Photo Credit:
Mel Schockner
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All rights reserved. The pictures and poetry in this sight are protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. The pictures and poetry may not be copied or reprinted for commercial gain or profit. Short quotations or occasional page copying for personal or group study is permitted and encouraged. Permission will be granted upon request. |
Unlikely Tools
A question commonly asked of me by people viewing my work is, "What
kind of tools do you use?" My answer is usually hand tools, however that is an
abbreviated answer. Some tools go on the feet. From hiking hoots to 1500 sand-
paper, there are a lot of tools that, at first glance, one wouldn't consider
tools. Most of these sculptures couldn't happen without the back muscles of good
friends, not to mention my trusty old canyon truck and the occasional rappelling
gear. There are some very unlikely tools involved in producing a sculpture, many
of which go unacknowledged.
Most of the acknowledgments and almost all the compliments and praise I've
observed are directed towards the artist, not his or her tools. Folks always
seem to credit the person behind the tools not the tools themselves. True, to
fashion old dead trees into flowing images of people, birds and animals requires
ajoint effort between tools and artist, but there is a third dynamic that needs
to be acknowledged.
It is my prayer that people would realize the artist is but a tool in the hand
of God, the supreme Artist and Creator of all things. The skills, ideas and
patience required to complete one of these works are merely gifts to be used to
His glory. Each sculpture and poem in this book is a work of grace of which I
thank my God and Lord, Jesus Christ.
