DEBBIE KORBEL, AN ARTIST TO WATCH

On December 12, 2017 on nanrae.blogspot.com I wrote a blog about 'DEBBIE KORBEL ARTIST EXTRAORDINAIRE' and said "This may be the most important blog I've ever written".  That has not changed.

What can I even begin to say about someone who can create unimaginable works like this horse. 'WILD' is formed with bits and pieces of detritus. (The blue pieces are resin.)

You just have to experience it in person which is what I did seeing her exhibit
 'DEBBIE KORBEL'S STRANGE CIRCUS' at:
SHOEBOX PROJECTS
Brewery Art Colony
660 South Avenue 21 #3





'Metamorphosis' is one of my favorite pieces.  It lingers in your minds eye long after you experience it.

The poem written on it says,
"I see your lips moving
But I can't hear a sound
I am lost in the cathedral
Of your eyes


Bravo Debbie!

For me, Debbie is a true exemplar of the term 'artist'.  Unschooled in art and starting at minus zero... from classes in Brush painting she segued into sculpting.  Horses in particular.  Using found items that speak to her these amazing creations come into being.  Her anatomical skill is staggering and the impact of her images and poetry take the viewer to a new and completely different place.  So perhaps we could say that an artist is a soul who embarks on a journey of discovery.  Discovery about themselves, the world and their place in it.  A soul that needs to create, no matter how difficult the journey.

Debbie has said "Ideas are like a river, you just dip your cup into it". That said, Debbie's river is ever flowing.

CHRISTOPHER SLATOFF, SCULPTOR EXTRORDINAIRE AND OTHER INSPIRING THINGS

I look forward to doing a blog solely devoted to Christopher Slatoff who is not only a brilliant sculptor but a true universal man. Nikka and I plan on going to Christopher's studio when our schedules converge but in the meantime I wanted to introduce you to him. Slatoff's formal education included a year in France at the Ecole des Beaux Arts and the Faculte d'Letres of the Universite d'Aix- Marseilles.

Sunday is my day of rest, rest that is if I can get through the New York Times!  Charles used to kid me that I told someone I didn't read the L.A. Times (just the N.Y. Times).  I guess that could sound elitist. Oh well, truth is we both read it.

Back to Sunday. There was a special presentation hosted by the California Art Club at the University Club of Pasadena.  'INSIDE THE ATELIER: CHRISTOPHER SLATOFF, a Conversation With CHUCK KOVACIE'. By the way, Chuck is a brilliant interviewer!

You can see from this slide that Christopher never does anything small!

Fuller Seminary is right across the street from the University Club so afterwards everyone walked the short block to see Christopher's moving devotional, liturgical sculpture piece.  It is way to deep and moving to go into detail here so I just suggest you see it for yourself.

Note to self:  Take time to think of 'otherworldly' things.

Cutie Patricia is third from the left.  We had originally planned one of our marathon days at Bistro Gardens for 8 hours of 'girlie' talk but this interview came up instead.

It was time for lunch and where better than The Langham for lunch poolside.

Inspired, I was seeing art in everything......

After a couple of hours it got rather cool so off we went to the bar area and a nice cozy spot by the fireplace.

Was that when I realized my ring was missing?

Note to self: When people tell you things.  PAY ATTENTION. 

Valerie had cautioned me weeks ago about not taking my rings off when I wash my hands.  Of course I didn't listen and did exactly that at the University Club.  Some people learn the hard way.  Just saying.  It was still a joyful day and we nearly beat our record of 8 hours!.

Awesome Carol Soucek King asked me to go with her to watch a Master Class with the amazing Susan Graham, featuring members of the L.A. Opera's Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist Program at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.  It was fun to be in the Founder's Room seeing it filled with only chairs and not tables to relax and feast.

I was fascinated watching Susan coach the young opera 'stars' and it reminded me how they will continue receiving daily coaching during their entire lives.

Note to self: Study, study, study and learn, learn, learn.  Always expanding to make room for joy.

Of course it's always nice when there's food too!

I got this book for Maggie as she is the only person I know who would/could appreciate it.  Bingo...I was right!

Note to self:  Read things outside of your wheelhouse from time to time.  You might find new worlds opening up to you.

You're probably wondering when I'll get back to lunches & dinners.  Well, one I never want to miss is with Farnaz, my doctor/inventor friend who always inspires me.

Another source of continual inspiration is my precious friend Lisa Di Vita, A.K.A. Lisa Bowman, author of 'THE SHATTERED PEACOCK'.  (You'll remember I did a blog about the fantastic book signing in the studio not that long ago.)

Lisa was giving a talk about her book at Carol's Salon on 'The Spiritually Creative Life' and so went another Sunday.

It's always such a diverse group of 50 or more interesting people at Carol's.

Note to self:  Don't just hang out with people who share your expertise/interests.

If you want to know the secret of what brings me the most joy...it's my students who never fail to make my heart sing!

The class at the Huntington is so much fun it's a miracle we get any work done.

Here's cutie Lulu who is so creative and always knocking me out with what she does.  This jacket she painted is a good example of that.

And of course each and every student in the studio class is dearer to me than words can say.

I'll close out this blog with the reminder to myself....Don't forget to dance.  Especially to Bruno Mars

'Uptown Funk'!

DEBBIE KORBEL ARTISTE EXTRAORDINAIRE

This may well be the most important blog I’ve ever written.
Last July, I received notice of 'Beyond the Lines' gallery’s exhibition at Bergamont Station featuring Debbie Korbel, an artist who had studied with me years ago.  May I say that no one else could get me out to Bergamont Station.  Off I went with Nikka and Amy.
‘SILVER’  by Debbie Korbel

I suppose it’s really unseemly of me to take any credit for awesomely talented, creative Debbie Korbel but why not.  Why not indeed when it was the Brush painting classes years ago in my studio that first started Debbie on her artistic journey.  Here’s some of the proof!





