Sculpting

Working creatively with one's hands, producing something real, physical, holdable, is a joy that I am discovering rather late in my life...hence fruits of such labor, more sweet. It also has me in deep awe, appreciation of the labourer, skilled worker, crafts person - an appreciation I missed out in my previous avatar as a computer junkie.

I remember the first time I was conscious of this desire-to sculpt- more than fifteen years ago. To knock out shapes, forms, of curves and lines, chipping away bit-by-bit with a chisel and a hammer, having a block turn into a form, expression, of my inside, on a rock, wood, substance-anything hammerable. I was sure that kneading, working with soft, mushy clay was not my style; I was not going to pursuade matter into form, poetry of expression; I wished for the hard hitting prying out of a soul that would otherwise not be released.

Today my son's insistence "Do what your heart desires" had me pull out this block of wood that I had been saving, bring out my saw, hammer, chisels, polishing rock...joy-o-joy I was about to begin.

I was almost defeated at the very first step of saw-ing out a block of required size-it was the first time I was holding a saw, let alone attempting to seriously use it. It was hard work, my wrist, and upper arm hurt-I couldn't believe that what I was used to seeing carpenters doing with ease was this very difficult for me. I resorted to a combination of using saw and chisel to cut through the block-finally-all of 4x4x12 inches-a midget for the grandeur of my imagination! Yet, Rome was not built in a day, and I reigned in my wild enthusiasm...ready to proceed.

Now, I felt, I was ready for the fun part...get a shape out-I chose on a fairly basic shape-a woman's head and started...within minutes I had already learnt more than I ever would have by reading a book! First, keep that damn chisel away from vital body parts!! Second, a wandering mind, does not a happy sculptor make-a couple of whacks on my own hand very quickly got my attention focussed! Then slowly I discovered technical aspects, wood will cut lengthwise or rather along grain lines-this is something that I ought to have remembered-Griffith crack propagation, works here as elsewhere, effectively, beautifully. I discovered ways of getting clean lines-at least, cleaner than before lines...avoid raggedy edges.

I have spent all my free time working happily on this bock of wood. At the end of the day, I am filled with joy, glee-I have the beginnings of a face-and as I happily boasted to my indulgent husband- there is no reason that my first work should not be - a work of art! That said, nursing my truly sore hand and shoulder, I am ready for bed.