I wish I had more time in the day sometimes.  I can’t believe its already close to 8pm.  I’ve been running all day…. it’s all about finals and nothing you’d be excited about.

I’m eagerly anticipating my new work however and tryiing to soldify some thoughts I have about where the new stuff is going.  I’m certainly ready to focus and have these last few things tugging away at me.  I am supposed to be grading right now- but felt the urge to to you instead.

My new work seems to be heavy on the wood and less on the sugar.  Sugar however has been a huge staple in my work now for a long time.  IN my last post I ended while talking about my “ode” pieces.  This was the first time I worked with sugar.  Everyone always asks me how I fell into it.  I did exactly that….. With the “odes”  I was looking to create an effect on the body that was skin-like but also close to looking like the skin cannot contain the body.  I was trying experiments with waxs/encaustic, sands, gel mediums and nothing really had the life that I was looking for.  One day out of desperation, I searched my apartment and grabbed a few things from the kitchen- sugar being one of them and alas! the sugar process was born!!  What helped the sugar cause was that I could get large quantities cheaply and I even found that the cheaper the sugar, the better!  I like the granular quality it has while also picking up the light.  It create a beautiful luminosity that I got with no other medium. 

While creating “skins,”   I was also able to layer the sugar with coffees, teas, and rusts to create an effect that looked deep and almost stone-like.  I was thrilled.  The “Ballad” series is probably the first time I actually really honed the craft of sugar.  I have tried it in other capacities and even at one time, did a little bit with pulled sugar but pulled sugar does not maintain it’s form- a little bit of humidity and you’re done!  So the layered sugar it is……

I have to say the act of allowing myself to work with sugar did not come easy.  As you already know, the wrist injury I had certainly opened some doors.  I do have to say, the work of Anselm Kiefer also did so much for me.  Kiefer works with a ridiculous amount of materials- both traditional and non.  He is rather unapologetic about it’s application and there are even rumors of museum lackies having to re-apply the hay in many of his paintings when they arrive for an exhibition. 

Kiefer’s work has a strong presence.  I went on a trip to DC a few years ago and frankly, I ended up walking off  feeling sorry for myself.  I was disappointed in the work I was seeing that day but then went to the National Gallery.  It had been such a long time since I was there- I never recalled that it had Kiefers.  It actually had an entire room.  I think I spent an hour in this room of five substantial pieces.  It’s quite a moving experience.  He is rather spiritually motivated and that intensity is felt when in the work’s presence.  It nearly vibrates and suggests a soulful detox.  I don’t know that one could get a similiar experience with say, a Warhol.

I know that mixed media is really an accepted process anymore.  In fact, many programs push their students to be more interdisciplinary.  I didn’t come from such a mindset.  My academic pedigree is rather elitist (is that a bad word?).  Both programs I attended preferred that I stay within proper, functional ”craft.”  This “rebellion” during my thesis year in grad school was not well recieved but I am happy that I had such an awakening.  I couldn’t be happier with this openess for experimentation.  I realize that it probably has made my career harder….. academia is also about creating networks, connections.  I went outside of mine, without much support.  My reputation I have essentially built myself- I’m actually kind of proud about that- but at times, think at my age, my career should be far more established than what it is.  I’m nearing 37, folks.  It does freak me out.  

All my images today are of Kiefer….. check him out and if you can, see it all in person.