Debbie and I have remained somewhat connected through the years and I was so happy to have a chance to see her again.  To say that I was completely staggered, blown away by her work, does not even begin to describe how in awe I am of her creativity and her ability to bring her concepts into three dimensional reality. Experiencing that, I knew just then that I had to write a blog about Debbie and share her gift with as many people as possible.


How is it even possible to create such a perfect anatomical horse with scraps of flotsam & jetsam, bones from animals, driftwood, odd steel pieces…..
Here’s ‘Silver’.
And a beauty cast in bronze…..
I knew that a visit to Debbie’s studio was in order because I absolutely needed to see and know more of her process.
Can you even begin to make sense of all this detritus?  Debbie scours construction sites wearing boots and heavy gloves looking for all manner of salvage, organic matter that she sees beauty in and that will be re-purposed into something amazingly wonderful.

The only recognizable item here is the elks horns, driftwood and some lacy metal thing.
 My memory tells me this is going to be part of a fish….
And this????

Everything you see here will be used and that beautifully!


I was right.  This piece is going to be a large fish.  Debbie is holding driftwood and a deer antler.
DK: "Once I started with driftwood I realized I didn’t have to stop there because you’re just looking at shapes and colors."

Debbie can’t help creating and I suspect that’s what an artist is.  She sees things that no one else sees and then brings them into being and the world says ‘why yes….of course'!
The horses are simply amazing.  Take a moment to see all the various materials used to bring this beauty into being...
 Debbie’s faces are absolutely perfect and beyond being lovely…they transport you to another dimension….

 I have to say this is my favorite piece because of the sensitivity that goes so far beyond the sheer skill in creating it.  The idea of beauty in a wounded warrior….This piece is “DREAMING”.  I’m in awe of Debbie’s anatomical skill and again, the beauty she obtains in each face she molds.

NR:  "What was the inspiration for this piece?"
DK:  "The impetus for the sculpture was a combination of things.  I wanted to create a figure that was “damaged” yet beautiful and passionate.  Love makes “wounded warriors” of us all.  The figure is that of a man who is separated from his beloved and yearning to hold her close to him again.  I wanted to write poetry that complemented the feeling of the piece.  I think that when we are in love we see everything in life through that lens, even the common nighttime sounds reflect and amplify the emotions we are feeling."

On the jawbone there is the poem...
''Cicadas in the night
Calling out for love
I search the constellations for your face''

 Again, using all manner of objects and then combining them to create this ethereal winged creature.

 Another view…...

 I mentioned Debbie is also an accomplished poet and how beautiful is this seen on the wing of the ‘butterfly'!
                                                                                                                       “ I see your lips moving
                                                                                                                         but I can’t hear a sound
                                                                                                                         I am lost
                                                                                                                         in the cathedral of your
                                                                                                                         eyes"

Time to sit down and ask Debbie some questions:

NR: “How did your artistic journey begin?
DK: “Your Brush painting class was the genesis. I had no formal art training until I came to you.  Making jewelry caused me to hit my stride and that led to classes in sculpture with various teachers.  I started in clay and then into mixed media.  Deborah Butterfield’s driftwood pieces and mixed media horses were an ‘ah ha moment' for me when I thought ‘I can do this!’  From mixed media I found an electric wood drill and electric screw driver and so it went."
NR: “ Ahhhh…a woman with tools!" …..laughter….”Before you even thought of being an artist, what did you consider yourself."
DK: “I was always creative, making jewelry, writing poetry and children’s stories.  I did a lot of things to express myself. What can’t be taught is creativity, coming up with the concept and having a sense of balance and design."
NR: “Do you remember your first sculpted piece?"
DK: “It was of a great big fat woman with wire in her hair."
NR: “When was that?"
DK: “About seven or eight years ago."
NR: What you do is very complicated, coming from your core, your soul.  When you talk to the public at an exhibit, how much do you have to explain or how much do they grasp of what you do?"
DK: “The question I am most asked is ‘Where do you get your materials’ and ‘How do you come up with all these ideas?'  “For me, ideas are like a river, you just dip your cup into it.  You have to be calm.  Stress is a creativity killer."
NR: “What about the notion regarding Van Gogh, that an artist has to be tortured?"
DK: “Artists can be a little depressive or neurotic…it’s a release."
NR: “Where do you see all this going?"
DK: “I would be content with selling a few pieces and continuing doing what I’m doing."
NR: “From your heart, what would you like to say about your work?"
DK: “I don’t like pretentiousness.  I would like to communicate, be creative, in the zone….It’s like a whisper in your ear.  Of course it’s affirming when someone likes what I do. I always remember a Jeff Koon's quote, “Art is a humanitarian act.  Art should be able to effect mankind, to make the world a better place. The only thing the artist can do is be honest with themselves and make art."
NR: "Debbie I shall never forget this day, your inspiration and the thrill of watching your process."                                                                                       The poem embedded in this work:
                                                                                       "I want to be your mantra
                                                                                         a soft sound on your lips...
                                                                                         a murmuration of love rising
                                                                                         like a cloud of starlings
                                                                                         against a dusky red sky."


Debbie’s work may be seen at:
CHURCH BOUTIQUE
7277 Santa Monica Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA. 90046
http://www.churchboutique.com

Gibson
7350 Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA. 90036
http://garygibson.com

POST RANCH INN
47900 CA-1
Big Sur, CA. 93920
May you always follow your heart!