A Fish Called Wander

I have been thinking about prehistoric fish for a long time. I created the head for this piece months ago. A recent trip to the Seattle Art Museum to see a collection of Alexander Calder mobiles was the trigger to complete this. I didn’t know if it would swim until I suspended it. A slight breeze will keep it in motion. Now I’m debating whether to add two more fish or let this one swim alone.

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Deja Vu: The Persistence of Possibilities

Time is an illusion. There is no past, no future. There is an infinite “now”. The “Many Worlds” theory of quantum physics acknowledges that all possibilities exist at once. Through normal consciousness, we perceive one sequential path of possibilities. When our awareness encounters one of these infinite other worlds, it feels familiar because it is another version of what we are experiencing. .

That might explain what we experience as déjà vu. Literally translated from French, it means “already seen.” It describes an illusion, a memory of a scene or event that you are experiencing for the first time.

This sculpture suggests many things: a dance, a relationship, lovers, twins, opposites, etc. I began this piece with the concept of multiple variations of the personality encountering each other. The term of déjà vu quickly came to mind. When we see our thoughts reflected we are seeing through a portal in reality. I believe our ability to comprehend the complexity of consciousness is a result of how little we actually know about nature.

One surprise I encountered after shooting this video was that both figures, while rotating around each other also appear to be rotating on their own axis. It’s an illusion.

Evolution of an idea

A recent trip to Mexico was a visual tsunami. I was fascinated by a group of Frigate birds that soared above the beach every day. Their ability to glide with no apparent effort amazed me. Of course, sketches followed. My attention was also drawn to of the more primal imagery of the local artists and craftspeople. At some point, all of the imagery I was ingesting started to merge into a single image. This series shows the progression from inspiration to a finished mask. “Focus” measures 28” x 30” x 11”

How to find direction if the path is unclear

“Magician” - 44”H” x 23”W - Watercolor on #100 drawing paper.

My process is very intuitive. I avoid patterns, repetition, and predictability as soon as I suspect their presence.

I came to my studio today in a mood. Not the best approach for creativity. But, I figured this change in attitude foreshadowed an opportunity for breakthrough. It’s happened before. There are no bad days. There’s always another door to be opened. Opportunities to explore. Synchronicity plays the next card.These are not to be ignored.

During the morning’s frustration to find my “groove” I tried several approaches. All ended with a huge sigh and another “What now?” situation.

I decided to find a large piece of paper and cut loose. Paint wildly. Expunge my mood. Digging through my bin of rolled paper, I discovered two large watercolors painted years ago. One spoke loudly. It was a study I did 7 years ago for the very first sculpture of my current body of work.

This figure was one that I wasn’t ready to explore when first conceived. Upon rediscovery, I put it on my easel for examination. That was about 5 hours ago. I’ve been looking at it all day.

Another idea I had pursued earlier today has become a temporary dead end. I shelved it after a couple of hours and moved on to a crow sculpture which I have been considering for several months. I spent almost 4 hours and 45’ of wire to build the armature of a life-size bird. Some satisfaction achieved, finally.

I’m about to wrap up for the day. As I sit here looking at this large watercolor sketch on my easel, I realize I need to know this character more deeply. The way to accomplish that is to take it to 3D. That will be my task for tomorrow. It could be another sleepless night imagining the possibilities for refinements.