Thank you to the five sculptors who recently let me invade their space: Richard Elpers, Lisa Gallo, Harry Greenberg, Michael Rizza, and Dave Matthews. They are such fun group and enjoy sharing stories and advice while they work. They even wanted a group photo at the end of yesterday's session, and they called in one of their members who's currently not sculpting, Carolyn Peters, to join them. A part of sculpting stone is working with the material itself. There is only so much manipulation that can be done. Colors or imperfections within the stone may be revealed during the sculpting process that were not expected or that don't suit the ideas the artists had for a piece. Some of the sculptors work to reveal the beauty of the stone, while others try pick the stone they feel will help them best depict the image they have in their heads. Regardless of their intention, most of the artists seemed to think that you need to "feel the stone". That can mean sitting a stone in the middle of your room and looking at it - possibly for years - before making a mark on it. Some see a stone and immediately know what they want to make with it. Yet, as they work, they need to change their plans depending on what they learn or feel about the stone as they shape it. Rick has drawn a two-dimensional representation of the shape he hopes to create out of his stone. Rick says the Earth has made a sacrifice of the stone for him to use. He feels he needs to be patient and thoughtful with his work so he can honor that sacrifice. He creates a relationship with the stone and sometimes spends the beginning of a carving session "waking the stone up." Dave has a sixty pound piece of stone sitting in his living room. For now, he just looks at it. He is waiting until he understands what he should do with that particular stone. He did have a specific idea for the piece of stone he was carving when I visited. However, he had recently discovered a dirt pocket in the stone that made his original plan unworkable. He had to give up on his original idea (although he will try again with another piece of stone) and make another design that allows for the imperfections and unique characteristics of this particular stone. Different types of rock have different characteristics that the sculptors have to learn. Lisa was carving alabaster, which can get bruised. She had to spray the stone with water in order to be able to see the bruises that are not visible when the stone is dry. When I listen to these sculptors talk, I am constantly making comparisons to other forms of art-making. We all deal with the limitations of our particular medium (as well as the limitations of our own abilities to use it!). However, the relationships the sculptors have with their material - the physical and mental connections - seem somewhat unique to me.
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I'm trying to figure out where to begin...I had such a great time hanging out with the five sculptors who work in a rented space in Walnut Creek, that I'm not sure what to talk about first. I think I'll begin with the space, which is part of a nondescript industrial-type space. To enter the small studio, you pass through a room full of random deposits of tools and other objects. Once you enter the studio, you are surrounded by art works created by the sculptors as well paintings given to Rick by his friends. Michael Rizza with his work in progress of a whale's tail, which is hanging in the room outside his studio. (left) (Below) Dave Matthews and Harry Greenberg sculpt in a studio decorated with works by Rick Elpers' friends and the sculptors themselves. I was intrigued by the stands that the sculptors use. Most had similar stands, but some chose to sit while others stood to work. They look somewhat like saw horses, but are heavily reinforced - I assume to take the force of the blows used to chisel the stone. I also really noticed the dust this time. Everything is covered in it, including the sculptors. As I knelt down to get a different angle of Michael as he chiseled, I felt the little rock pieces hitting me as they flew off the larger stone. The artists don't think anything about the mess going on around them. I thought of how earlier in the week, I had been trying to frame an image for an art show. I struggled to find a dog hair-free area of my house. I then placed and removed the mat from the frame multiple times, each time removing minuscule pieces of dust, until I felt comfortable closing up the frame. I have no doubt that the sculptors are more particular when they get to the sealing or painting part of their work, but the sculpting period seems to allow for the freedom to make a mess.
Today I had the chance to meet with an interesting group of sculptors who work in stone. After hearing Michael Rizza speak at the Grand Theatre's Expressions! Selections Gallery Talk in April, I knew I wanted to include him in this project. So, I ventured outside of my normal geographic range for artists and make the drive to Walnut Creek. The perk for my travel was that I got to talk to five sculptors, not just Michael - including Dave Matthews whose assemblage work I've admired at previous Expressions! shows.
I'm not including any photos in this post because I don't have photo releases from the artists yet, but the photos will come later. Today was mostly about talking to the artists to start understanding who they are and see what I'm about. I plan to return for more info and photos soon. There are a couple things that stood out for me today. My first observation was that these artists are unique among the artists that I have worked with because they work together on an ongoing basis. I was surprised when I walked into the studio and all five of them were working in a fairly small space. They get together twice a week for several hours and have been - in various locations and with some changing people - for years. Someone observed that sculpting stone is difficult to do in a home studio because of the noise and dust, so a separate studio is almost needed for this type of work. However, I don't think that explains their working together, although it is clearly cheaper to have many people paying toward use of the space. I get the feeling that this group really likes to be together. They all seem to have a connection to Michael and have become connected to his work. Because Michael has macular degeneration and is legally blind, some of the other sculptors help him with his projects and drive him to the studio. It's a testament to Michael's personality as well as the quality of his work that people feel drawn to be a part of his circle. Another thing that stood out for me today was Dave Matthews' comment that sculpting stone is about reduction. I know very little about sculpture, so I hadn't really thought about this part of it. To make a sculpture out of clay or some other materials, you can add and subtract. With stone, you can really only take away. I remember when Cash Bryan told me that he often started a photo shoot be eliminating all light and then adding it back in. That simple observation threw me because I always felt my photos were too dark or I needed as much light as possible to get the focus right, so I would look for the most well lit area to start with. Working to "reduce" a stone to a desired shape instead of building it brings certain limitations but also maybe a clarity of focus? Food for thought for my photographic process... Several of the artists asked me to touch their work. What other type of artist does that!?! (Fabric artists, maybe?) In photography we would flip out. The tactile quality of the materials is part of the allure of working with stone though and the physicality of the work as well. The artists enjoy the physical motions of chiseling and sanding and they appreciate the feel of the stone under their hands. It's not a feeling that I really relate to with my work. Even with my paper collages, I have chosen my material (magazine pages) for its cheapness, color, and ability to tear the way I want. I got the feeling that Dave was thinking of making me try to chisel some stone next time...they just love what they are doing so much and want to share the fun! |
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April 2022
AuthorTiffanie Heben is a photographer who has been inspired by the artists in her community |