Je cueillis un nid dans le squelette du lierre
Un nid doux de mousse champetre et herbe de songe.
Yvan Goll
Tombeau du pere, in Poetes d'aujourd'hui
(I found a nest in the skeleton of the ivy
A soft nest of country moss and dream herb.)
Inspiration for this board was drawn from various sources. One of my most challenging years in art school involved an independent study in Sculpture. The professor took a special interest in my interests to feed the subject matter of the studies we discussed. Enriching my mind with readings from Buckminster Fuller and watching documentaries, exploring concepts and learning about artists that I now proclaim as my favorites like Jenny Holzer and James Turrell. In particular he assigned a book for me to read. He was never very specific in my assignments but this book was something he felt adamant about me reading. "The Poetics of Space" by Gaston Bachelard. At the time, I became frustrated. How could he assign this book. I couldn't comprehend this and break down the subject matter with all my work load.
Move forward to just a couple months ago, lounging with someone important to me. I popped up and grabbed the book off my desk. I have kept this book in my personal library for years. Climbing back under the covers, I began reading aloud from the book. "You have a beautiful reading voice, you can read to me anytime". Those words still resonate with me. As I was reading, the words I was forming started to make sense. This book! I tried to read this book so many times, but I never understood it. Something about feeling at home, while reading about the feeling of being home. Spiritually, emotionally, environmentally, safe and warm, comfortable, loving & loved, at peace. This book, this moment. This all fell into place and I finally. Six years after the class had completed, I understood what the teacher was talking about.
So back to the mood board images. I was inspired by that feeling, to create a board that evoked some of those feelings. The rustle of the grass, the warmth of reading engulfed in blankets, sharing the moment with someone, while the bottom row speaks specifically to the selection of poetry from the book. I felt it was important to draw from the building, stairways have always drawn the idea of building up to something as well as referencing architecture. I wanted to make a reference to the idea of bringing nature indoors as well, which I believe is our way of making our homes feel like outdoors; which is truly home then? And finally, ultimately, the nest. The beginning of it all.