As a kid, my favorite toys were Legos and building blocks. Endless hours spent creating fantastical structures. Love that you can go to a Lego store today and make a purchase of a container filled with your hand-picked selections….lots of colors to choose from AND you can get as many doors and windows as will fit in the container.
There are always unfinished wood blocks in my studio. From time to time I will slather them in paint as I’m working in my journal. They have become a time capsule of sorts, documenting my own growth or interests. I’ve made blocks with friends, and have taught Creative Block classes – it always amazes me how differently each artist can express themselves on the blocks. By the end of the afternoon you have not only your own cityscape but you also have a movable feast of sorts – maneuvering the blocks around can give you all kinds of ideas for composition. The blocks are also a no-strings-attached way of creating….less intimidating than a page or canvas – a small surface to try out new things. Inevitably you start to get messy hands as you turn the block to work on each side….and that’s where cool things can happen.
Here’s where I had an epiphany for using the blocks in a piece of art. The pieces turn, like a perpetual calendar made of numbered blocks. Reflecting on this I guess it’s evidence of my balanced brain – making artful blocks and then constructing the foundation of movable parts. Like I spoke about HERE, you can be inspired by an aspect of another artist’s work, but interpret that function your own way. I didn’t realize until now that Mr. Cornell probably influenced this piece.
EDIT: Found the journal page from this project. I keep what I call "Process Journals" where I scribble notes and collect evidence from a work-in-progess. I even clean my brushes off on the page so I can jot down the color titles. It’s been cool to look back at this journal – came across some ideas I wrote down that I haven’t tried out yet. Even if you don’t think you are the journaling type, wouldn’t it be great to have record of all the cool stuff you’ve made and gave away or sold over the years? Start one NOW.
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