Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Inspiration: 58 days and counting



Sometimes I see images on the internet and just have to stop and be completely absorbed by their beauty. This photo of a fox frozen in ice is completely heartbreaking, but I also found it overwhelmingly beautiful. You can read the full article HERE

Monday, February 3, 2014

Symbolism: 59 days and counting

I use a lot of symbolism in my work. I used to labor over my symbolism dictionaries, trying to decide what animals worked best in which pieces. And then one day I just starting trusting myself. I took the images that I was envisioning and just made them. Usually when I looked up the symbolism later, the animal I had chosen made perfect sense with the emotion or idea I was trying to convey. Here are the animals I am working with at the moment...

Bear: bravery; strength; self-restraint; cruelty; evil influence; a problem of difficulty; obstacle; violence; solitary life; martyrdom; stubbornness; melancholy; the dangerous aspect of the unconscious

Bird: the soul; the spirit; time; creation; aspiration; love; freedom

Deer: timidity; gentleness; the soul; searching after the truth;

Fawn: innocence; defenselessness

Rabbit: skepticism; suspicion; watchfulness; humbleness; a victim; resourcefulness; hope

Wolf: hunger; hypocrisy; lust; cruelty; fraud; deceit; war; cunning; ferocity; corruption; darkness; greed




Sunday, February 2, 2014

Bear...: 60 days and counting



Well it's begun, again.  I started this piece in 2012 originally, but it didn't feel right so I let it dry out and tore it all down. The image is of a bear tearing out its own heart. The title, Coup de grĂ¢ce, means "blow of mercy", or the death blow to end the suffering of a severely wounded person or animal.

 I've started again, first with the above sketch, which is slightly altered in expression from the original one. I took the hand not holding the heart and rather than have it out in space, I made it touching the spot that the heart was just pulled from. It seems more fitting.


 Next I started a small scale clay maquette that I will likely take to completion. It has already helped me work out some proportion issues, which is nice. But in true Darla fashion, I've jumped the gun and have already started the big piece, as you can see in the photo below. I am three five gallon buckets of clay in and will need to recycle clay faster than I have been. I hope to finish this by the end of the month. Its really important to me that this piece be in this show. Its the epitome of everything I am feeling lately...about everything. So I need to get it out...