Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Replies and Gratitude


Hi Everyone, just a quick update...

Thank you to everyone who wrote to me publicly and privately about my new project, my DVD production. To answer a few of the questions I've been receiving:
- Since I work alone it is very difficult for me to get photos of "the artist at work". I've managed a few shots of constructions going together as time-lapse series of images which I have then put together as a small movie. The DVD will open with one of those series, just to give the viewer the idea of how much time is involved and that yes, I really do create these things and they are not some Photoshop trick.
The one photo that I do have of me with one of my sculptures is the one I use here on this blog. It was the one shot my Dad took of me with one of my sculptures and as such, since he is gone now, is likely to be the only one I use, mostly for sentimental reasons. I feel the need to have his "energy" in this mix somehow and it feels good to me to have him here by this means.

As for the artist-at-work in general terms... I have two feelings about that. First, what I do is not about me at all... it is about Nature and beauty and inspiration. I feel very much like I am an emissary of sorts. That thru me something can happen that is magical, but it is not at all about me. So I am reluctant to show up within the lens. Secondly, I will be brutally honest - watching me work would be incredibly boring because it is such s-l-o-w work generally. Very tedious, time consuming work that would actually be rather uninteresting to watch, except possibly for the flower construction or the ice work. But then I'd be giving away some of my secrets and I very much like keeping the mystery alive! I much prefer to keep the viewer suspended in a space of wonderment and curiosity. I very much like to keep that surprise element going, the open space of "how did that happen?" is to me much more exciting and interesting than "put stick A onto stone B ". For me, one of the hardest elements to convey with my work is the magical feeling that I feel when a work is completed... that sense of wonder that I actually feel when a piece is done and I have photographed it. Then, when I stand back and look, sometimes as if it is the first time, I finally SEE what you would see were you there with me.... THAT moment of magic is why I do this work... to be astonished myself. It may be hard for my viewer to believe that this happens but it does. And when it does, I feel I've really succeeded.

- to those who have asked about the DVD production: The next step in the process is to hire and work with a professional editor to get a master made. To be honest, this requires funds I do not have, so I am currently seeking funding as well as preparing all the images and fine tuning adjustments and getting everything set up as best I can so that when I do have the funds, I will be able to give the editor very complete information on what slide should be on the screen at any given moment in the score and what kinds of transitions are to be where. I am making a very complete rough draft, so to speak and there is still much that needs to be done to get it all ready for the editor. It is very tedious, complex work to get this done ahead of time... much like making a sculpture itself! My hope is that the funds will come together right at about the time I am finished with my pre-production scripting. Then, hopefully the editing should be fairly straightforward. Once the master is made, production should be easy to manage as I've found some good places that will allow me to make copies in small batches. So progress is being made, it will just take a wee bit of time because I am on such a shoestring.

- Finally, for those who are unable to see the video which is here in this blog, here is a Youtube URL to the same clip... hopefully once you copy and paste it into your browser, you can see and hear it there! Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pjx__4DC-jE


The images there are nicer quality too, but still, it is very compressed and not quite timed the way I'd like, but it is closer!

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Welcome to the enchanted world of Environmental art and Faerie Houses sculptures created by Sally J Smith. Here you will find photos of the artist's unique art-forms and hear some of the stories from behind the scenes as she shares with you her creative process.