Influential Intrigue

I often wonder where our creative ideas come from. Judging by what I have seen of differing processes, our ideas sometimes seem to blur together. Sometimes our best ideas may be just scratches on the surface of a grandiose creation. One of my favorite aspects of helping Jen is witnessing her intrigue and excitement when it comes to experimentation with new materials and solutions. She is constantly pushing her work forward and witnessing her ideas evolve is a spectacular process. Her work is so methodical and intricate that it is somewhat mind bending to imagine an increase of complexity, but these abilities are like parts of her tool set. I don't think you can afford to be afraid to make bad work when you're trying something new. There seems to be so much value in just the act of searching for successful approach and experimentation even without knowing why or how it may come in handy. Sooner or later it all seems to come together. I spend a lot of time thinking about how my experiences with Jen are effecting my own work. I feel like I am slowly starting to understand three dimensional forms thanks to the dissection of shapes that make up Jen's sculptures. I'm currently working with both ceramic and metal sculpture and I can sometimes see little traces of shapes and color that I must have absorbed in Jen's studio. I'm fascinated by how people share and subconsciously pick up technique and style from each other. Do people more often appreciate art that they feel emulates their own work or does the appeal come from some unclear bond that's made between a thought or feeling and reality, linked by the sight of some visual object? I wonder how these things change us. I find Jen's work inspiring and uplifting. Standing in front of one of her pieces, it's hard to concentrate on anything else but simply observing the work. There is a sense of peace and wonder about that which I hope to someday emulate in my own work. For now: trial and error!