The Muppet exhibit at the Arizona Museum for Youth closes on Sunday, so I did one last trip today with a friend. I looked for specific things today & how I could apply them to my own work. I did find techniques that I might use, but more importantly, looking at the puppets & Jim's doodles, I realized that there's a beautiful lack of perfection to most of it.
While the puppets are well more than what I can muster, they're not the models of perfection that I had built them up to be in my mind, from television, or from the initial exhibit visit, at which I was just amazed to be in the same room as these great works of art (not to mention Dave Goelz).
This time around I was looking for imperfections and I found them. Just like I can for anything in life, especially my own work. While I won't ever be content with my work, seeing all of these wonderful imperfections from people so highly revered encouraged me to go a little easier on myself.
I think the perfection that has been built up in my mind was due to the excitement & energy that Jim Henson & his cohorts put into it all. I've got that...holy crap, I've got that! So I'm just going to go with it. I'm not going to worry about what so-and-so might think....My own style & better building will come with time & with practice. I don't need to be perfect, I just need to do what I'm doing with the joy that it brings me. And if that doesn't make me successful, then I'll be having too much fun with what I'm doing to know that I'm miserable, right?
Just because I like to throw in photos, my carrot army is at the top there...its me..having fun with what I do!
3 comments:
What a wonderful revelation and personal statement! It is so easy to be limited by how things "should" be done, or how someone else did them "best". I applaud your energy, you do have THAT, that enthusiasm, love, passion, whatever you call it. And you were able to write it down so nicely! I am inspired.
:)
It must have been really fun to get to go, and better yet to learn that noone is perfect!
I can so relate to this post for several reasons. When I was in college I got the opportunity to visit the muppet workshop and see how they were made. That had been my dream job -- it's what I was majoring in (sorta). Anyhoo, as I was walking through one of the artists said to me, "this really isn't a big deal. You think it is but it isn't. It's just another job that pays the bills." It totally deflated me at the time.
But now, many years later, I understand what he was trying to say. It's along the lines of your post. Do what you want to do and how you want to do it. Don't always be thinking about what others are doing because, more than likely, it's the same. Plus, it's not you.
Did that make sense. Glad I discovered your blog.
Post a Comment