A Sculpture Reader

Everyone’s talking about the crisis in modern visual arts, but I believe that their fears are greatly exaggerated. Sure, many artists seem to exploit old ideas. Sure, many artists have gotten caught up in developing their art form for its own sake. However, each artist is part of a society that’s been influenced by so many people that have been part of it. Naturally, the art that is produced in a particular society will have at least some components that have been borrowed from the previous generations.

Oddly enough, right now I find the most interesting ideas in sculpture. Take, for example, Regina Frank. It’s difficult to call her work “sculpture” in its purest sense. There are also elements of installation and performance. As far as composition, her art can be compared to classic Greek sculpture. You can see it in the graceful lines and the elegant gestures. Also, there is Magdalena Jetelova. Her works are saturated with drama and conflict. At the same time, they are succinct, containing paradoxical philosophical ideas.

There is a type of sculpture that I don’t get at all. It has several distinct characteristics. One common feature is a heap of misshapen objects, whose collective form is reminiscent of an enlarged pile of dog poop. Another one involves carelessly scrambled human and/or animal body parts – this is probably supposed to make you think of the inevitable things in life, or something. Also, often featured in this type of sculpture are metallic pieces, which are slightly rusted, as if they’ve been exposed to the weather.

To end on a positive note – I also love Christo and Jeanne-Claude!

Sculpting Challenges

When I was a teenage art school student, we had some opportunities to visit the studios of our teachers. One day, my friend and I came to our sculpture teacher’s studio. His exhibition had just finished, and some of the unsold pieces were returned to him.

Something that made a strong impression that time was the figure of a woman with her nose broken off (and, strangely, her breast). Being quite young, my friend and I thought that this was the artist’s concept. That he was trying to make something reminiscent of Venus de Milo, except that he’d chosen to re-imagine her as having survived a trip in a crowded Soviet bus.

However, our teacher stopped smoking his pipe for a second to look at us and say “Remember, children – always make sure you create a carcass for your sculpture.”

I bend wires to make carcasses for my new creations. My new series is called Opposites Attract. I am going to exhibit it on The Beach Studio Tour - Friday October 15th; Saturday October 16th; Sunday October 17th.

Some wonderful weather

This weekend surprised us with some wonderful weather. The rain was unusually polite and decent this time. Although the forecast made it seem like it would rain a lot, it only happened a little bit Saturday night, and wouldn’t bother us otherwise.

We knew that we needed to make the most out of the end of summer, and so we decided to go hiking in an out-of-town park. While we were "deep in the forest", my cell phone rang, and it turned out that somebody (from a gallery that is now exhibiting my work) needed photos of my art immediately. That's the magic of modern technology!

I find that fall enters our minds and souls sooner than it actually shows up in nature. Maybe spring starts sooner in Italy, but at least we have more of a chance to have a white Christmas.

I always prefer that fall appears gradually. At first, the chilly nights. Then the sweaters return to your everyday wardrobe. After that, you realize that sandals no longer have a place on your feet. Hot coffee in your travel mug in the morning. The windbreaker. Warm boots. Scarves.

Hello, winter!  

The end of the Summer

Last night, my daughter had a dinner party. At first, her plan was to cook dinner for just one girl, who is leaving to study in Ottawa soon. After that, my daughter's boyfriend signed on to help her make the dinner. (A very commendable initiative.) Then another friend joined; a guy who lives nearby. He offered to amuse them with his guitar playing while they were cooking. Finally, another girl called, saying she had some free time, and she joined the company.

It seems to me like the party was a success. All the dishes remained in one piece, and only one piece of chocolate cake got smeared on the couch.

My husband and I also had a wonderful time that day. We had dinner at our favourite Greek restaurant, and then we hung out at the Apple store. Then we went to HMV and bought two seasons of Agata Christie "Marple". After that we had a little walk. I'm just sad that summer is winding down, and it gets dark sooner.

Birds flew away

This summer, my three birds flew away from Canada to other lands. Since they've been sold by Toronto galleries, I haven't had an opportunity to have a chat with the customers. I just know what countries they are from - Britain, Japan, and the US. It's amazing that my works could find their way to the hearts of the people from such different cultural traditions. That's what I love about art! You can use it to communicate with images instead of words.

La Sonnambula

Although I’m not exactly the most adept at singing, I loved this version of La Sonnambula so much that I can’t help constantly humming my favourite parts these days.

I never put anything on as background music while I’m painting. I take both these things too seriously to not devote them full attention. I always listen to complete operas, because I don’t want to lose the rhythm that was thought out by the composer as the basis for the work.

