It’s blog time, ba-BAM!
It has begun, I have joined the throngs of my fellow terrans who have started a blog. I’ve been thinking about this for a while and it felt like a great time to finally bite the bullet because I’m about to embark on an art adventure and I’d love to share my thoughts about that. So this is the first of a monthly (now and then bi-weekly) blog that will be primarily about my art, frequently about my personal life, and on occasion about my dog, Remus, the extremely sweet and easily anxious four legged fur baby that dwells with us.
So here it goes, welcome to Maria’s magical blog of wonder, enter at your own risk…
“Comparison is Odious”
One of my wise siblings once told me, “Comparison is odious.” It has stuck with me as a mantra of sorts. I find it so easy to enter this downward spiral of feeling inadequate when I see the skill and accomplishments of other artists. Everyone struggles with comparison but, I believe, visual art is one of the easier places to feel lacking when you can have such striking physical evidence of someone's perceived superiority.
Obviously these feelings ebb and flow but I’ve found comparison looming it’s ugly, sneering head over the last couple of weeks. The reason for that is I’m about to head to the National Sculpture Society’s Annual Conference where I will be creating a portrait bust in 4 hours alongside other “young sculptors” (ages 18-35) in front of a live audience. I have done this once before in 2016 so you would think I’d be less nervous. Nope. Despite my increased experience as a sculptor and the fact that I know what to expect, I'm still pretty nervous.
So now I’m gonna preach this to myself and you all can listen in: “Comparison is odious!” Work your butt off trying to make that 4 hour sculpture good BUT, win or lose, freakin’ enjoy yourself and get to know and love your fellow competitors because there is such a small handful of us that have this level of passion for sculpting the human form and you want to be friends with those bad-ass nerds!
Ok, I’m done yelling common sense at myself, thanks for listening in.
Wow, for real, that totally helped! Now I have space to tell you all how freakin’ excited I am about the conference! It’s in Stockbridge MA at Daniel Chester French’s studio up in the Berkshires (he is the one who sculpted the epically huge Abe Lincoln on The Mall in DC). This will be my third time at the conference and I’m always fired up post conference to come home with oodles of inspiration. Spending time together with my fellow sculptors gives me a surge of art creating energy.
But also, please wish me luck and calm nerves. 😁
Thanks for tuning in!
With much love,
Your friendly neighborhood sculptor.