The Zen of carving
Needing a way to segue back into my own work, I remembered what I call the Zen of carving my own rubber stamps. So, I pulled out a large block, and with just a germ of an idea in my head, started to draw. I was inspired by the stamp I'd carved for my kimono jacket. What resulted was the stamp at left under the bird I carved last year. For me, there is a meditative quality to carving stamps; the world melts away, I'm totally focused, and even the banging which accompanied the workers replacing our roof (tornado damage repair has finally begun) didn't disturb me. There is something about the careful way the blade must be held, the way the design emerges from the flat surface, and the monotony of the motions which calms and settles me.
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| My original hand carved stamps, old and new, along with my trusty blade |
How will I use the new stamps? Here's a 6"x6" wood panel clock, using one of my newest stamps.
What do you think?
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