President’s Message – May/June 2008

Symposia season is upon us. To go or not? Given the clouding of the economic picture where to go for a clear one? Well, I always read my horoscope, just covering all my bets. My recent prognosticator read “life is like art and often requires collaboration.” And I knew immediately what I wanted to convey to you.

It’s about us, working in isolation; sometimes the muse that drives us deserts us or goes into hibernation. Other issues take on a priority, or we bambi up, look around at our own little shop and convince ourselves not to participate. There is no doubt that it’s easier to work in your own designed space instead of packing up everything and driving to camp, to just keep on keeping on. But wouldn’t it be better to take a few days hither and yon throughout the symposia season for myself and go, as in life, for collaboration? Most of you have experienced the influx of enthusiasm and creative energy that flows within a symposium, the Mother’s milk of our lives as artists.

“No man is an island” is what the stars told me, but of course I would probably come close to the begging, borrowing or whatever, to attend our symposia. I’m always, always learning something new, a problem shared in conversation gets resolved, or a new path for old ideas is spawned whilst listening during the thunder of meals.

But, it is also that which occurs in the quiet interstitial spaces of a symposium, intangible but knowable. I am not alone in the pursuit of my passion, I am amongst. It is sustainable only in our memory and heart, not easily communicated to others and cannot be achieved by self alone.

Some stars shine brighter than others, some fade from view, new ones are calving in distant galaxies, but when seen together, they form our constellations; they’re special, we name them, they guide us. That’s us, the constellation of NWSSA.

Sculpt Proud,

Your pres,

Elaine