[fox]

Hello to everybody!
I'm in this forum for some time now, it's time to introduce myself.
Originally from Germany, I'm living in Greece many years now, on a huge island.
One of the reasons to choose this place, was for me that I know that here is
living a sculpturer who tried to set up a school for microsculptures.
So now I'm in the happy position to be a pupil of this very very small school for 2 years now. (I hope there will be
more and more interest of other people to join us in the future). First we did some work in a very soft
stone from Crete, the Alphamilopotamou of Crete (don't ask me what kind of stone it is exactly, I think
something like sandstone). For the last year we are trying to sculpture bone and I like the shining of it when it is
polished and the very soft touch of it. Now we are starting to try on some hard stones, with water dropping all
the time and this seems the most difficult for me. I'm working only few hours a week, since there is not much
time left. We are working with a Dremel.
For me the biggest challenge of all is to work in three dimensions, since I never was very good in drawing and
til then, I was doing mostly mosaics and stained glass objects. Also, until now, I mostly copy some sculptures
I like, to learn to manage this three dimensions!
I'm very very happy to have found this forum and all the amazing work you do!!! Thank you all very much for the
inspiration you give to me!
Dorothea

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[Janel]

Welcome Dorothea!

Thank you for introducing yourself and explaining about the school that you have been attending for learning about small sculpture work. This sounds very interesting!

Thank you also for posting photos, though they could be larger than the ones you posted.

What will you do once the school time has been completed?

Janel

[fox]

Janel, thank you for your Welcome!
I tried to make the photos bigger, but of the first I have to take again a photo and then I will repost it.
What I will do, when this school is finished, is a big question. I don't think that there would be a market
for these kind of art, here in Greece, because there are too many copies of ancient greek art pieces, sold to tourists
at low prices and I think that greek people are saturated seeing sculptures all their life long.
But, time will show...
For now, I just enjoy carving!
Dorothea

[Janel]

Hello Dorothea,

Do you like to draw? Looking at, "seeing", and then drawing what is characteristic of what you see, helps to train the eye and hands, and places what it is into your mind and creative imagination. Such exercise might help you to imagine unique work that is not copies of ancient Greek art pieces. Look at the carvings and the sculptures from the hands of others and see what else there is being done as well as what has been done. You may begin to find a way to express yourself without using the exact expressions and techniques of the ancient Greek art that you have first learned. Anything is possible. If you put some imagination and effort into it you will learn and grow. You have already begun by recognizing what you may not want to do, so now you will open your eyes to your own world and see what is there for you to begin carving in your own way. The journey begins!

Janel

[fox]

Hello Janel!
Thanks for your good advices!
Yes, I like drawing, although I'm not very gifted in this skill. I'm looking at the overall impression
of something, often missing the detail. But, this is another thing I want to train myself in future.
I agree with you, that my aim is to do my own creations and to form my ideas with my hands...
Have a nice weekend,
Dorothea

[Don Barnhill]

Dorothea,

Welcome to the Carving Path. You can learn much here. There are many helpful people and a lot of experience. Hope to see more of your work. Thanks for posting the photo's.

[sergio]

Hi Dorotea, welcome to the Carving Path. I'm happy to see here a greek. In France we use to say that carving is: "drawing, drawing and drawing". After that's just work and fun. Look all the work for all the carvers of TCP, there is beginners and masters, and all this little world is a beautifull school. Thanks for the photos.

[fox]

Yes, I'm really happy that this forum exists. Already I'm learning a lot from your suggestions and your work,
perhaps more than in our school... Also it is faszinating to see that this technique is alive, all aroung the world.

My teacher, too, tells us that 80% of the carving is drawing, so he might be right?
So thank you all for your welcome and that we are joining the same passion!
Have a nice day,

Dorothea

[Phil White]

Welcome, Dorothea

Good to see you here. I like your sculpture of the tree of knowledge. What is the material?

Phil

[fox]

Phil White, on Aug 4 2009, 11:38 PM, said:

Welcome, Dorothea

Good to see you here. I like your sculpture of the tree of knowledge. What is the material?

Phil

Hello, Phil, this stone is called (my teacher says) Alphamilopotamou from the greek island of Creta. I don't
know much about stones but I think it is a kind of sandstone or limestone ???, very easy to carve, and it
is getting harder with water. Our teacher has a friend on that island and he sent the stones
to him.
A very good feature is, that you can take this stone everywhere with you and carve, whenever
you have to pass your time, sitting around , because you can carve ist even with your
fingernails.
Have a nice day
Dorothea