What is my Galatea?

I keep assuming that if I don't stress about it, the idea of what I should do for a sculpture will come magically to me. I keep thinking and thinking, but nothing comes to mind. I don't want to lose my passion for the sculpture. I don't think that will happen, but not coming up with an idea for it sure does not help. I want to make something that will make others think of Chinquapin, but what?... Being seniors, we should know by now. So I'm asking, what makes you think of Chinquapin? What do you think about when you see, hear, or say the name Chinquapin?
I think in order for me to have passion for this project, I need to believe it is real. I want to have the same passion ultimately that Theo Jansen feels for his creatures. I need to love this future sculpture. This reminds me of the tale of "Pygmalion and Galatea" in the excerpt of Edith Hamilton's Greek Mythology, and in the famous work of the great Roman poet Ovid Metamorphoses. Pygmalion, a sculptor from Cyprus, made a sculpture so beautiful that he fell in love with it. Hamilton mentions

"...he labored long and devotedly on the statue and produced a most exquisite work of art. But lovely as it was he could not rest content. He kept on working at it and daily under his skillful fingers it grew more beautiful. No woman ever born, no statue ever made, could approach it. When nothing could be added to its perfections, a strange fate had befallen its creator: he had fallen in love, deeply, passionately in love, with the thing he had made. " (Hamilton 108-111)

He was so dedicated to her that he had the Goddess Venus bring it to life. I love that tale because this is the passion of an artist. Obviously I don't want to marry my artwork like Pygmalion, but I want it to be a work that I am very proud of. I want the "supreme accomplishment of art, the art of concealing art".

This gives me an idea. When I think about Chinquapin, I think of our former directors Bill and Kathy, and Bob and Maxine Moore, and now Ray Griffin. Why not have them incorporated somehow in my sculpture? Make them so real that we would think the directors that are no longer here were still here. It's just an idea, but I am open for more. :)

Summary of Pygmalion and Galatea

Hamilton, Edith. Mythology: Timeless Tales of God and Heroes. New York, New York: The New American Library of World Literature, 1953. 108-111. Print.

Picture: https://wiki.uco.edu/display/~nbednarz/Pygmalion+and+Galatea-Nicole+Bednarz

KiNeTiC sculptures

THEO JANSEN CREATES NEW CREATURES


Who said sculptures had to be stationary? Theo Jansen defeats this question by creating magnificent creatures. He has such passion for his friends. He mentions how they will evolve and keep evolving so they can live in the sand of beaches forever. His idea really brings a new meaning to sculptures. This is dedicated passion that is put in this kinetic sculpture. This gives me ideas for my senior project sculpture. I would like to have movement incorporated. I was thinking that I could even have a swinging bench or a swing where students can relax. Since this sculpture will probably be situated in the sculpture garden outside the art room, it is a wonderful place where students can relax and draw.

Video was taken from Ted website.
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/theo_jansen_creates_new_creatures.html

La escultura!!!

Well a lot of time has gone by, and I definitely have an idea of what I want to do. I was debating and debating about my decision to do a portfolio about chinquapin or a sculpture. I really wanted to raise money for the school, but I also really wanted to do something with art. I talked to one of my senior seminar instructors, Susan, and she mentioned how it seems that I am trying to mix these two ideas. So I decided to do a sculpture. In the Chinquapin campus, we have a sculpture of a yellow tree with a red student reading a book. --------->

Every time I see this sculpture, it makes me think of Chinquapin. I want to make a sculpture that will make others see it and think of Chinquapin as well. I'm thinking of having this sculpture in the sculpture garden we have at school, where ironically there are no sculptures. This is the zarasua project work in process.