A little splash of colour on a cool drizzly summer day
Tag Archives: Sam Shendi
Aim high, dream big, Go Global
This morning the sculptor waits at the studio for a transport company coming to pick up ‘The Bench’ to take it to Manchester airport. Way back in March we got an email saying a client was interested in it and could it be ready quickly. So my husband went down to London, dismantled it from its site outside Canary Wharf, brought it back re-polished it and got it ready, made crates and then it sat in the studio waiting. Then we were told the client wanted to wait to June. So this is what sparked the desperate need for the storage unit.
‘The Bench’ was sat waiting in the storage unit and we began to think perhaps it wasn’t going to go anywhere. Then this Monday morning we got a call from Manchester airport to say they were coming to collect a package for Taiwan. My husband said, ‘Sorry, I don’t have anything going to Taiwan’. “Are you the artist, Sam Shendi,” they asked. For some reason, we thought it was going to USA, apparently not!. We are really going global! So yesterday my husband fixed more wheels to the bottom of the crates to enable him and the driver to carefully wheel it to the van. This was not without hiccup as he almost dropped it on himself, I was horrified to hear, as he recounted his tale of trying to lift them himself.
Last night, the sculptor starred out the window almost dumbstruck (and I say almost because those who know him will know this is quite impossible) by the thought his sculpture was going to the other side of the world. I am not sure what was going through his mind. It is a huge achievement, that’s for sure, but it still feels we are climbing a very huge mountain. This is just one peak on the journey.
My youngest son sometimes asks me if he thinks that one day he might be a professional footballer. Someone mentioned recently that it is such a small chance that a kid playing footy can make it. But then I think, his father came from a small village in the middle of Northern Egypt with all kinds of stories that you wouldn’t imagine that one day far from there he would be shipping a huge sculpture off to Taiwan , sold through Saatchi art. Aim high, dream big, I say.
Pace and the art of being in the moment
I wasn’t so surprised to see it’s been 24 days since I last posted a blog. Time feels it is running faster and faster. My sister-in-law once told me “life is like a room, in one door, out the other.” The days at the moment seem to pass with increasing speed.
The speed at which something happens.s I seem to fail miserably at keeping up with any one challenge I am pleased that this blog is ticking a long. So I must keep it up. Along with all the other challenges I set myself.
The sculptor works daily and many of his Facebook comments remark about his process, his relentlessness, his speed and if or not he ever rests. I think he has a keen awareness that the physicality of his work may be that one day he will not be as able to work with the same energy.
Working on the Mother and Child collection in the studio
When I think about why I haven’t been writing, it’s because I have been reading and walking. All of which require a certain pace and both I do far to fast. On a family Sunday walk this weekend my husband told me slow down. I didn’t need to be walking so fast. I skim read because I want to get to the end of the story. I am highly aware at the moment that I am rushing the children constantly with barking orders.
The mindful art of being in the moment is also the ability to slow down, to be present truly and focus on what you are doing in that moment.
On the other hand, my writing project has halted at the first hurdle of editing and ordering chapters. I dart around from one project to the other not yet finding a steady pace to it all. Despite the sculptor’s speed and seemingly unrelenting pace, he always has the ability to be in the moment. I think this is what gives him the ability to harness the imagination an creativity into the creation. I have just finished reading (too quickly) one of the most beautiful reads. A book which made me realise I need to slow down the moments, really understand what my, earlier in the year, daily yoga challenge was teaching about taking in a deep breath and changing pace.
Practicality and the art of tidying
I have been itching, quite literally, as my eczema has been so bad but an investment in a pair of marigolds seems to be helping with the problem. Suggested by my husband, no problems only solutions. However, that was not my point. I have been desperate to carry on with my sorting and de-cluttering since the boys went back to school on Tuesday. I have been at the shop though, as ever practical, my husband ordered a storage unit for the side of the studio to put in work which is not in exhibition but finished so to create more space in the studio for creating. He has been impatiently wanting this solution for a while.
He booked out a whole day to wait for the delivery, only to be told they couldn’t make it as they needed a special machine. They said they could bring it at 6pm so my husband waited until 7.30pm and it still didn’t arrive. 8am the following morning we received a call saying they were outside the studio. We both wonder why we are so excited about storage and tidying at the moment.
Today, the sculptor was up early (3.30am) again London bound as we have excitedly sold ‘Madame Butterfly’. Then he and his right hand man are heading on to deliver the remainder of the calligraphy collection to the Hannah Pescher sculpture gardens.
So I have been in the shop all week unable to carry on my house de-clutter project. However, since my last post which resonated with many people a dear friend pointed me in the direction of the KonMari method. So, I have had time this week to do a little research. The method has been created by a Japanese lady Marie Kondo.
