Filed under: Drawing, Fleeting thoughts... | Tags: architecture, art, artist, drawing, Fimo, First Friday, painting, sculpture
Yes, you heard me. This latest drawing that I am working on is an example of me having bitten of more than I can chew. Because I am typically unhappy with a drawing until the final stages, I cannot bear to show you the “progress” images. Needless to say, I’m going to be working on this one for awhile. So, as I cannot entice you to read on with images of my own work…I’m going to digress into OTHER people’s work.
Last friday, a friend and I went to the South End’s “First Friday”, where all of the galleries are open for people to visit and schmooze. As I hardly know anyone, I was more of the former than the latter. I won’t go on about those that I didn’t like…but focus on one that I did. I LOVED the work of Peter Opheim at Steven Zevitas Gallery. Take a look:
You can see that this painting is enormous…8’x8′. It is beautifully done…and so wry. Opheim creates these little figures, and then does a painting of them. In the press release, it states, “…Opheim’s paintings function as sculpture, and he does not consider them to be pictures.” HMM! I could sit here for an hour pondering that one…but I don’t know if I would have a profound thought in response. HMM! (just one of the reasons why I am not an art critic). But, they aren’t sculptures, so what is there about the translation process from object to painting that is significant? I feel that I am working on similar thoughts. What is the difference between having full scale sculptures of these made, to having full scale color photos, to having these enormous paintings? I find that kind of thing to be FASCINATING. Overall, I found these paintings to be wonderful, humorous, and provocative. Bravo! Fimo elevated to Fine Art! I love being “confronted” by these little creatures. It’s as if a part of everyone’s childhood (unless you were allergic to clay, I suppose), has now come back to haunt us, or to make us wonder who we are. Seriously! I look at these and they immediately make me think, “who are we, really?”. Don’t you think that they’re like contemporary fetishes?
Maybe I need to cut back on the tofu again?
As I have none of my own work to show…I’m going to yet again showcase the work by my four-year old son. This is a beach scene, I am told:
Don’t you love how ORDERLY it is? Apparently, the tiny scribbles in the rectangles are items such as: a beach umbrella, his swimsuit, my husband’s swimsuit, my swimsuit, etc. I’m not sure where we are, but our clothes are there. The complicated part at the bottom is some kind of mechanism, but I forgot what. The other in this “series”:
I cannot remember what this is. The top part may be an antenna, but I’m not sure. Thoughts? What would Freud say? That I’m an awful mom? I really hope not. At least he’s not drawing those little crying faces in cages, as I showed in an earlier post. Now, THAT was worrisome…
Yesterday, I went to visit the building that I worked on before I quit my job to be a better mom. It was the ribbon cutting ceremony, so everyone who wasn’t involved in construction was getting to visit the building for the first time.
I was thrilled to see it complete. Finally. Every door was in place, every duct where it should be…and every detail realized. I had a tremendous mix of emotions. I was overjoyed to be finally walking around the building that I spent so many months slaving over. But I also felt a great amount of sadness as well.
I felt sad that this was not my world anymore. I felt sad that I had passed the construction of the project over to others. I knew that it was in good hands…but I still handed it over…let it go. There is nothing in architecture that is a solo endeavour. Everything is accomplished by an enormous team of people…from the donors, to the institution, to the facilities department, to the architects…engineers…contractor…lighting designer…food service consultant…geotech…and the list goes on. So, this isn’t “my” building by any stretch of the imagination. Still, it feels like mine. Only because I worked on it with every shred of my being that I had left after trying to be a reasonable wife and mother. Every single thing…from a fire door, to an exhaust louver, to a wood ceiling, was a “labor of love” which took months to coordinate and design. And here it is. Finally done…both because of me, and in spite of my absence.
I look at it with extreme joy, but also with a heavy heart.
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slightly wonky 
Those clay figures are hilarious…and a little creepy. I was most amused at your amusement over them. And you should be proud of your past accomplishments…buildings, yes, but raising a remarkable son also! And I know there are many more to come.
Comment by tbonetravels April 17, 2012 @ 6:59 pmMany more accomplishments…yes, I hope!!!! Many more sons…might seriously be more than I can chew… 😛 Thanks, Tbone!
Comment by slightlywonky April 17, 2012 @ 7:30 pm