No words will tell the anxiety I went through when I did the first slumping of the “Woman in Red.”
I had to time the working process to “normal” hours in which I am alert and awake, with all my faculties working, to be able to make logical decisions. I was frightened, scared, worried that I might miss the right moment. That the glass will not liquefy, will be too rigid.
The subject, A Woman in Red, was imposed on me. I was told about a glass sculpture, Aphrodite in Red, completely abstract, made by an East European glass artist.
I am very much aware of my being female. I love the soft roundness which is associated with femininity. I love the red color. I wear many red clothes. I have zillions of tones and hues of red glass. What a wonderful opportunity to play with them.
What kind of a Woman in Red could I create? The simplest was to make something that belongs to woman and make it red. Perhaps I could make something red and stamp on it a woman’s face. A mask? Similar to those in my art books?
Got it!!! But how? I realized that the process of my work will be to create a sheet, and then slump it over a mold of a woman’s face.
I sold a piece in the US, one I made with my teacher Rudi. I loved this piece, but it was made with my teacher beside me. This time I am on my own. I made a plaster silica mold, began composing my red sheet. The process of slumping was craz y long, spreading over many many hours.
The sheet didn’t come out the way I wanted it. I had to redo it to satisfy my idea.
No words will describe the fear I felt when I did the first slumping of “Woman in Red.”
