The Past Comes to My Door
Some days, I just can’t believe how insanely lucky I am to be doing what I do. A few days ago I was blessed with these gifts from Germany. These are not just any gifts. If you read the Muse’s Corner article by Anke Humpert in the Winter 2015 issue of The Polymer Arts, or read the blog post about Sigrid Smolka last November, then you know some of this story.
Anke brought to our attention what must be the very first book of polymer techniques, written in 1974, and I was ever so thrilled that we were able to share Sigrid’s story. But now, I get to actually hold the book in my hands. I am so thrilled and have been just bursting with the implications of what I have so I just had to share.
Sigrid contacted me a couple of months ago and said she wanted to send me her book and a few other things. Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, I thanked her profusely and patiently waited. Poor Sigrid has been having intermittent health issues so she was not able to get them off right away and eventually employed her friend Theresa to pack the intended items up for me.
Well, not only did she send the polymer book but also her book on air dry clay techniques and three of her polymer pieces from her years creating in the medium. And … she also sent prints and cards with her more recent computer paintings. Note the print on the left has a March 2016 date. Even with her ups and downs these days, she is still creating and sharing her art. I am amazed by this woman.
Since it seems too selfish to keep these to myself, I will be bringing the book and her polymer pieces with me to Eurosynergy in Bordeaux to share. I assume many people in the community are like me and would be thrilled to see pieces of our past in person. That is also why I sent Ellen Prophater and Sue Sutherland at Creative Journeys Sigrid’s contact information, so hopefully her work can be included in their amazing retrospective collection. It just wouldn’t seem complete without this earliest pioneer included.
Inspirational Challenge of the Day: Can you recall a piece or an artist from when you started in your present medium that greatly influenced your work? Can you recall what it was about their work that inspired you so greatly? Take that inspiring element or your sense of the artist’s work and design or create a piece that pays homage or utilizes what you got from them without copying anything they did.
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Wow…how cool is this you lucky devil you…
You stated you were sending contact info to the Ladies in Georgia…What about Elise Winters to somehow get Sigrid’s Book to be included as part of the Polymer permanent collection at RAC museum?
If you decide to visit us again this year at Sandy Camp please bring these items…I would love to see them in the flesh…
That’s an idea … the touring mini-Smolka exhibit. 🙂 I did have a brief chat with syndee about coming to Sandy Camp again. So that just might happen!
How fabulous!
One of my first polymer goddesses was (and still is) Tory Hughes. I was privileged to be able to take two workshops with her here on NH early in my polymer years… back in the mid-90s. I spent many years enthralled with mokume gane. It’s still a technique I love and use in my work. Tory is an eloquent and fabulous teacher, and her work is still a major inspiration.
Tory is a talented artist and a great human being. I was supposed to go through Santa Fe next week and see her but the universe is not cooperating with my plans. Taking classes from her must have been a supercharged way to learn clay when you still felt new to it!