Category Archives: Soul searching

Selling ‘You’, Self-reflection

'You'

This piece entitled ‘You’ was also in the exhibition and SOLD ! So we are very excited. It is currently being collected by courier and off to a new home.

The outline of face, a portrait in many ways, made of mirrored steel; it reflects the space it occupies and also the viewer, consequently when you look at it you see yourself. The philosophy therefore is about self-reflection. “The self is an individual person as the object of his or her own reflective consciousness” (Wikipedia).

This follows on quite nicely from my last blog about what our weakness are and how far we would/could go to get the things we want. We often judge others but how often do we look at ourselves and change, really take time to self evaluate and improve.

The topic of ‘Self’ is a huge one and often discussed in psychological and philosophical debates. The ‘self’ can be described as “the organized, consistent, conceptual gestalt composed of perceptions of the characteristics of the “I” or “me” and the perceptions of the relationships of the “I” or “me” to others and to various aspects of life, together with the values attached to these perceptions”. (Rogers, 1959)

Are we ever aware of how other’s really see us? What they think about us? Does it matter?

We often rarely see our own faces. I have been aware that looking at my husband is more like seeing myself than at my own reflection. There is a theory that couples do start to look like each other as they get older – how does that happen!? The way we behave does have an impact on others, especially those we live with. ‘Children learn what they live’, ‘Actions speak louder than words’, our behaviour is reflected on those around us and reflects back on us.

You have an idea of how things should be in the world and how you should be in the world. This is mixed up with your own personality and specific events making up what you think is ‘you’ and your world. It can be similar to your neighbour or very different.

” If you desire to know reality you must know yourself. You are the key, the only key to reality. You are nothing but a mirror of reality. It is enough to reflect…..~”

Chances and Change

Change, does us good. Moving around the furniture, getting rid of things we don’t need. I don’t always like it, we are such a disposable society, easily throwing things away that some one else could happily make use. Everything has it’s life span, I guess.We can be nostalgic but we don’t always need to hold on to everything to make us remember. We’ve been having a spring clean and it’s good for the house and soul!

The images below of the thinker is an older piece and we no longer have. It was a realisation of an idea, a physical sketchbook piece if you like. As he moves through life different materials and sources become available, by natural change and chance!

Do you believe it Fate? That life is meant to be? Or does life happen by chance!?

My husband’s life has been mapped out with twists and turns so dramatic that his life is almost a visual picture of fate – ‘maktub’. A few big things are coming up one of which is an exhibition in London, which I will write more about soon. I have finally finished the Artist Statement you can take a look, as it is now up on the blog on its own page. Hopefully this will be a chance for people to physically view his new work.


'The Thinker'
'The Thinker'

Hearts & Minds or (Heart versus Mind)

'Head'
'Head'

There seems to be an unprecedented occurence of natural disasters and man created ones happening at the moment. The damage that these are causing both physically to the world and then traumatically to human kind is sometimes beyond belief. We all make difficult journeys in our lives, situations that come along to test us; some more than others. We all carry scars, things that we lose that we don’t forget, can’t forget, these can take things from us that we can’t replace. We can still be whole, still ensure that the essence of our human nature remains in tact. This is the philosophy behind this piece.

I think it was a challenge for my husband about ‘how to’ create this, he had the idea for a while. The process was a little more elaborate than with other pieces, the thought process, the preparation, the technique was deliberated over. Perhaps more visibly so for me than other works. There is also the view from the side that looks like the brain. This has made me think about the brain versus the mind and has made me remember some of what I studied whilst doing my psychology degree. We use so little of our brain. All the man-made disasters makes me think how we don’t use our brains. How we don’t mind the suffering or the damage that is caused. We are often so unable to put ourselves in the position of another, to understand another view-point.

However, I have noticed looking at the view from the front, over the nose there is a heart. In my opinion, we should use our hearts more than brains. There lies the ultimate dichotomy in human beings, there is so much compassion, care and understanding. I think it’s our ‘heart’ that makes us human.

Balance

The smooth surfaces in this piece make me reflect. The balancing act of mother and child, a re-occuring theme.
Oh! to find some balance in our lives.

Spring is here, I feel; at last. The new shoots are coming through, spring lambs are appearing in the fields. New life is evident in the natural cycle of nature. A time to de-clutter our lives, re-address our life styles, take more time outside and enjoy the simple things. To look at nature and reflect.

Strength

'Mother & Child'
'Mother & Child'

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In thinking about the philosophy of my husband’s work, we discussed the strength of a sculpture and the durabitlity over time. I learnt that he sees in outlines, that he is creating outlines, playing with the way we see backgrounds and shapes or perhaps more importantly how we don’t and so making that the subject. It is abstracting the 3D form back to the simple aspects of line, form, shadow, shape.

This ‘Mother and Child’ sculpture is a good example of that abstraction, simplification and strength of line and boldness of form. In ‘Motherhood’ we have to have strength for so many reason, the initial pregnancy and birth and then throughout our children’s lives.

One of my best friends is in the midst of a life changing decision. She needs to find her inner strength in order to help her process all the thoughts she is having. We all have it, an inner strength, but sometimes we need a certain situation to bring our strength of character into being. In the past I thought being strong meant hardness, resilience, a kind of coldness. It can mean those things but if we are strong within our beautiful frame the delicate nature of some characteristics can strengthen, then we can withstand all sorts that life throws at us.

Organisation

These two pieces can at first seem abstract, and that in itself is a subject. They highlight a theme of shadow and light, positive and negative space which is a theme that runs throughout the work. If you look at the positive space, the fluidity and smoothness is remarkable considering these were both made in clay just by hands and were then cast in resin. The negative space is even more interesting, a pervading theme of Mother and Child appears…

It has been important for me to look at these, as it has emphasised what we talked about just last night in preparation for writing an Artist’s statement. I really need to get more organised in so many areas of my life. I think I am very much in between on a scale of ‘organised’ and ‘going with the flow’. Occasionally I have times of extreme organisation and then happy to just let things be, but in between I am constantly berating myself for not being more organised or not being more able to let things be. The never-ending circle of daily jobs, the constant flow of thought and emotions, the movement from one task to another. There is obviously so much benefit in having a routine and organised approach to daily life but then ‘life’, the beauty of it, is the randomness, spontaneity? Argh! I am going around in circles. Which is why these sculptures, actually almost calm me down in looking at them.

Beginnings

So, How did I meet my sculptor?

It was Art and Fate!

I was dreaming of becoming and artist and then I  met one. I was living at my parents house and my  Father told me about this Egyptian artist who was  designing their bathroom. One wet evening after  visiting an art college and planning a trip around  the world, my father shouted from downstairs and  I came down the stairs and there he was. I didn’t  take the trip around the world, I did go to the art  college but only for a year. That was all 8 years  ago!….These beautiful bronze pieces were made and distributed by a  gift ware company. It was a beginning…

Aiming High

'Aiming High'

Searching for my soul,

I sit at the top of a mountain,

I see it disappearing over the edge

It speaks to me and says

“Where are you going my friend?”

Do you always want to be at the top?

How long will you stay there?

There is no place here for me.