Three sculptures. A trinity. Complete.

How do I know when a series is complete? What about all the pages full of sketches with multiple other sculptures in this series that haven’t been created? While I honestly didn’t know when I embarked on this series just how many sculptures would happen – I knew it would be at least three but thought it would most likely be five. My first reliquary series had five sculptures – enough to feel like a forest when installed in a museum gallery or a corporate lobby. I thought five might be necessary to feel like a “garden” for the “I Never Promised You a Rose Garden” series. But three is – well – perfect (for multiple reasons).

The unexplored sketches might morph into the next series or they may lie forever dormant. The pages (and pages) of sketches for this series in my sketchbook are part of the process. I have my ideas – the logs have their own. We work together; compromise and surprise each other. Each unexplored sketch is part of the journey and gets me to the final sculptures.

Part of the story behind this series was shared on stage during my TEDx talk. I plan to share more. Stay tuned...

(photo by John Zumpano)