Wednesday, September 14, 2016

Being an Artist

Last night I took a clay class. We made clay heads. 



Image result for clay heads sculptures


It was taught by an artist friend who juggles about six
part-time teaching jobs and Saturday night gig in a classy Seafood Restaurant.

When they talk about starving artists, it is with smugness sometimes, so my friend the artist, is a testament to what artists have to do when passions run deep and pockets are on empty. But art is like that. I especially like this artist because she is always cheerful, inspiring, helpful, and works with very young children to adults, so again, she doesn't fit the stereo-type of being an artist who is brooding or inflexible.

Last year, she volunteered for a local Puppet Theatre and because I adore paper mache she let me tag along to the puppet studios. Their studios were in an old car repair shop. It was winter, so the driveway was solid ice, and the flat roof was dripping with cold water melting from the sun. They only had space heaters and we did all of our work wearing heavy clothes, hats and warmed our hands with space heaters. The space had been transformed into a magical place where formerly used puppets lined the walls and a small rehearsal stage was set up for volunteer actors to practice with their puppets with sticks to give their arms and legs life-like expressions. They were running behind schedule and they needed a fairy puppet ASAP. I offered to make a three foot head and torso for the fairy and my friend and I collaborated on the fairy wings and headdress adding fabric, feathers and bright paints. I asked her if she was going to make more puppets this year and she said she didn't know.

Surprisingly, I didn't know how much I enjoyed it until last night. I hope she remembers me for the next play they put on.  If not, perhaps I will make a cool puppet on my own this winter.

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#making art   #art puppets   #how to make puppets   # artist collaboration  #fight winter blahs

#construction         #theater   #paper mache

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