Studio shot of 2 in-progress Pushover sculptures, red earthenware, 15"x10"x10"

The studio shot shows 2 Pushover sculptures. One of them can stand on his own while the other one needs a little help from his friend. I use “him” to refer to the sculptures even though there are females as well as males. The Pushovers are an extension of the Bullying work I’ve been doing for about 2 years. The Pushover character is based loosely on the old clown toy who, when pushed, came right back up for more.

Now….here’s the rub. I’ve created several of these sculptures that can’t, because of their construction, stand on their own, and cannot recover after being pushed, even slightly. Conceptually this isn’t that big a problem. I’m using the character as a metaphor for the condition we all encounter at some point, to a greater or lesser degree. We’ve all been pushed around. Some of us recover, and some don’t.

"Pushover #2", 2014, 10"x9", unglazed ceramic

However, I want to create more free-standing sculptures than ones that need help. I’m trying heavier bases. I’m also looking into wider, shallower bases. Problem is, I don’t like the look of the wider base. Please see “Pushover #2”. In my experience it’s rare that compromise doesn’t have to be added to the mix.

Because of the construction issues and having to re-think some of my ideas, I’m having to dig deeper into my beliefs about the pushover concept and phenomenon. I guess I should re-title this blog and call it “Construct and Concept, Allies”.