A Reluctant Becoming

Some pieces arrive almost fully formed. Others linger in the tangle, the searching, and the slow work of finding their way.

Some pieces arrive almost fully formed. The objects seem to recognize one another, the composition settles quickly, and the work feels as though it was simply waiting to be uncovered. Others must be wrestled into existence. Many decisions feel uncertain, every solution creates another problem, and the distance between the original idea and the object on the table seems to grow rather than shrink.

I have one of those pieces in my studio now. I keep finding other things to do instead of finishing it. The avoidance is not because I do not know that it needs more work. It is because I suspect that even when it is complete, it may not become one of the pieces I feel most proud of.

Some pieces teach me patience, some pieces teach problem-solving or endurance. Some arrive as gifts, others as lessons. Both have a place in the work and life of an artist.