Mentor Archetype - A Relationship of Growth
Mentorship is a dynamic bond. The mentor invests time and wisdom in the student. Reciprocally, the student commits to listening and probing for clarification. It’s an ongoing lesson - a long term engagement that grows and changes, as do the participants.
We are not always aware of the many mentor/mentee relationships we experience. They are not necessarily formal arrangements. But we guide and are guided through trust and a respect to enable growth.
As this pair of characters developed, I felt there was something missing. After the primary gestures were established, I realized they should not be looking the same direction. Each is focused on a different point. The mentor is more aware of the surroundings while scanning the horizon. The mentee concentrates on the direction he/she is about to leap.
Archetypes are the foundation of my characters. They have roles to play in a grand drama. Through dozens of sketches that precede each sculpture, I imagine and explore possibilities for positioning each in its surrounding space. Figure and space have a similar relationship to the mentor and mentee – a state of being and not being. Knowing and not knowing. Each explores the state of the other.