The first few days I was in Martinique, I began scouring the beaches for information. Shells, glass, bones, food, birds, etc. I love passing the shoreline back and forth with visual evidence of the movement of the water. It is so special to see what the water brings to shore each day and how it changes over time.
I was walking along the coast and picked up a long strand of fish vertebrae. I’m not used to seeing many bones on the shore, so I was freaked out at first. But, I decided to bring it home. After rinsing it off in the water and drying it out in the sun, I started looking closely at it. The amount of detail naturally found in the bones is phenomenal. The fragility and simultaneous strength of the structure is something I’ve never even looked closely at before. This fish was presumably large, as the spine alone was long and sturdy.
The first thing I thought of was modeling the bones out of clay. As a ceramicist, I’ve always focused more on the wheel than hand building. I’ve never been a particularly creative artist. It’s easier for me to find inspiration as my hands move and feel the clay. Hand building, I’ve always thought, requires much more planning and calculation. With this new found treasure, fish bones, I was inspired for the first time.
I’ve always had an obsession with fish as a motif in art. I’m not sure where it comes from, but I think fish are so beautiful. I’m always drawn to them. When I studied the intricacies of these bones, I realized my new goal, whenever I can start working in a studio again, is to start somewhat of a fish study. I’ve never seen any artists focus particularly on fish.
My idea is to individually shape vertebra to form either an entire spine, or a partial spine, like the one I have, connected by some unknown material. I think seeing these bones modeled in clay would be so awesome, and I think it’s a project I currently have the motivation and skills to achieve. I think the form would look so cool in this medium. Each bone has a pinched cylindrical form with fins extending from it. The grooves and notches and connections are fantastic. I’m excited to start on a project small enough to build my skills while focusing on something I’m drawn to replicate.