Hi ,

Val belongs to a web ring..r2001, and recently they posed a question to get artists talking and exchanging ideas, and in response, I wrote what is below. If you would like us to post your own responses to the question below, we will post responses both on our web site and the r2001 site.

Email responses to valweb@valweb.org

Why Make Art?

When I was 12 years old, kids would ask me to draw them a horse, because they couldn’t do it themselves.

They were radiant to watch it appear from their wish through my fingers.

The artist imparts something of themselves in the work created.

No longer horses for the kids in the class..but still giving to those around..only on a different scale.

I am questioning and throwing things out that are unimportant to me...

Trimming, paring, singling out and narrowing down.

One reference I use as a guide is the art experiences I have had which were  successful on a personal level,

and the scale in my head weighs things

the heavy, durable bronzes made all by myself

against more fragile, faster imagery, coming together in a blitz by many with a guiding hand..

and there is my magic..and there is no price tag on it

no marketable value

and yet it is the most valuable thing to me and to others.

Floating, nebulous, freewheeling through the days, making connections

and drawing things out

extracting from the air ideas and giving them form..

For their own sake...

For the sake of the trick..

Materialize the idea....

the process of idea to form

and development.