Waiting

"Waiting on the Awakening"

I am not sure if we are good at waiting. With the pandemic we are all being asked to wait. Even those who continue to work are waiting for things to get back to normal. I think the old "normal" is not ever coming back. So what we are waiting for is not clear. Perhaps it is the 'all clear' signal, telling us it is safe to venture out. Or maybe it's not having to live always staying six feet away from others.
I think we might really be waiting for something to change from inside. We now have an unspoken fear of each other. If a stranger drops something we do not rush to pick it up and hand it to them. So how do we connect? We are creatures who want to connect, to be a part of each other's lives. It seems like we are on the edge of a new way of being.

Pictured is a work I did right as the pandemic began. I cut the shapes out and then they lived in the shop for a few weeks before I began to give them individual character. Character in this case is defined by line and color. In case you cannot tell from the photo, these are individual half inch thick pieces of wood cut out, painted and remounted together on a black background, about 18 inches tall by 11 inches wide.

Waiting still,

Jeff

A Fragment of Process

"A Fragment of Process Done" 27"x16"

Shape has Power
surfaces are marred
in the process
of making.
blobs of paint,
grease, glue
and stain
tell the story
of a hundred projects 
or more.
Little stories
of moments 
left on a table top
I give it a shape
of no significance
attach flame
to symbolize
it being torn apart
Then I set it all
on a field of 
unintelligible glyph
intended to evoke
feeling rather than
understanding.


The Top Layer of
this sculpture was 
part of a work bench
that built many 
exhibits at the 
children's museum 
I work at. I drew little 
pictures into all the 
paint and glue blobs.

Two Close up shots showing some of the little drawn in
stories




Jeff Saving Stories

Pandemic - Art

So here I am with all kinds of time. Laid off, trying to collect unemployment, told to stay at home, so why thousands of people are suffering and dying all over the world I am in my garage making stuff. Feeling guilty for having no real skill to aid the situation other than the ability to stay put. They are claiming it is the best way to help but it does not feel helpful. So I will continue to cut out chunks of wood cover them with paint and hold on to creativity for those who are fighting for there lives and all the people on the front lines in hopes that someday we can all get back to our dancing, painting, writing, or whatever we/they may do.

"One Moment In the Way"
Wood an Acrylic Paint 22"x13"

The color and shape of life 
are there...
obscured by a moment
We did not want,
expect,
or plan for.

I did not realize what I was creating until this was a few steps from completion. Distressed forms blocking vibrant color symbolizing life peaking through. All on a base of illegible scrawling designed to draw out feeling rather than understanding.

Jeff Holding on 

Moment #14

Impact

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Jeff causing collisions

Emotional organism

An emotional organism is an imaginary creature created by layers of unresolved emotions that build up in most humans. These organisms or parasites make it difficult for a person to be fully engaged in living. Each layer contains emotional language waiting to be deciphered. It is not a rational language that can be read in any consistent manner. It is  a language that must be felt by each individual in their own way and time. If you say, "the symbols I see do not make sense", this means you are trying to "think" the language out  and not "fee"l it. You must first feel the language of the layer and then use thought to articulate what has been felt. 

It also must be explained there is no direction to reading layers, up or down, left or right direction is too much a part of thought. You can even start in the center and read in both directions at once, although this is highly advanced. Don't worry it may not be clear right away, it could take hours, days, years, a life time to read the emotional language of the layers.
This representation of an imaginary emotional organism is for sale for $2500.00 it is about 32"x 26" Made of wood, acrylic paint and pen.

Jeff in deep

as my soul sees me

"as my soul sees me"

Unaware that I am walking around

My soul thinks I float

unaware that I can produce sound

My soul assumes I'm mute

My soul is just aware of all the spaces with in me

and the struggles they posses

Each space holds one conflict

one dilemma, trying to work itself for me out

or one excitation, one elation 

Burning to express this myself without doubt.

This is just a fragment of the confusion

with which my soul sees me.

I may write more later and then again may not.



The above wood cut sculpture is about four feet tall by two feet wide.
For Sale - Cost $650.00
contact through www.jkcwood.com  

Jeff with his wiggly saw.

  

Moment #10

"Fiddle head Spirit"

Wall sculpture 4.5' tall

acrylic paint on plywood

Shape of things

Well it has been a while. I started out two years ago with this blog posting several times a month and now I am down to several times a year. Oh well let's see if I can pick up the pace again. Last winter I discovered the "Dada" artist Jean Arp and ever since then I have been playing with shape. I try not to think to much about shapes as I cut. I just try and let the saw go and give me some thing new. Then I do a little painting and I have my shapes. I can then work with the shapes moving them around on a blank  paper to try and create feeling or story. Every little movement of the shape changes the feeling of the over all image. I will continue to work with the shape until I find  the placement I think they need to be in permanently.  Each different arrangement I make I try to give a title to or even a story, The one below I call "Four On a Walk" These shapes have a feeling of individual character.

I will photograph many versions of these four pieces and at some point will probably secure them in place on a background. I enjoy the form not only of the shapes but the spaces created between the shapes. These abstract shapes are open to a totaly free interpretation. I find this kind of artistic play extremly freeing and relaxing. it evokes both story idea for my lyric writing, but has a musical quality; different shapes give me sound ideas. This all takes place of coarse in my head and is hard to explain in words. it has to do with letting the imagination fly and the movement of the shapes for me some how helps with the creation of this inner music, that I always hope will make it out into a performable song.

