Leslie Abrams
My art training has focused on ceramics. I work with clay. Making pots is an organic process in which a creative impulse converges with an internal vision. Hands on the clay pushing, pressing, and seeing the shape change. I change the form with the movement of the clay and my hands. The creation is fast, intuitive. When the finished pots come out of the kiln, I am amazed.
I have entered a new phase of art-making. I am learning to draw. I have been taking drawing classes and finding my way with vine charcoal, graphite, and paper. Learning to draw is learning to see. How do I translate the external visual into the creative response? I need to develop patience, take a deep breath, slow down the vision to reach the action. When the drawing is finished, I try to see the reality of the image. It takes more time to appreciate the result, and then be amazed.