As a teacher, I encourage my students to use a sketchbook and work out ideas, either in the form of sketches/drawings or writing/journaling. The sketchbook/journal is a great tool for organizing ones thoughts and ideas. There's also something to be said for working spontaneously too.
The artist, Peter Voulkos worked in a very spontaneous and intuitive way... a very physical way as well. These plates are some of the many pieces Voulkos made with an abstract expressionist sort of sensibility with clay. Here's a quote from his January, 1999 talk at the Regis Master Series, Northern Clay Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota:
"When I don't know what the hell I'm doing - that's when I know I'm on the right track. People ask if I do a drawing of a big piece before I start it. I say 'If I had a drawing, I wouldn't do the piece'. Why do something if you know ahead of time what it's going to look like? I never know what the hell I'm going to do."
... Which leads to my question: how do you find yourself most effectively working in your creative process? Are you a meticulous planner? or are you someone who relies on intuition? or perhaps a combination of both?
2 comments:
Good subject. I sculpt stone and turn stone on a lathe along with spinning silver. What happens in in each case using these materials is that, even if you have worked it all out with drawing,model,etc it's the material itself that dictates the finished piece. 'Fixing' the stone as you work, overcoming the limits of the materials,even not quite having the correct tools always seem to lead to better artwork. (Off subject) I would like to pass on for you potters a stone that combines the firing process and sculpture. The stone 'Black African Wonderstone'is very soft in it's natural form and can be worked in many ways,When fired it will turn into porcilain. Once fired it can be slipped, glazed, enamelled,etc. This material will hold detail that you've never have seen before. Nice blog! Thanks, Bill
I thought before that I could just work on a project without planning but i recently realized, it doesnt work like that. haha. If i personally dont plan out exactly what im going to make I end up getting frustrated and hating what I make. The other day i didnt know what to make so i started making and in the end made a dice :(, not very cool.
- OLIVIA FOURNIER
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