Relaxing and the Studio space! Building the Armature for bronze "Auto Pod" in China (video below)
I arrived and the studio was huge, a gigantic ware house that was used to store cars out of the bad weather. Some of the other artists were already working, but I showed up a few days late because of registration at the college. I was ready to work, six weeks is a short time to create two sculptures, so the metal armature for the clay work had to be built (it is cast into bronze later) and besides the stones had not arrived yet.
I was selected. This Symposium was an internationally juryed competition with 1060 submissions from artists from all over the world. Twenty-nine artists were selected for this years symposium, out of the 29 artists, four artists including myself were asked to create two works of art. I was the only artist from this region, the countries that participated were from Slovakia, Romania, Germany, Ukrain, Russia, Bulgaria, Netherlands, South Africa, Turkey, Canada, Zambia, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Am. Samoa, France, Qatar, Rwanda, Mexico, Armenia, Korea, Saint Lucia, Vietnam, India, Polynesia and Israel.
Changchun China International Auto Park Bronze Sculpture-Auto Pod, and my trusted Assistant(L) and Translator(R) World's Car- Red Granite Sculpture Auto Pod- Bronze Sculpture
Each artist was assigned a full time translator, who was a college student from one of the cities large universities. In addition, each sculptor was also assigned an assistant, from a university and in my case I had more because of the two sculptures I was making, the difficulty of the medium and the short period of time allowed to complete the two artworks. All materials and tools were supplied to the artists, but this did not rule out difficulties that may have arisen from differences in tools, clay (not all clays are the same), stones (not all stone is the same), it was all a challenge to the artists, translators, and assistants. With-in a short period of time there was a real spirit of teamwork and an understanding of a common goal, and the vision of the artist’s concept behind the artwork. Weather was a real factor for many of the artists who came from warmer climates, half way through the symposium the average temperature during the day was 18C (64F) and early morning 5C (40F) a shock after living on Saipan for 21 years. Safety equipment was an issue, poor quality respirators and eye protection were supplied, so I had to have Maggie, my lovely wife, mail my good ones from Saipan. The artists had a general health screen early on, and all our medical needs where taken care of. We where really taken care of very well.
You can check the earlier post to see the "Fish Fountain" being sculpted. What you see are glass pebbles epoxied to the surface and then a grout (white) in between.
Usually I work down in the studio, but that was before we built the deck, and what beautiful weather we have this time of year, sooo sculpting on the deck just makes sense. I put on some Coltrane and drug the 75 pounds of clay up from the studio and went to work. As you can see the view was awesome, the birds were chirping, sun shinning, and a wonderful cool trade wind wafted the sweat smell of the langilan tree across the deck. Below the deck is the pool and the fish is going to be a fountain covered in glass pebbles and squirting water. Maggie, my lovely better half came out and began taking a gillion pictures. I started working in the late morning and finished by 4:30. Vaughn (my son) and I went down to the park for a great run, what a wonderful day!!
Ok, so you caught me, these really don't exist as full size sculptures. Isn't Photoshop cool? I think, what if? This Island needs some outdoor sculpture. There is way too much space devoted to "War" and "Death" Memorials, how about some sculpture that celebrates "Life" and the "Present" or "Future"?
X-mas Day over at Pam and Mike's House New Years Eve on the Deck AHH...The View!!!Priceless!!! Wow, it's been a while since I last posted anything...but with good reason, I mean it's not like I've been goofing off, I have not even been getting wet and that doesn't make my dive gear very happy. The new deck was basically finished just before X-mas and we started putting it to good use. Some of the pics are of the family, minus Corrie my eldest daughter, but we call and talk with her all the time. Some of the pics are of New Years Eve on the deck with friends having a few cold ones and telling stories (and lies) but all really having a great time ringing in 2009. The Island erupted in the roar and flashed with colorful lights from the many firework set off in show. Great food, great friends, and great times!!!!
Eagle Ray above Ice Cream Cone Dive Site. Beautiful Nudibranch (Phyllidiella annulata) Soft Coral Spotted eel Fan Coral-The flash lighting the front fan brightly pops the color. Seven weeks in China had kept me out of the beautiful water here in Saipan, a place which has some of the worlds most incredible dive spots. The ocean really puts on a spectacular show when you light it up with the flash of a camera. I love the lush texture that the underwater world contains, it is just so rich...visually. There are few things that you can do that totally allow a person to move in a truly 3-D way in this wonderful world we live in. As a three Dimensional artist, experiencing movement underwater, total 3-D directional movement, really engages your senses. Bubbles fall up, your not bound to a flat plane...fish rarely swim up-side down...but you can, it's just so cool. Here are some of the photos I've taken in the last month.
