Evolution of a sketch

   Many artists never think of sketching as being slave to the books or studies. There are many treasured collections of artists' drawings (Michelangelo's -Libyan Sibyl, study for the Sistine Chapel) where today's viewer realizes while the drawing is an incredible example of beautiful drawing, for the artist it was just a sketch to determine how to treat these ideas or mental purging. They weren't stand alone projects of major importance to teach anatomy but rather prototypes to "work out the bugs" in making a superior product. Fast forward to a body of work that took me 3 years to make for an exhibition...

  So it all began with the sketch... as I would be drifting off to sleep there would be an awakening twinkle of the muse that literally filled my mind with not only an image of a face for a mask but a fictitious explanation/story for validating this particular sculpture's existence in the combination of character and story. It was fascinating and kinda weird but after trying to postpone the muse for 6-8 hours while I slept, I realized she had indignantly left and taken her ideas with her... forever!  I became the wiser and put a sketchbook beside my bed. Luckily some days later she returned as before, prompted me to awaken and so began the concepts. Over the course of about a month my muse came for regular visits, each time leaving a new gift resulting in more mask making ideas then I could carve. 

   Here are some of the pages from the idea book. Hastily sketched are the images and verbal details that later became the mask collection carved long ago. Although I didn't include the goofy stories/poetry of explanation with the artwork, the masks were danced with the persona in mind. Latter pages include notes and sketches from the way in which I wanted the dancer to move so when the model was there I could instruct her as to a base from which she could begin. Then came drawings of ways to alter the photos and finally different ways to use the gallery space for the display and opening of the show. Many pages filled but many ideas born and developed for what became a photography based collection of artwork called "Darkroom Dancing"  that displayed in 5 different engagements over the next 2 years.



Harley the heavy metal pig sketch





Harley mask birch wood















Harley mask with chains

owlman mask sketch

owlmask on dancer photo