New Work
'Hip Sway'- Beam Series
It has been some time since I updated my posts here... life can sometimes feel very hectic and like so many I am sure, managing my time between creating new work, and maintaining my 'artmin' ( an artist's version of admin) can mean occasionally some things fall through the cracks.
That said I feel particularly blessed that my process of direct carving is very much my form of meditation. The world disappears and it's just me and the material.
Direct carving means there is no ultimate plan, maquette, drawing, or even a preconceived idea of a desired outcome. It is a process that is informed by the material, a true collaboration.
The Beam Series is particularly close to my heart, not only do I love working with this beautiful elm wood but these modern abstract sculptures are carved from the ends of ceiling beams removed from my family home in Dorset. As stated I always follow the material in my creative decisions and normally that would be the grain and natural twists and turns of the wood but on this occasion, it is the manmade notches and holes, etc from its previous life as a construction material. I feel it lends this series a particularly modern abstract look as I would not have considered cutting these sharply defined shapes out if they had not had them or the beginnings of them already there.
The title 'Hip Sway' not only refers to the very obvious feature in the sculpture but maybe as that line developed quite early in what was a long making process ( over a year !) I had Maya Angelou's poem 'Phenomenal Woman' in my head nearly every time I worked on it. I think it resonates not only because of the feminine hip reference but also for the message it carries about challenging the accepted notions of feminine beauty, and I feel this sculpture definitely has a unique and individual beauty.
Extract from Phenomenal Woman - Maya Angelou
Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.
This work is not yet on my website but please email me if you would like to register early interest and I will contact you with more information
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