Warm Brown Gold Wing (detail)
Within everyone is the impulse toward achievement, whether to pursue a loving relationship, a deepened education, a healthy lifestyle, a professional goal, or a spiritual quest. To achieve our dream, we must commit to daily practice and keep the bar high.
In 2012, I was invited to participate in an exhibition at the London Olympiad with Art of the Olympians, a group of Olympic artist-athletes. As an Olympian myself, this invitation inspired me to explore through sculpture, ‘Olympism’ the pursuit of excellence over time, and Emerson’s idea that the dreamer already has the ability to achieve a dream.
For me, pursuing a dream or pursing excellence is like a spiritual flight. Envisioning art, I saw human forms sprouting wings. To me these are not angels, but empowered human beings poised to fly toward that quest. This is the flight of spiritual fulfillment.
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Each sculpted form is unique, but all are unified within a similar, ‘Wing’ design. Initially, I composed pen and ink line-drawings on paper, then I manipulated small, three-dimensional versions into soft wax. Later, I loosely modeled larger variations in oil-clay, with my fingers, hands and simple tools. All final sculptures were cast in bronze, with varied colored patinas.
Warm Brown Gold Wing
“The philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote that the ability to achieve a dream is inherent in the dreamer. That is, you would not dream something, if you did not have already within you, the means to achieve that dream. ”
Large Grey Blue Wing
Small Blue White Wing
Blue Sharp Geo Wing
“The waking dream, the dream vision that comes to us with our eyes open, is the affirmation within these sculptures. The artwork explores the idea that we develop our passion through thoughtful work, dogged determination and tenacity. As we listen to our deepest, inner wisdom, as we create our strategy, and persist in our practice, we can impel our dreams into action. Then, sometimes, our dreams can fly.”
Warm Brown Gold Wing
Within everyone is the impulse toward achievement, whether to pursue a personal or spiritual goal. To achieve our dream, we must commit to daily practice and keep the bar high. This earthen-colored solution is an exploration of form, that I hope becomes a reminder of the ‘waking dream’ -- that dream vision that comes to us with our eyes open. When sculpting, I enjoy allowing the tool marks and raw forms of the process to be translated to the final bronze - Rough-marks are mirrors of our own imperfection.
(approx. 16” h x 15” w x 18” d)
Large Grey Blue Wing
Perhaps, like a phoenix rising through smoke and ash, into a blue sky -- When envisioning this art, I saw human forms sprouting wings. Not angels, but empowered human beings poised to fly toward that quest of spiritual fulfillment. Pursuing a dream or pursuing excellence -- is like a spiritual flight. (approx. 18” h x 15” w x 15” d)
Small Blue White Wing
As it sprouts its wings, I hope this small, simple design evokes an idea that the ability to achieve a dream is inherent in the dreamer. That is, you would not dream something, if you did not have, already within you, the ability to achieve your dream. These symbols may remind us - ‘If you can dream it, you can do it.’ (approx. dim. 10” h x 6” w x 6” d)
Blue Sharp Geo Wing
This blue-colored bronze form could be seen as unfolding its wings in preparation -- Landing or taking off?. When we immerse ourselves into the moment, when we are fully present in our action and intention, we can fly. We may discover a gift, even in apparent misfortune. As we listen to our deepest, inner wisdom, as we create our strategy, and persist in our practice, we can impel our dreams into action. Our dreams can fly. (approx. dim. 14” h x 8” w x 8” d)