For more info on Jean Arp follow this link to his Guggenheim Page Jean Arp

Jeff moving shapes around






"Looking Four a Way Out"

Using up scrap wood

In my work I produce a lot of scrap. Odd shaped pieces of wood that are left from the many things I create. Because I spend most of my day working with shapes and fitting them together every shape speaks to me of it's potential. This makes it extremely difficult to throw anything away. So I started putting random pieces together and now I am working on the paint. Not sure what it will look like when it is done, but I will repost it.

A shape can hold a story

it will hold it

until you are ready

to see it,

hear it,

or feel it.

Jeff Shaping

Here is a link to this project further along:
http://myownartstudio.com/photo/dream-31-1-7

What's With Green?




What's With Green?

 

I take time now and then, no I steal it or scrap it together to do something I want to do. You see I see things in my head; shapes, lines, color, forms, figures, etc. and I draw them into my books. When I have a moment or feel the need I try and make some of these things real. Here is one of those shapes. The original drawing was just the shape, the color, painting and drawing was added after the shape was cut out of 1/2" wood. Now these are explorations. That's my way of saying I am not yet sure what the meaning of this work is. I just see it as play. I just keep adding what ever I feel. This peice is about 18 inches tall. Below are two close-ups.



A language I've been drawing for years.
I do not know what it means, but
 I feel what it means.










Creatures from the subconscious

 





 














Jeff making stuff

sharing an idea

A few weeks ago I got an idea. So I wrote it down in my idea book. Here is what the idea looked like in the book. This idea involved me cutting out random shapes and attaching two of the shapes together to create these free standing figures. I then was going to give them all to a painter friend to paint. In the process of getting them to the painter friend other people saw the cutouts and asked about them. This led to me making them for a variety of

Priming the figures

creative people. This will result in the making of about eight free standing figures who will be cut out given to a variety of people  to paint any way they want and then all come back together to become a single piece representing diversity.

For me this is an exercise in sharing, starting an idea and letting it go where it will. I can't wait, but will, to see them all come back together as a family of self expression. Stay tuned for pictures! 

Jeff cutting

just notion # 6

I'm not sure
but I might be living your life too
I have all these feelings about you
they make it hard to move around
these feeling are like streamers
trailing behind me
oh they are useful
they lead me back to you
but they also tangle
with all the other lives and feelings
I come across
I am not sure where
I begin or end
I carry and loose feelings
every where
I know I should be more organized
more like you
maybe I am
you
and I am watching me
thinking
he needs to be more in touch
with his feelings.

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 Wood cut is from my "swathe" collection
Jeff for now

Lines and Spaces

All winter I have been coming and going from a large furniture project that has at times overwhelmed my level of woodworking skill. This is good. It is good to be challenged. The fun part of the job has been the accent on the side panels of the furniture I am creating. I'll be sure to post pictures in the future of the finished products.

For years my thing has been to find ways to put a bit of organic-ness into every wood structure I create. Okay yes, how much more organic can you get than working in wood in the first place? What I am talking about is that I really do not enjoy straight line I prefer irregular and non symmetrical. If you look at my portfolio you'll see what I mean. I can do the square and true work and it's wonderful, but I am happiest running my jig saw through a large piece of plywood with no line to follow just popping out abstract it is extremely freeing.

This image is a sample I did of the accent that will adorn the furniture when it is complete

Now with this furniture project I am playing with line and space. the cuts add a fluid accent to an otherwise square piece of furniture. There is this feeling of movement, growth or change. There is a positive or negative to it depending on your experience and perspective. You might see growth as something pregnant or expanding, bringing new life or you may see a tumor, an invader of a destructive nature. Either way the accents on these pieces of furniture will reflect the natural world, as was my intent.

These images show a chair back and a closeup of the same back before it has been sanded and finished. The lightest wood is Ash. The mid tone is oak and the dark is Walnut.

This shows a more defined accent in the same style finished. to see more of this follow the link to my web.   http://www.jkcwood.com/Bigoak.html                        Jeff in the sawdust

What is that on the ceiling?

All right what are we looking at now?

One day I had this piece of wood left over and I started drawing lines on it. Then I took the saw and started cutting the shapes out. Once I had all the pieces cut out I drilled a few holes and doweled them together and hung it up.

Why? Sometimes I work with a material with a vision or a theme in mind, but in this case I just worked the material in hopes of being surprised. I will probably make more at some point cause I had fun doing it. Right now I keep drawing images that are moving outward, arms reaching to connect or find, seeking, probing, not sure where it’s going but I will keep playing with the idea. What I find is that each little creative endeavor like this takes me a little further along whatever path I’m on. Am I making sense? I guess all I’m saying is playing with a fragment of an idea can move you one step closer to a complete project. Too much of the time I forget to play and my thought process jumps right to trying to picture the final product. That leads to creative block most of the time. So play! It is the most productive thing you can do.

Jeff at play

Here is a link to a great article on creativity and play and overcoming creative blocks
http://anartistinbrooklyn.wordpress.com/2009/07/10/creative-blocks-and-play/