Tony Natsoulas Workshop

Fun! It was an all day Saturday workshop put on by the California Consultancy for Arts Education. Tony is too cute! I remember him from TB-9 almost 30 years ago - I remember the same smile, a head of dark curls, a quick, slight body. He looks a bit different now, but he's AWESOME! He loves what he does, he's funny, he's happy. Here he is doing his demonstration. Then it was our turn to play!

We used a really groggy clay that Tony uses. It was great. Stayed moist, lots of body, strong clay. Amy and I split a 20# block. Then we made a rough oval shape, and the first exercise was making a face with our eyes closed for 5 minutes! After that, we flattened our clay on the ground and made a form out of crumpled newspaper and started our own masks. The rest of the time, that's what we did! Interspersed was a slide show of Tony's work. A short independent film in the works about Tony, information of the resources from CCAE.

Everyone's was so different! They handed out some people pictures to use, but I didn't use one. I just started shaping. I did a basic face. Then I picked it up and dropped it a few times. Tony does this to add character, and I liked that idea! Be beat up by life a little bit for wisdom. Hopefully! Then I added a crown. My idea was a flower holder. So I made a hole in the top of his head to hold flowers. Put a flower behind one ear. So he can be in touch with his feminine side. lol! Then I added a cat. I liked the doing the cat! I was thinking of Gabbi's cat. Put the cat in the crown. The cat is my favorite part.

Back to what I really do, here is a pendant I made from gift cabs from another Tony and from Brian. The boulder opal is from Tony, the bottom is petrified palm by Brian. I really like how it turned out. Wrapping the bottom with claws in that style was alot of work! First time trying it, and I like the result. It's sitting on a slab from Idaho Tony, and I think it'll be my permenant photography slab! It's perfect. Minimizes shadow and a nice light, nuetral background!

Both clay and wrapping had the same process for me: not knowing how it was going to turn out and trying to trust the process. :)

It's tempting to play more with clay. There was a lamp at Bob Arneson's house, when Nick and I went there for lunch one day, eons ago in Benecia. It was his head - all white and puntured with holes, about the size of a quarter, with a light bulb inside! I want to do a take-off on that. I'd love to do some figurative piece that doubles as a lamp!

Maybe I will play with clay again. More cats, though.