Life drawing, and response to Dulce]

["dondougan@zzzzzzzz" <dondougan@zzzzzzzz>]

Hi Dulce,

 A brief response as my computer time is limited here . . . 
Yes I (sometimes) use live models when working clay, but not when working stone (what slow torture for the poor model!)

The clay is however, clay.  It is not what I fashion out of stone.  To each material its due.

As you have quoted Brancusi, I will add (a paraphrase because my memory is what I am relying on) one of my favorite Brancusi quotes:  "One cannot make out of stone what one would make out of wood, and out of wood what one can make out of stone."

Each material allows a separate - yet interconnected - vocabulary for the sculptor, and each material can allow one to communicate different things.  I used to dislike clay because I felt like I had to have an idea beforehand, where with carving I could just allow my feelings to respond to the stone.  Now, I also allow my feelings to respond to the clay and its evocative gestural qualities and don't worry about it being 'finished' - it is only going to be a part of a greater (more complex) piece that I will make later. 
Good Carving and Drawing to you,
Don

Don Dougan
http://www.dondougan.homestead.com/indexdd.html