the swimmer
It's like 100 degrees and I'm sitting in the shade with my friend Stephanie at the Umlauf Gardens. We are in the middle of a wire sculpting class that is being taught outside on the veranda. Our teacher is an energetic, kind man who understands the passion behind Umlauf's art. But we have done no sculpting as of yet. We are drawing things in continuous line without looking at our paper. I have done an angel, a madonna and child, and now Stephanie drawing one of our classmates.
I like my abstract portrait of Stephanie and tell her to give it to Denbigh. I hope she posts it on her blog, it's that good. I tell him to frame it in an ultrasuede fawn-colored mat in a matte silver frame and hang it in their master bath. No matter they don't have a house right now. I'm not sure where they are living.
Anyway, Stephanie is busy making friends with an old man named Ralph in our class. Later she gives him the drawing she has done of him. He says he will frame it. Now that's classy. I hope she posts that picture as well on her blog.
It's time now for us to finally pick a sculpture in the garden to emulate in wire. I feel faint, as though I may black out. I had a piece of cheese for lunch and have been outside most of the day. Like a little field mouse. But no matter. I find a beautiful sculpture of a boy about to go swimming that reminds me of Syd and I do my five-minute sketch. Our teacher tells me it's very good. He's very kind. Here is my drawing. I see now that he has very short legs. He could be a Narnian creature perhaps.
I am feeling happy about my drawing, until it's time to translate it into wire. "Make the torso with these two wires - you know - 2 dimensional, and then here is two wires for the head. Okay?" says Rene, as he moves on to help Ralph.
It's not okay. No. NO. I have never worked with wire. And this is thick gauge wire I cannot bend with my fingers. My hands feel like bear cub paws. Stephanie however is creating some sort of celestial being she will put on eBay and she is whipping it together. I suspect this form was not even in the sculpture garden. I'm sure she will showcase it on her blog. I decide I cannot go on
without food, air conditioning and a good pliers.
Stephanie takes over my sculpture.
Here is the result. I call it "What in The Heck is That, Stephanie?" Alas, it is no swimmer. I have the rest of my sculpture. See below. I call it "Wire in Waiting".
I like my abstract portrait of Stephanie and tell her to give it to Denbigh. I hope she posts it on her blog, it's that good. I tell him to frame it in an ultrasuede fawn-colored mat in a matte silver frame and hang it in their master bath. No matter they don't have a house right now. I'm not sure where they are living.
Anyway, Stephanie is busy making friends with an old man named Ralph in our class. Later she gives him the drawing she has done of him. He says he will frame it. Now that's classy. I hope she posts that picture as well on her blog.
It's time now for us to finally pick a sculpture in the garden to emulate in wire. I feel faint, as though I may black out. I had a piece of cheese for lunch and have been outside most of the day. Like a little field mouse. But no matter. I find a beautiful sculpture of a boy about to go swimming that reminds me of Syd and I do my five-minute sketch. Our teacher tells me it's very good. He's very kind. Here is my drawing. I see now that he has very short legs. He could be a Narnian creature perhaps.
I am feeling happy about my drawing, until it's time to translate it into wire. "Make the torso with these two wires - you know - 2 dimensional, and then here is two wires for the head. Okay?" says Rene, as he moves on to help Ralph.
It's not okay. No. NO. I have never worked with wire. And this is thick gauge wire I cannot bend with my fingers. My hands feel like bear cub paws. Stephanie however is creating some sort of celestial being she will put on eBay and she is whipping it together. I suspect this form was not even in the sculpture garden. I'm sure she will showcase it on her blog. I decide I cannot go on
without food, air conditioning and a good pliers.Stephanie takes over my sculpture.
Here is the result. I call it "What in The Heck is That, Stephanie?" Alas, it is no swimmer. I have the rest of my sculpture. See below. I call it "Wire in Waiting".
