This post is my participation in Etsy's Handmade Division Team group blog. The way it works is anyone on the team who chooses to participate writes a blog entry on the topic of the month and includes links to the blogs of all of the other team members who have participated (see list of links below).
This month's topic is:
"Talk about one/some teachers/mentors/masters you'd like to study with"
The three artists that immediately come to mind are Joseph Cornell, Kiff Slemmons & Andy Goldsworthy.
Although these artists' work may seem quite unrelated at first glance they share the underlying common practice of working with the found object.
Oh Joe!
As a lifelong obsessive collector I felt an instant connection to Joseph Cornell upon discovering his work. He collected special images and objects and constructed boxes to honor and display and protect these things. He died before I was born, but if given a functional time machine and the opportunity I would love to work with him for a bit.
Kiff, my hero.
Early in my metalsmithing career I discovered the work of Kiff Slemmons and I was immediately in love. She lives here in Chicago and I still fantasize about contacting her to see if she could use a part time studio assistant to do the grunt work and bask in the glow of her amazing brilliance.
Taking a break with Andy.
If I were unexpectedly able to take a sabbatical I would love to work with the astoundingly wonderful environmental artist Andy Goldsworthy. I do love sitting at the bench and creating, but if Andy would have me I would revel in the time spent outdoors organizing leaves by color, creating spirals from found bits of nature, or making a graceful arch out of found pieces of slate.
These are the people who inspire and influence my work. To read about other team members' masters and mentors click on their blog links below:
Beth Cyr: http://bCyrJewelry.blogspot.com
Lisa Hopkins Design: http://lisahopkinsdesign.blogspot.com
Sand Fibers: http://sandfibers.blogspot.com
Purified: http://purifiedart.blogspot.com
Thomasin Durgin: http://metalriot.blogspot.com
WATTO Distinctive Metal Wear http://wattoonline.blogspot.com
