Woman: Bridget, slab rolled and hand finished wall plaque, 27.5"t x 14.5"w, with copper and wire, by Tammy Vitale $250.00
This piece was born last week during a frenzy of new work when I thought I was only going down to make some of the regular tried and trues. Now that I have some psychic space to create because dollars are being made elsewhere, I can play. Just yesterday I got in 500 lbs of clay – I've been holding off due to income and the economy, so it is like an early xmas or maybe birthday…a gift to myself. I ordered in some air-dry clay, which I've never used before, but thought would be fun to play with Grandson since he likes clay, and also try some figures that would be hard to make from regular clay due to drying/firing/thickness. I'm looking forward to a day in the mud with that clay! I also bought some porcelain (cone 6) because I have a lot of cone 6 glaze and because porcelain is a wonderful clay that is harder to use – less plastic, more prone to cracking as it dries, but beautiful finishes – and I have some celedon green glaze that always turns out lovely that I want to use with that.
Here are some details of Bridget – the copper wire is a cross-over from jewelry making. Isn't it grand when that starts to happen?!
and just for fun, here is a picture of my inspiration for this piece. I believe I pulled this out of my most recent American
STyle magazine but can't swear to that. It isn't marked on the page. I think this is the artist, William Hunter, here.
It's fun to see how artists influence each other…even just from pictures. One of the reasons I get American Style is to see what others are doing and to take a cheap, homebound "artist's play date" by browsing through its pages.
Her name comes from the Celtic goddess Brigid, whose story was later co-opted into St. Brigid of Ireland.
thought for the day: If you allow yourself to be the person that you are, then everything will come into rhythm. If you live the life you love, you will receive shelter and blessings. Sometimes the great famine of blessing in and around us derives from the fact that we are not living the life we love, rather we are living the life that is expected of us. We have fallen out of rhythm with the secret signature and light of our own nature….When you endeavor to repeat what others have done or force yourself into a preset mold, you betray your individuality. We need to return to the folitude within, to find again the dream that lies at the hearth of the soul. John O'Donohue, Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom
2 Comments
It seems to have been so long since it's struck – but I love when that feeling of inspired frenzy strikes. What a wonderful feeling of abundance it is to have fresh art supplies in stock. I'm glad you're feeling inspired again, my friend – I love looking at the lovely results!
It's so exhilarating when that happens: when you think you have "regular" work to do and a surprising new piece, or pieces, are born instead. Bridget is beautiful!
And it's true that having a paying job gives you the psychological space to just play. You don't have to depend on the art for a living. Some say they have learned to just let go and trust, without a salary as backup. I am working toward that point. Meanwhile, your observation points to one of the blessings of work away from the studio. And perhaps the break from doing art all the time, even though it is hard to acknowledge when we are in one of those fabulous frenzies you've just enjoyed, gives us a healthy balance. My frenzies can last for months!