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As was mentioned last week during the recent tribulations, I spend (a lot of) time in the print graphics studio to relax, completing works bred in my mind far unrelated to actual class assignments. The method is soothing and methodological, pushing a brayer through paint is salve for practically any size disaster.

Curiously enough, my reading this semester is Irving Stone’s The Agony And The Ecstasy, a beautiful biographical novel of Michelangelo, originally recommended for my reading by Rianna. Even though the book is only 700some pages, my reading pace has plummeted this semester putting me at just two strides past halfway, a remarkably slow pace for me. But, it is no matter. The pace seems to keep stride with my creative self, a fortunate symbiosis for greater appreciation of the book and greater indulgence in this print graphics stuff.

Thus, I have steadily been doing outside reading on Michelangelo and the other master’s of his time. His Pietá is breath-taking, even from the Wiki image grab. In short, I have done expansive reading and studying on his style, enough to deserve an honorary Art & Art History Minor. The finalé for my print graphics course is our complete exhibition at our professor’s house, which happens to showcase a Carrara marble foyer and staircase - Michelangelo’s favorite material for composition.

There’s no way I could say that I sympathize with the whole mindset of the artist, but I have discovered the continual reaping of satisfaction from the work, in quite the most unique, tangible forms. When I complete a print, am pulling away that last plate and checking for slight errors or crinkles, I let out a sigh unlike any others I release during the week and my face relaxes from the inside-out. When I am pleased with my work, I present it to friends, however humbly I can, only long enough to share some joy of art with people who can understand and appreciate the process.

The American Red Cross has asked me to make a copy of my piece done last week in the wake of our tragedy; this piece would be added to their permanent collection, as I was told. I won’t analogize this being a commission like Michelangelo was ambitious for, but the encouragement to create is truly invigorating. It would actually be closer to therapy - a method of digesting the reality of events, which has been swept away in my return to courses and research.

Anyways. Sleep now, some more later.

This entry was posted on Friday, April 27th, 2007 at 12:30 am and is filed under , . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.