For me, there is a process beyond sitting down to sculpt and sew a piece. I start with the symbolism or meaning of the doll. This helps connect me with the mindset in which I will take each careful stitch.
I find that where I am mentally-emotionally helps me to create once I connect. It doesn't always have to be in the "happy" place either! I found that I created, what I think, some of my most beautiful pieces right after my Dad's passing- The Four Seasons. It expressed my love of him and life's seasons which I was able to translate into my work.
I find that where I am mentally-emotionally helps me to create once I connect. It doesn't always have to be in the "happy" place either! I found that I created, what I think, some of my most beautiful pieces right after my Dad's passing- The Four Seasons. It expressed my love of him and life's seasons which I was able to translate into my work.
Balance of Life
The Butterfly symbolizes simultaneous twin realities: the world of dreams and the world of work. These worlds are likened to the mirroring wings: the dream world is one wing and the awake world is the other.
The wings connect at the heart for the Butterfly to fly and live. The Life is the Butterfly’s wings.
Life, like the Butterfly is kept alive by the two opposing twin-like wings. It is the balance of life.
Photography: Mark Mortensen
I have a goal when I am in the journey of creating a piece..it may not be what you think..as in finishing the doll...finding the right fabric...creating the most beautiful piece I can...
My goal is to work within myself...to work at bringing out what my soul is trying guide me to do and express it in the feeling of my doll.
The balance is expressed by what I chose as her fabrics; it also expresses my inner movement of my soul.
The balance is expressed by what I chose as her fabrics; it also expresses my inner movement of my soul.
In the Organic posting, I stated...
We are so bombarded with outside influences that it is, at best, difficult to remove others thoughts, voices, or styles from our own work.
It is the journey of defining your own voice and then trusting it and then giving it room to grow that you become your own.
So when I say working within myself..it means to find that inner voice and listen to it carefully...slow down and listen. We all as artist do have that inner intuitiveness. And if we listen, we can then be guided to bring this into our own work that will make it original...personal.
Yes, I am a type A personality ( I had to initialize that to make my point). I want to blast through things so that my body can keep up with my thoughts.
So this slowing down is a learned process and from this, I feel, my greatest works comes to life.
I stand at my work table and take some deep breaths and open my heart and mind and ask for guidance from the divine...breathing it in and out.
This is when I find the balance of my bustin' out creativity comes to hold hands with my delicate soul's voice...balance.
It is usually during hand-sewing that I find that I am most mindful. Actually, I would say that I am most UN-mindful...not thinking of anything just in the moment of the needle going in and out pulling the thread...and this is where I believe that the *magic* happens...where your gift...your soul comes into your piece...in that moment of quiet without judgement.
I believe that once you find that quiet space, peace comes to live in your creation. Your voice...your heart comes to live...divinely inspired.
Special note on the quote: peaceful and perfect... Many years ago I took a sculpting class from a well known artist (at the time). We sculpted our pieces and then took them to the mirror to look at them and their symmetry...now- so many years later, I do not sculpt symmetrical..I like my dolls the way they look...it is my perfect!
Find your perfect wings...not others.
The wings connect at the heart
for the Butterfly to fly and live.
The Life is the Butterfly’s wings.
