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Sketchbook
From early childhood, I have enjoyed drawing. Art was a favorite class in elementary school, however, I have never had any formal art instruction in drawing. Regardless, I always have a continuous flow of images to draw if paper and pencil are available. When I began sketching ideas for my sculptures, I was surprised to see that I had developed a style of my own.
My sketches are interpretations of my experiences and what I've seen. Most of them just pop into my head! Some ideas come by just seeing an image in the ordinary - a grain of wood, shadow, reflection, or cloud. Other sources of ideas come from listening and playing music, childhood memories, and stories of my elders.
Many of my ideas for sculptures come from sketches. I use simple, pure lines in a unique style to tell my story. Ordinary people and events, whimsical creatures, and abstract or stylized forms are drawn as suggestions of my pueblo culture. Strong influences from other cultures are evident in some sketches because my family lived in San Francisco, California for a number of years. My early memories served as a rich base to draw from. These vivid images translate into unique stone sculpture.
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These sketches are part of the Dancing Bear theme, which includes Dancing Bear and Celestial Bear sculptures. |
This sketch became a sculpture, The Staff. |
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