Japan and all things Japanese are in my blood, it feels or has definitely have influenced the shaping of me in someway. When I was 18 I went to a small village to live and work in a Leonard Cheshire home. At that time I had only ever been to France and Holland, so the culture shock was huge but I embraced and enjoyed the deep and spiritual meaning which seeped into every aspect of the lifestyle and way of being.
This sculpture, ‘Madame Butterfly’ is the outline of a woman wearing a Kimono. A geisha girl. The opera is very much about the meeting of east and west and there is such contrast between the attitudes and styles of the western world and the eastern traditions. As in the simplicity I desire for the home, this style of the theme of work by husband is about stripping back the outline to the simplest form.
Looking into Marie Kondo’s style and her art of tidying was a great reminder of the Japanese art of being and living. Something I have not been doing and not obviously picked up from my time in Japan as I looked last night at the disaster and disorganisation of my domain. So, eager to implement it, I ‘KonMari’ -ed my wardrobe which is where she suggests to start. With clothing. This seems where I have been going wrong. Starting with all my Japanese memorabilia, letters and souvenir boxes was too hard. I need to learn how to sense whether an item ‘Spark’s Joy’ or not. According to her, by the time I have worked through clothes, books, documents and miscellaneous only then can I tackle those things that have meaning.
In just two hours I folded my huge pile of clothes, origami style and feel instantly inspired. Today wearing a skirt I have never worn before, so much so that the boys were shocked this morning and wondered if I was taking them to school with it on. A skirt which I bought in Egypt when I was staying with my sister-in-law for an extended period of time during maternity leave. So immediately the item has a memory, a story attached to the item of clothing and in this case it spark’s joy. Although, I did have to negotiate the steps up to school a little bit unused to the length of dress.
In today’s busy, constant buying and consumer driven world we all seem to have a deep desire to get back to a more basic way of life. Once we have detached from the past we can focus on the here and now and have no fear of the future- this is the theory. Can we put it into practice?
As the sculptor parts with another sculpture to someone who has purchased it as an item which will hopefully spark joy for them, I wonder what to do with my treasured kimono? Defiantly not something practical to be wearing on the school run.
Barnsley and Dash
Today the sculptor has gone for a little look at Barnsley Civic. So, I am ‘dog’ watching and ‘shop’ sitting – I say that with hesitancy as I am still catching up with the idea of both these endeavours. Slightly more confident in dealing with customers wanting a kitchen than the puppy training at present. For the first five minutes, I thought it was going to my usual madness, as he started chewing the pee-pad and gnawing on the boxes and the postman opened the door and he almost escaped. But a bit of a tug-of war with his rope toy calmed him down and he’s been sleeping since and I have been reading and writing making me feel more adept at business and dog owner responsibilities. I am just on alert that if the door opens he doesn’t dash out. Hence his name.
I read today that they have selected the four artists for the Hepworth prize. I feel slightly disgruntled that my husband is not one of them but bearing in mind this is not like the Turner prize, as they like to point out, you can be over 50 and indeed two of the nominees are in their 70’s. There is hope for the future yet and perhaps by 2018 (my husband will still be in his 40’s) we will have ticked a few more boxes for whatever it is they are looking for. Although, the other two are much younger, it’s an interesting range of ages not so sure about the art work ‘sculpture’ definitely has some interesting definitions these days.
Lots of new work is being created in the studio and a large body of work coming together under the theme ‘Blues in Motherhood’. Glossy pictures not yet ready of this one, so here is a sneak preview of the largest piece so far in this collection standing at 280cm high. The title of the piece appropriate as a few things recently I have been unsure as to whether to announce or not. Will write more on this piece when the photos are ready.
This trip to Barnsley may even be one of those things that helps along the path to recognition in the art world. For some people Barnsley might not be an art capital but the space seems pretty impressive and it is right in the middle of the sculpture triangle; Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Hepworth Wakefield and Henry Moore Institute, so hopefully it is a good start. The aim is that we may have a solo exhibition of Mother and Child sculptures by the end of the year.
For the first time I am unsure what to title my ‘post.’ I often finish writing and it becomes clear but ‘Barnsley and Dash’ is all I could come with and reminds me of Dandelion and Burdock, state flower for Barnsley, apparently.
A description about how the ‘calligraphy collection’ came about
The start of this concept began whilst drawing figurative sketches, practising with paper and pencil. Looking at the sketches there was a realisation that the outline can be the sculpture its self rather than the volume within. Knowing that an outline does not naturally exist and we only see things because of what is behind it, therefore the idea of this collection is to create a non-existing outline with an existing form. Like some painters started to use a black outline round their realistic paintings. Like if you imagine the painting without the content and only the black outline.
