How I Make a Dolphin.

      When I wrote this title at first it said "How to Make  a Dolphin " then I realized that was wrong.  I'm very literal minded evidently.  There are a million ways to do something , especially in Art+Craft.  This is the way I do it , because it's obvious to me that's how I should do it.  To me , that's the definition of Art,  when you make something you see in your mind to your own specifications, regardless of what someone else might think. That doesn't  necessarily make it good art  but art definitely.  Where it melds into the area of Craft is that it might be considered beautiful.  And useful. Of course, my work could only be useful in self-defense and only if you have really good aim.  But I do hope my things are beautiful , all I've ever wanted to do is beautify the world and make people happy with my work.  Depending on your own ambitions that might seem to be a very lofty or sadly small goal. I just know it's my goal.  In reference to the defintion of Art , I'm sure that people have died in arguments about it.  There are many , many differing and valid opinions on art.  And despite my afore-mentioned art history degree or maybe because of it , that's really not my area, .. original slacker remember...and it gives me a headache.

      By the way, there may not be a lot of words used to describe How-to's but a picture does say a thousand words , after all.  And the long and short of it is , I move the clay around until it does what I want it to do. So, pictures are probably more explanatory than that, right?  Well, I hope so anyway.

liz

Cave Paintings and Tiny Clay Horses

        So, one question I've been asked many times by my adoring fans ( kidding ! ) is WHY do you do what you do? Which is a complicated question for most people probably.  In my case, it's sort of simple but random.  In college I had to take several studio classes for my Art History degree at VCU and I thought a clay sculpture class would be fun and possibly very easy.  It wasn't easy at all but the moment I touched the clay I literally thought to myself wow I could do this for the rest of my life and never get bored.  I had never , ever in my life thought that about anything and I certainly didn't think that about Art History. I was just trying to finish with a degree in something I enjoyed not necessarily thinking about a career.  This was due to my being an original Slacker, before it was popular although it sadly never caught on as far as my parents were concerned. 

         Anyway, there I was in class thinking hey , this is neat ! At that same time I was minoring in prehistoric art.  The concept that people have always made representations of the natural world and specifically animals around them just fascinated me.  Prehistoric people used art as sympathetic magic for hunting , power and possibly just simple pleasure, who knows.  But really all cultures from all times did it one way or another.  It's a human thing.  And I basically like being one more person making animal art in a chain that will go on as long as people do.  And the best part is I actually was able to use my degree in my work, after all. My parents would be so happy.

    Liz