I have been wanting to explore some sculpture for the last 5 weeks, but I have been prevaricating, partly because I have not known where to start. I brought a book, but it didn't really help... Obvious really. I wasn't going to find "my" sculpture in a book. Another part of me was scared of it (so avoiding the subject). The harder the challenge, the more failure lies ahead. But I am a bit fed up with endless moon jar experiments, so I made myself sit down and draw. That seemed to be to be a good place to start (and I never do enough of it). I was inspired by the drawing last week when I came up with a new thrown shape. Anyway, miraculously, some of those drawings got the ideas flowing and today I have even made a little maquette that has some potential. OK, we have a start. The next challenge is scaling it up. I already tried and failed twice. The form is teaching me what works and (most importantly) what doesn't. Its amazing really. You see these abstract pieces in galleries and you may think "easy". Its not. The smallest differences in the position of a hole, or the depth of a line can be transformative (for the worse). It seems there is a balance in every shape which is predetermined. We have to find what works from the countless little decisions and cuts of the knife. The reality is, I am not going to find my first piece until the form has taught me its lessons. I have to submit to that process and be patient. This means I am having lots of cups of tea while I "regroup" and put aside the frustration. Potting and frustration don't go well together. Onwards.