Sculptors Gallery, Richard Collins

Statue E7 – Mother and Baby, Grief

Understanding Your New Statue:

·                    When I was carving this statue, I left the baby until after I had carved the woman.  Only at the last moment did I not carve a face for the child, and left the mother’s eyes downcast.  The statue kept tipping from joy to sorrow and then back again.  It is this frission of two different interpretations that I was trying to capture.

·                    If you have been in this situation, you will remember your own feelings.  If you have not, I hope you can try to imagine the many complex feelings that run through the moment.  Try to imagine the mother with happy tears of joy in presenting her new child to the world.  Then imagine a mother’s tears and anquish on losing a child.

·                    I deliberately left the figures indistinct, so your mind can shift from one feeling to another quite different one.  The statue is a touch stone to invoke different scenes and interpretations.

·                    One aspect of the relationship between these two, is that no matter what might happen, the two are tightly bound  and cannot be separated.  They are joined in stone.

Interacting with the Statue:

·                    The statue is intended to evoke feelings and memories.  And, as own your feelings change, you should see different things in the statue.  You should see different motives, feelings and emotions.  If you are constantly finding new things in the statue, I have accomplished my goal.

·                    The statue should look different from different directions.  See how many distinct views you can discover.  Can your friends find new ones?

·                    Close your eyes and touch the stone. “Looking with your eyes closed” is one way you will get what I felt when I was carving.  It is the literal feel of the statue.  You will like the different textures of the stone.

·                    It is OK to touch it.  Over time the statue will pick up the oils from your hands and take on a patina of use that reflects how you, your family, and friends have interacted with the statue.

·                    I left the statue with scars because I think people have places in our hearts and minds where life has touched us.  Feel these many places and textures.

·                    If you can put a mirror behind it, you will be able to see more than one side at once.  The statue is very much intended to be seen from all directions at once.

·                    This is the seventh in a series of statues examining the relations between two or more people.  Each time you meditate on this statue will be different - though I expect you will have your own favorite interpretations.

The Stone, Caring for the Statue:

·                    The stone is Indiana limestone.  There are places on it where the shell shows through  This is part of owning a unique natural stone carving.

·                    The stone is fairly strong.  Part of the reason for keeping it massive is so there are no weak parts sticking out.  It is supposed to be touched by children, and to survive the various things they do to things that interest them.  So if you find magic marker or crayon on the statue, leave it.  It will be a good memory.

·                    Mostly the statue should take care of itself.  The stone will absorb stains.  You can wash it with soapy water, just be sure to rinse thoroughly.  It will absorb some of the water and look darker for a while.  After it dries it will go back to its usual color.

·                    The statue is intended to last a lifetime, and to be a part of your daily life.

Richard Collins - March 2010