Focusing on the outline stainless steel pipes were manipulated to keep form and create abstraction. They looks like words. Born and raised in Egypt, when my husband sees them he can see the Arabic words. With a small manipulation to the outline actually the piece casts a shadow of obvious words recognised by the eye. Looking at the work through a camera’s eye, shows that the shadow and reflection of the sculptures itself writes Arabic words but still the form is, as a sculpture.
Perhaps, the viewer will only see abstract shapes but this collection is the outline of classical forms. This displays the journey and connection between classical sculpture and abstraction. It is all one form it just depends on how the artist presents it. It is a natural progression from formal sculpture to simplification.
So through the process and progress a combination of sculptural form and language appears. The addition of the colour and the shadows, which cast on the walls and on the floors, still influences the concept.
From simply a visual connection to the mysterious words hidden within. Endless ideas can come out of this theme.
So the words can describe form and still maintain human form. Colour in all the themes describe emotion, movement, and experience and is a description of the motivation behind the piece.
Sculptures in the Calligraphy collection
Gorgeous, stunning piece for a wordless Wednesday post
Relief
November is over and so with it my writing challenge (#nanowrimo) and I’ve needed a bit of time to recover. What with writing and running the shop, and the boys, it was a relief to have the sculptor back from his ten-day trip to Munich. Everything that should have been straight forward whilst he was away was problematic but my mantra for that time was, “no problems only solutions”- one I have learnt from him. Being mindful not to feel ‘Blue.’
The photographer Renate Forster took some amazing images of which I have just selected a few to show. The sculptor gave her a brief of capturing art work and people with layers of focus and they have turned out brilliantly.
I think this is one of my favourite shots, the focus of the lady looking up at the bird and the painting and sculptor in the background out of focus gives this image depth and detail. I love how she is glancing up at bird perched on the foot. The boys and i have been noticing the lack of birds during these heavy down pouring rainy days and when the weather breaks and gives a natural relief the birds flying is a peaceful sign.
Whilst the sculptor was away I was able to call upon my brother to hep me out of tricky situations when wrong toilets arrived. He was able to quickly jump in his car and go and collect. At the weekend he went off, with his car piled with items collected and donated by local people, to Calais to give some help at the ports. ‘Crazy, Interesting’ is all I heard so far with lots more nationalities than I had thought. I don’t want to highlight this to brag but to point out that in this present climate of almost despair and downward spiralling there are little glimmers of hope. There is some relief. As we plough on into December keep mindful of giving. Even a simple smile is a gift that can brighten up someone else’s day.
No words, many images for exhibition, Munich: ‘Body and Soul’
Deep thought of the day, what are you reaching for?
As I write the title I suddenly realise many people may be reaching for the end of the working week, the bottle, the next bar of chocolate, the next holiday. We do all reach for that comfort but what are we blocking out.
I have been a bit pre occupied these last couple of weeks not blocked with writer’s block but literally with ‘block’ blocks in researching minecraft parties. I am going all out this year with a Minecraft themed home party for our soon to be 8-year-old. Family birthdays, lots of sculpture events happening and a very busy sculptor means I find it harder to sit and write. Perhaps, just an excuse really however as this next week is half term I am trying to get this written before having the boys and really no time for writing.
I have had a few conversations recently about ambition. What it means and why some of us have it and some of us seem to lack it. In conversations with my husband I reach for the dictionary. I must have had the foresight to know it would be useful to request it from a dear friend when we got married and she wanted gift suggestions. The definition of ambition is ‘an earnest desire for some type of achievement or distinction, as power, honour, fame, or wealth, and the willingness to strive for its attainment’.
My husband thinks he wasn’t ambitious as a child. He didn’t aim to achieve what he has achieved thus far more a determination to better his situation perhaps. In my mind he is definitely ambitious to fulfil a dream but more crucially has the unbelievable determination to strive for its attainment. Meanwhile, I like being in the presence of that ambition and almost make it become my own in many ways but power, honour, fame, wealth have very little interest for me. I don’t have the drive to reach further or the ability to sustain any determination not for things materialistically. I have a very circular way of thinking. Say like taking a further step my writing into writing a book then I wonder why? for what reason? My mind goes into a spiral of being able to talk myself out of it.
We live in a world where success is often measured in material wealth and possessions. Although we do need those to a certain extent in this western world, aiming to achieve your dreams is something quite different. I guess it is all about purpose. What is our purpose in life. I am too much of a day-dreamer, my personal ambition is reaching into the realms of spiritualism, for something beyond this world…. but I guess it is ok to have these lofty ambitions when your husband is working hard on the ground!! So this Friday thought is. What are we reaching for? Why are we reaching for it?
Yesterday the sculptor took this piece along with several others in a new collection to Newby Hall, Ripon. N.Yorkshire. So if you are looking for some inspiration, a wander in the grounds of an 18th century house, something to do over the summer the exhibition will run from the 1st June ’15 until the end of the season – 27th September ’15.
THE SCULPTOR'S WIFE 