Midsummer is the time of year that I unofficially begin switching from doing primarily abstract to primarily realistic sculpture. Both of these directions are apart of my everyday work, but I have discovered over the years it works better for me to have one or the other as my primary focus. This is in large because most Fine Art shows occur between the months of May-July therefore demand my full time attention to my abstract side. This allows the balance of the year to accomplish my realistic, figurative work as well as any commissioned work.
Clearing Inventory
Throughout my life I have accumulated rough sculpture (partially complete) set back in storage for drying purposes. I now have hundreds in storage, of all shapes, sizes and subjects. They were set aside so the wood could “stabilize”. Thus assuring that when they were then completed, they would not warp or crack; either in the process of carving, or thereafter. This has left me with a treasure trove of items to chose from that are ready for my attention.
Item at Hand
The backstory being what it is. I will now point your attention to the work at hand…an eagle. I don’t carve many eagles these days, basically because anything I work on has to present me with the challenge of being able to it better than the last time I did it. This is my only creative incentive to revisiting a subject for sculpture. It is a lesson in motivation I have learned, as derived from past experiences. The fact that when I repeat a subject (such as a eagle), it must bear fruit in the labor of doing it, beyond any monetary gain. This is where personal growth as an artist becomes the major objective above all. It is the difference between being a creative person or a simple manufacturer of goods.
This eagle has occupied a corner of my studio now, for over ten years, waiting for me to look at it and say to myself that I believe I can make this the one that is better than all the rest. And so, on with the challenge.