way one sees fit. Sure it's cool for me to have concepts that make the work more meaningful for me. But in the end no one cares so why should I? This is all very liberating.

Last week was the beginning of Summer and I think that it is also the beginning of my Summer of Fun. Watch out World, here comes the Fun!

Side Note of the Day: Look at my website for a list of Upcoming Events.

In addition to all of my travel I have some various art exhibitions that I am participating in. It's all listed at kittygsculpture.com. Check it out, if you get a chance.

One More Thing

Oh Yeah. I was going to post images of Sayulita at SculptureWalk after I got back from Sioux Falls last month. I've been a little distracted lately (see previous post). Anyway, here ya go.

Getting My Focus Back

It has been so long since I have worked on my art. I was really losing my motivation and focus there. Mostly because of things going on in my personal life. It was really making it completely impossible for me to even think about going to my studio or anything. Quite troubling. I was actually only a day or so left from finishing my latest alabaster piece (this was back at the end of April!) and I couldn't even fathom doing that.

But I think I'm better now. Yesterday I spent some time in the afternoon repairing my Bottle Cap Tree and that went really well. It felt good to work on my art again. I was repairing the tree because it needs to be back in good, structural shape for the upcoming Reno Mangrove. I have been asked to be a part of a small recreation of the Mangrove from last year's Burning Man that will be on display along the River Walk in downtown Reno from September to November. I am pretty excited for my tree to have a chance to be on display again even if it means a little work on my part getting it back up and running. It sure got beat up at Burning Man and then even more so being hauled back and forth from various places last year.

It may or may not go to this year's Burning Man and be on display there. I am not sure if I want it exposed to those nasty conditions again. But I am definitely going to Burning Man this year. I am in the process of putting together a sculpture for display in the Center Camp Cafe. It will incorporate bottle caps and used bicycle wheels and I am very excited to start working on it. I think it will be a really fun piece. More details on that later.

So, I've got a lot to do right now. In addition to the above I also need to focus on getting ready for Marble/marble and I really do want to get that unfinished alabaster piece completed. I have been working extra days at the winery until I leave my job at the end of this month. So, some of my usual studio time is not available but every day that I can between now and July 12th I am going to go to the studio and work. I am finally motivated again. What a great feeling!

It's weird how art-making definitely has ebbs and flows. You just have to ride out the slow times and not get too down about it. And then try and get as much as possible out of the high times; just run with the momentum. I feel like I am just about to catch a wave right now. Time to hang on.

Quote of the Day: That's the secret to life... replace one worry with another.... - Charles M. Schulz