sculpture

gods and monsters and little clay pots with feet

In 2022, I visited the Museo Nacional de Antropología in Mexico City. While there, I was struck by the ancient Aztec & Mayan sculptures: all the gods and monsters and little clay pots with feet.

I was in awe of how advanced those civilizations were at their moment in history, and how little credit we give them today. And I was inspired to try it myself.

I made my own monster and little clay pot with feet, and then decided to focus on abstract pieces, which allowed me to try new techniques without getting hung up on whether it looked like a thing other people could recognize.

Letting go

Letting go of my perfectionistic tendencies was incredibly freeing, and being able to think with my hands and get an immediate and tactile response from the clay was a welcome experience after spending most of my days staring at screens and waiting for feedback. I also found a great deal of satisfaction (and maybe a little carpel tunnel syndrome) from carving the clay once it dried.

hidden passageways and mysterious beasts

When I began photographing the sculptures in a black box setup I gained a new appreciation for my lopsided babies: finding hidden passageways and mysterious beasts with just a little light, some interesting angles, and a bit of reflection.

GETTING SMARTER

Another thing happened after I started this experiment. I got smarter. Well… it’s probably more accurate to say my brain rested from the tasks that burned me out, and my creative juices began to flow again, which enabled me to show up better for my other commitments. But I did, in fact, learn something new. And that’s something that really excites me, even outside of covid times.

I remain in awe of all those ancient cultures who sculpted before me, without the convenience of ordering the tools from Amazon.