Burlap is DONE!

What a tedious process!! I’m happy with the end result though and am ready to shellac! 

Who Knew...

...This would take so long..... progress pictures: 

Sexy, Sexy!

This weekend I’ve been slowly upholstering “Cathartic Birth” in sexy, sexy burlap. Wait… you didn’t know that burlap is sexy? Well… now you know! I’m glad I could be the one to point that out to you. Burlap covered in shellac… now that’s the ticket! I want to go to there.

I’ve completed the arms, hands, and head. Last night I started the main trunk of the figure. I’m trying to not be too anal retentive about all this. It’s my nature to want everything to be just so and in my control, but ever since I started making more frequently, I’ve been making the conscious effort to loosen up a bit. Seams are going to happen… and that’s okay. The burlap might imperfect in some areas… and that’s okay!

I have to let the process “take over,” in a sense, and embrace the output.

Burlap Attack

Tape is Done!

I recently finished up the tape job for the "Cathartic Birth" piece. All the legs, feet, crotch... DONE!! On to the burlap!! I made a tester to see how the burlap will look wrapped tightly and coated in shellac. I'm sold! Looks great and I'm ready to move forward! Tests are definitely an annoying step in this whole process.. but it has helped me gain confidence in treating the surface of this piece. I'd rather waste time on meaningless tests than screw up in a way that I can't reverse.

You should take a moment and marvel at my HUGE bolt of raw burlap. Its just so... beautiful....

Burlap/Shellac tester = SUCCESS!

Bowchica-bowow!

Labor Of

Even before having my first child this past August, I knew this would be the ultimate act of love. Filming some of my first contractions helps me to remember how much I went through to receive my little boy. “Labor Of” is a visual representation of love through sacrifice, pain and suffering.

Much like most of my previous performative pieces, a threshold is definitely met. I chose to have no sound in this video because I feel there is such power in the subtle nuances of my facial features. Looking over the footage, I noticed I would have the slightest eye twitch whenever another contraction was coming. I would see the twitch and get anxious for myself… myself from 7 months ago… knowing that a wave of pain so great was getting ready to wash over my entire body.

I now know the limits to my physical and mental strength after enduring such an intense labor.

Reading! And Baby Pictures!

Do you like how I lured you in with promises of baby pictures in the title? A small token of my appreciation for those who are reading my modest little blog.

Micromanaging my schedule has really helped me stay focused on being productive after I get home from work. I’ve decided I have to take it another step further. My schedule used to be the following:
Monday, Wednesdays, Fridays are dedicated towards reading, website revamping, and blogging.

Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays are for studio time.

Now that I’ve been doing this (tiring) schedule for a while now, I’ve come to realize that I need to designate what I DO on my Monday’s, Wednesday’s, and Fridays…. Or those days just get lost.

Wednesdays are now designated “READING” days. Once Brody goes to sleep at 7pm… I won’t watch TV or go on the computer at all. I will take a shower… grab a beer… and read… SOMETHING! This way, reading is always on the docket and is given a higher priority than it’s ever had in my life. I really do like reading, but I always think about what else I COULD be or SHOULD be doing… then my mind wanders. If I tell myself that Wednesdays are for reading… then I won’t think those thoughts because…. Wednesdays are for reading!!

Time for BABY PICTURES!! I could stare at this boy forever...