I can’t really picture pausing the singing Bartoli or Callas because the phone is ringing. It’s hard to imagine them, frozen in the moment with their mouth open wide.

Anyway, these days I can’t really listen to operas anyway. There is some construction going on in our apartment building. The most intense activity is taking place on the wall right outside my window. The suspended crate with two guys in it is constantly drifting up and down, scaring the cat, and forcing me to make sure I’m always ready to draw the curtains or hide. I already had a close call, when I was nearly caught in the midst of changing, and I wouldn’t want that to happen again.

These past two weeks were spent to the soundtrack of drilling and hammering. Around 8:30 am the lads are good and ready, cursing and swearing as they get ready for work. Only one of them (the most intimidating-looking one, actually) never swears – I’m guessing he’s trying to develop his charm and charisma. Just once I heard him say to his colleague, “You can be pretty nasty in the morning.” I agree with him completely.

I have to admit the construction workers appear to have some tender feelings just like the rest of us. One time, when the rain started coming down, I heard one of them say “My cats really hate storms. They must be hiding under the bed by now.”

My heart goes out to the frightened cats, who had no one around to comfort them.

Still, it’s pretty difficult working in this environment. I just can’t concentrate.

Gifts for an artist

An artist paints for an audience. Sometimes, it might be an unexpected audience. An audience that you don’t expect would be particularly interested, let alone would praise your work. On the last day of the spring exhibition this year, about half an hour before closing, there appeared two young men. They were about fifteen or sixteen, and they were the typical image of very fashionable, very young people. Complex, asymmetrical haircuts. Bangs that covered their eyes. Extremely tight pants, and elements of bohemian carelessness in the rest of their look.

I’m not sure what fortune brought them so close to the little houses I’ve painted. I can more or less see them at a minimalistic exhibition, with white walls and teeth of animals that died in fires scattered about. (I’ve just come up with that concept off the top of my head. I find it quite dramatic.)

The two guys spent quite some time examining my paintings. They even had a discussion about them! These are the kinds of phrases I’ve heard.
“See, over here, she takes a lot of yellow, and puts a purple line next to it, so it stands out.”
“The atmosphere – I like the atmosphere.”

I was worried about scaring those two art-loving butterflies away. I really regret that I didn’t end up speaking to them.

When they were leaving, one of them said, “You’re very cool”. The other one just nodded.

That exhibition was very successful for me. I’d sold several paintings. However, the most priceless aspect of that experience for me was finding the strongest motivation that an artist can have – knowing that I have an audience.

Birds in the Interior

From the time I first began working on my bird sculptures, I also started looking for bird themes in photos of interior designs. I became inspired by the images of the traditional wooden sculptures from Provence. They are the ones that fit quite naturally in the midst of any style or theme. Their serene demeanour creates a hint of calm and stability, in the world where the only constant is the endless change.

A good friend of mine was upset that she only brought one of those birds from France, and she just about made me create something similar. At that time, I hadn’t yet thought about making sculptures that much, and I certainly had no idea that the process would absorb me so greatly.

After some intense Internet surfing and library research, I found some photos that corresponded to my ideas about sculptures in the interior. However, I’d really like it if my birds didn’t just replicate these typical, cozy image; I’d prefer if they turned out more like my paintings – bright, full of life, energetic, and, at the same time, unpredictable.

Secrets revealed

Last Saturday was the opening of the seventh summer exhibition at the Arta Gallery. My paintings and sculptures have been shown at all seven exhibitions. I consider that a bit of a success.

Colleagues and art lovers often ask me about some of the techniques I use in my work. I have to say, using one technique or the other depends on the objectives I set for a particular painting.

Here are some of the things I do when I’m trying to achieve clear, vibrant colours.

Sculpting with color

A year ago, I started working with clay. I even took a few classes. However, I didn’t take it at all seriously. I just felt like sculpting something.

Sculpting with clay, I find, is highly absorbing. As soon as you realize that there are no limits to what your hands can create, you get sucked in. My paintings would be left alone, awaiting my return, while I would delight in working on three-dimensional creations. The things I’ve finished so far can be found at the Distillery District right now – the rest, including the doll, will be seen during the tour.

I know exactly where my yearning for sculpting comes from. As a child, I’d seen Degas’s “Little Dancer” in Moscow. Later on, they brought that piece to Toronto, along with his other sculptures. (Actually, some of them were molded from their wax forms after the artist’s death. Since he didn’t consent to it, did they really have the right to do that? That’s a bit of an ethical nuance.) Also, I couldn’t avoid admiring the sculptures of Anish Kapoor. That was love at first sight. His works are like breath – there are no bends or excesses. I’m especially mesmerized by his use of this primal red colour.