After I finished with my three year weaving course and was faced with going back out into the real world and finding a job, I did what any serious student would, and signed up for another year at the craft college to take second year clay. My first year of clay being taken while I was doing my second year of weaving. And I still managed to pull off A's. But enough gloating. Let me tell you about Rick. There were four people in my class. Stan, Rick, Nila, and me. One of the units that we did was a sculpture unit and one of the sculptures that we had to do was a bust of our partner. Another thing that we had to do was an "apprenticeship" with the studio head, Karen. The class was split in two, and Nila and Stan went off with Karen, while Rick and I stayed with Peter to do the sculpture. I remember hoping that I would get paired with Rick. Not that there was anything wrong with my other two classmates, but Rick's face was so interesting. And he had long hair and a long beard. We started with drawings of a skull. 3 hours I sat in that room with Lucy's head. Then muscle drawings out of medical text books. When it was finally time to hit the clay (so to speak) We started with a wood armature covered in newspaper onto which we built a skull. Peter had us measure with calipers all over each others skulls. I had no problem approaching Rick with my calipers wide, but poor Rick, a Seventh Day Adventist, never approached me once. Even when I suggested it. He wouldn't even have to touch me. The calipers would! But no way, no how. In any case, after we had our skull, we popped in the eyes and put on the muscles, in layers, in the right order. Then a thin layer of skin and the hair. I am rather pleased with the results. This actually looked like Rick too. My mother had a ceramic shop and one day Rick walked in looking for some glaze and Mom recognized him! She did a double take and said "I know you! Your in my bedroom!" She had been storing the sculpture in her room while I was renegotiating living arrangements. Rick blushed!
Sadly Rick died of cancer a few years ago, as did Nila. Both left behind young kids. If you still smoke, quit now. Your kids will thank you.
On a prettier note, my flowers are blooming. Up first are my Flirty Ruffles. I love irises.
My peony is ready to burst forth in big pink blooms. My bush is covered in them. Maybe today!
More irises.
Warp progress... It is wound on the back beam ready to thread. Which I will start as soon as I get back from the optometrist. And finish the dishes. And laundry. And get the girl down for a nap. I'm sure that I will get to work on it sometime today. Maybe after doing groceries tonight.
5 comments:
Nice sculpture! Did Rick, a Seventh Day Adventist, smoke?
I love irises too. They come in so many unusual varieties these days. Mine are all done blooming and will need separating in the fall.
Wow, Jackie, you are one very talented lady. I'm glad your primary interest is weaving.
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now I am crying. No joke. it is Rick day. Sweeping the floor in the living room by the chest of doom (dun dun dun....), I found a picture of him holding a newborn m-boy.Rick stayed with us often when he hitched into town for church.
I would give my right arm to see the look on his face when yer mom said that!!!! Nila too. every time I find oregano in my yard i think of her. She didn't actually have cancer, she had a massive coronary. again with the smoking. 42 years old, dead on the floor. Three kids. two in elementary, one grown.
she grew the biggest damned turkeys I have ever seen in my life. had to saw one in half to fit in my full sized oven. good though, tres yummy. Sigh. gots ta make a pot to honour em.and then make a curry to celebrate. Are Ya in????
Val.
yes rick smoked. he was a recovering alcoholic, and born again. He was a very kind and giving man. Funny as hell, and he was a fantastic potter. He would spend days and weeks testing glazes. He was your typical "mad scientist" secret lab in remote place (read= messy studio in the woods of NB ;-)) and I do mean In the woods....the back ones!!!
That bust is fantastic! I can't imagine being able to do anything like that.
Your Baby in a Bucket is an amazing creation too ;-)
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