Last week I photographed several artists at work creating sculptures at Franconia Sculpture Park. I had no idea what to expect, except that the sculptors would be working outdoors. Since I had never visited Franconia and sculptures were not my favorite form of art I was in for a mind-stretching experience and a day of discovery.
A Day of Discovery at Franconia Sculpture Park
I expected metal cutting, welding, and other large projects but my imagination could not have matched what I saw. My favorite sculpture in the large expansive fields was a vertical cube frame with sheer cobalt blue fabric hung from two sides. As the fabric blew in the wind it looked like a graceful dance of art and nature, always shifting and changing slightly, open to interpretation.
I’ve never been a big fan of abstract sculpture. But being here, seeing the absolutely unique and unexpectedly creative sculptures I discovered that I DO like abstract sculpture after all, especially when it is presented in an open field with plenty of space around each sculpture. The expansiveness of the landscape became a part of the beauty of each sculpture.
Also, the diversity, creativity and imagination that the sculptures represent inspire me!
“Pure creativity is magnificent expressly because it is the opposite of everything else in life that’s essential or inescapable (food, shelter, medicine, rule of law, social order, community and familial responsibility, sickness, loss, death, taxes, etc.). Pure creativity is something better than a necessity; it’s a gift. It’s the frosting. Our creativity is a wild and unexpected bonus from the universe.”
― Elizabeth Gilbert, Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear
The sculpture shown at the top of this post felt such a natural part of the landscape to me. It’s form looked like something nature might have carved, silhouetted against the sky.
Here is my favorite sculpture, the cobalt blue fabric hanging from a tall frame, drifting in the breeze.
Here is another sculpture that I loved. I got down low with my camera so that I could photograph the metal animal figures against the sky. Aren’t they fascinating?
A mom with 2 kids enjoyed the cobalt blue sculpture here:
Meet the artists
I met artists who also stretched my ideas about art and sculpture. Each artist was creating something totally unique and different than anything I had seen before. It was not at all what I expected
The first artist, an intern from North Carolina, was creating large concrete shapes with tall metal shapes at the top. It was the first time she had worked with concrete and she had to learn about how to achieve her desired forms, deal with unexpected setbacks, and complete her work in the 1 1/2 week she had left at Franconia. She explained that she had first created the design on paper and then created a model before starting her actual work on the sculptures. At the center of each form metal provided strength. She used cardboard taped to the outside of the sculpture to help her create the shape she desired with the concrete. The creative process was very much a process of trial and error with improvisation and adaptation as needed.
The second artist was creating a wood tower that would eventually have a door and spiral staircase people could climb up to an observation deck at the top. In the photograph below the round wood structure in the center back is planned to be the bottom of the tower. The structure in the far right back the top of the tower, and the structure in the front right is the roof frame. The roof frame will be covered with metal roofing material.
The final artist I photographed at Franconia was working on a sculpture that included performance art as a part of her planned project. For our photo session she included a portion of the performance art for me to see. Her final performance will include her family and a ceremony that sounds beautiful and soulful.
Here you can see her putting on her beautiful red sari before donning her hat and beginning to dig holes for her project. She was digging 6 big holes into which 6 tall wooden poles will be placed. Her spot is hidden away in an isolated corner of the Franconia property and was a perfect spot for what I envision it will eventually look like.
Unfraid!
Three unique artists with vastly different projects. What they all seemed to have in common was their courage and individuality. It shone through in their work.
I loved meeting these artists and seeing their unique expressions of creativity, unafraid of failure, bravely following their inner vision to create what each was drawn to create.
“I don’t want to be afraid of bright colors, or new sounds, or big love, or risky decisions, or strange experiences, or weird endeavors, or sudden changes, or even failure.”
― Elizabeth Gilbert, Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear
It was a mind-expanding day for me. It made me consider the question, “What is art?” and answer it in a new way. I highly recommend moving outside your comfort zone as a way of enlivening and deepening your art.
Franconia Sculpture Park is a gem of a place to spark new ideas for anyone. It’s located less than an hour from the Twin Cities and is surrounded by beautiful countryside and is close to the beautiful St. Croix River.
What have you done recently that is outside of your comfort zone? What would you create if you were absolutely unafraid of failing?
May you walk in beauty
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