Seascape Relief: Update 15
I've resumed writing about my artistic life, but I haven't returned to the whole social aspect of maintaining a dynamic site. I haven't just been slow to respond to questions or requests - I've ignored them outright. I make no excuses nor do I claim I've been working on it. I haven't. I have been doing what is necessary for me, right now: raise the beasties and fall into a wonderful creative maelstrom.
I've been pressing forward with this all-consuming need to turn this Simple Idea into a working piece of art. The kids are focused, happy, silly-rambunctious-giddy-playful-goofy-vibrant and totally awesome. And Kelly has taken to the whole design process in a way that I couldn't really anticipate.
This has been such a great experience for her - not just 'watching' the process of seeing a piece of art develop from concept to drawing to fabrication to completion, but physically and mentally participating as an assistant, a problem-solver, and as a very talented designer. I've never had help on this level before. The fact that my assistant is my eldest beastie is just the icing on the cake.
Together, we have turned a dusty, stagnant studio into a thriving cauldron of activity. I've repaired every piece of art in the place that was gathering dust, created a new chair/table hybrid, finished the first of a new series of reliefs, and built a coffee table from scratch in a day. Right now I'm creative and productive on a level that I haven't been in 11 years. It's thrilling. And my kids are the reason I'm creating again - this summer has been amazing.
I'll just let that sink in a little . . . I'm not just making a little art here and there on the side. I'm a working artist.
Okay, so that's a long way of saying I haven't answered anyone's questions. I'm sitting down now to do so. I'm also going to visit each of your sites, and I'm going to create a blog roll of all the very nice people who for whatever reason have hung around for five years and still comment - you are all crazy to still be here. Everyone else in their right minds left a long time ago.