Harry blowing bubble rings. Saipan's 360 Restaurant is a great place to go to see Saipan in the round.
This turtle is very comfortable with divers (as you can see).
10/03/08 Friday. Hey, who knows what will happen. I've been back 3 weeks now, having had to jump right into teaching my classes at the college the day that I arrived on Sept. 9th. I had a great flight Asiana Air all the way. The Dean of Instruction, welcomed me back and was open to the idea of a visiting Professor exchange, that's cool. I had to catch up the classes and meet the many new students who had waited for my return two weeks into the semester.
I have been Skype-ing alot with my fellow artists from Changchun, who are scattered all across the world, one session was with three of them at the same time, what a hoot. It was as if we were setting across from each other at the dinner table in China, we promised each other that we would prepare better and at least have beers in front of us next time.
I also looked forward to getting in the ocean at my favorite beach, Paupau, just for a snorkel...diving would have to wait. I managed to get a nasty bit from a four foot eel that was hiding under a long section of steel left over from the war. Unbelievable, first time back in the water and bam!! cloud of blood filled the area around my thumb and a jolting pain, anyway I must have tasted bad he spit me out. You know what I thought about? "I won't be throwing any pots until this heals" an artist without a thumb...bad thing. It didn't matter the water felt great, I finished the swim, keeping an eye out for the ever curious shark that would cruse into the lagoon around dusk. It was not until last weekend that I went scuba diving at Laulau Bay with friends Harry and his wife Kelly. (Harry blowing bubble rings under water, pic above). The movie is of a hawk's bill turtle on the first of two dives, too cool (enjoy Marko and Tamara). I hope the weather warms up a bit for you two in Belgrade, before the full onset of winter. =====================================================================================
Said Good bye to all my new friends in Changchun...But I'll be back in 2010.
9/08/08 Monday (Black Monday)
Monday started in the early morning, 0 hundred hour, you guessed it we were still partying not wanting the Symposium to come to an end. This whole time, I knew it was coming... but don’t get me wrong, I missed my family terribly, but the bonds made among these like minded people were something special. I was in my own little artist’s community and speaking the same language on a level that I don’t engage in back on Saipan…pure utopia. I knew I had to pack so the evening/morning would end soon …but not until after many toasts and hugs. A persistence of dread hung heavy as a disbelief that it was most certainly going to end, and that’s where the drinks blurred that reality. There is really no way I can express the profound sadness that I felt knowing that Monday at 10 am I would leave the hotel and all those good people, many whom I would likely never see again. There was some solace knowing that deep in my heart I knew that I would see but a few, Chun hua and Leo, HanLu, Xiao Yu, my closest friends…again.
Chunhua and Leo...the future looks bright. Cathy(Mei Qi), one of the sweetest most helpful interpreters. Sandy through the looking glass...there's snow beer like snow beer. Carvin Marvin and Sandy Our Bartender, she put up with a few of our late night parties in the lobby. One of our wonderful hotel waitresses
9/07/2008 Sunday We left the park thoroughly happy with ourselves, what an amazing afternoon, seeing the genuine interest of the people in the park toward our work. It was a high. Ryan did a wonderful photo montage on his movie site that is worth looking at. http://www.sve.tv/watchnvote-main.php Number 39 some really interesting photos.
We returned to the hotel to get ready for the Closing Dinner, There was loads of food and drink, plates stacked three high on the table and the Mayor made it around to all the tables at least once for a toast “gambae” and plenty of photos were taken. I knew that this would be tough, I was leaving in the late morning and would be saying good bye to many of my fellow artists tonight. I kidded Sandy one more time that one of the dishes was fried butterfly wings (you see he was not our most adventuress eater) he freaked after eating frog legs. His eyes got big at the thought of butterfly wings and quickly realized…I got him again. Leo and ChunHua sat at my sides during dinner and we really had some quality time. I will miss them both dearly I feel that they will make it to Saipan some day and study there…just for the experience. They are stand up people and I know that this world has hope when I meet this caliber of young people…the future looks bright.
Sadog Tasi (area), Saipan (Island), Northern Mariana Islands
I teach visual arts at Northern Marianas College on the beautiful island of Saipan , and create art works in my home studio in Sadog Tasi. I have been selected in a juried international competition to represent the Northern Mariana Islands and create four of my sculptures for the 9th, 11th and 12th annual Changchun China International Sculpture Symposium. This blog is in journal format, my observations, reflections and thoughts... most resent at the top.
