Over the last 2 weeks I have been working on paper mache animals and a crown entitled The Dissimilator. I was excited about the crown idea. First I made the armature out of binding wire and wrapped the base in fabric. (photo 1) Next I cut out the "pages" from a double sided paper. I painted the pages with an image, but didn't like what I had done. I repainted and reworked the idea, but still wasn't happy. (photo 2 and 3- blue spots are painter's tape temporarily holding the pages in place.) After hours on this I decided to abandon the crown all together.
That point is always a hard call. My general philosophy in the studio is to stick with something I'm struggling with. I might need to give it some space, but usually pushing thru and wrestling with the ideas and materials leads me thru the struggle to a successful piece. Paying attention to that tension is important. Every once in awhile there is that piece/idea that can't be redeemed no matter how much time or energy you give it. Success then is the recognition that it's time to move on, that what you received from your time wasn't in a neat package. Knowing the difference between the two- sticking with or moving on- is part of what goes on in the studio. "Am I connected to this piece? Is there anything that intrigues me? Do I just want to throw it out the window." Experience tells me that there is often good "stuff" in the works you want to abandon. Sometimes I am too close to see what is there until there is time away.
What I realized with this crown is that after 3, 4 then 5 days of time away, I didn't want to abandon it. I'm intrigued by the shape and desire to work at it a bit longer after a break. To be continued.
