When the hand becomes passage
Inspiration
When the hand of the craftsman gives form, it is not an emotion that passes through it.
Emotion in art becomes a mirror for those who are sensitive to it.
Here, it is a state of inner alignment, because breath can only pass through silence.
A state where self-withdrawal opens the way.
The artist is not tormented by his emotions, he is inhabited by a presence: the spirit, the living, the master of the place?
The “I” becomes a bridge, and the craftsman, a companion in the service of art.
It is not breath.
It is a bridge, an interface between breath and hand.
The curves
Here, each piece is sculpted as a tribute to femininity.
Finely chiseled, rounded curves, evoking the body of a woman or her mystery.
Nothing is left to chance and yet… each sculpture, each color combination seems to come from elsewhere.
And the mystery remains: who is behind it?
The colors
Let's take the example of the drawing of a pearl necklace: The lariat.
If, during the weaving process, my emotions take over, the necklace will not necessarily lack beauty, but it will not have the desired brilliance.
If I think about the combination of colors, it's even worse. There's no brilliance and very rarely any beauty.
Sometimes I spend hours in front of a model because I have an idea and I absolutely want to bring it to fruition: I block the way and the magic disappears.
Often, I find myself thinking, as I see my hand move towards a drawer of beads, "Are you really sure?".
I don't know who I'm talking to.
But I know deep down that the desired brilliance emerges when I become a receptacle.
What I feel inside is not emptiness.
The notion of alignment, of verticality one might say, is very accurate. Within, silence is soothing and presence, the kind that guides, comes through the body.
Every time I agree to be at the service of art, I marvel at what unfolds right there, between my hands.
Wood carving is done in the same state of alignment and I dare to believe that many artists experience it this way.
The drawings
Look at the design of this necklace.
Is it the product of the craftsman's mind?
No.
It simply burst into his mind.
No conscious effort went into the creation of this talisman.
Here again, the craftsman is a conduit for the source that inspires him, but he is not the creator. He is its servant.
Why Valwicz?
Perhaps this is the name of the breath that flows through us.
Because he too rose to prominence in the blink of an eye.
I remember thinking about it for a while, without success. And then one evening, while I was busy with something else entirely, it became obvious.
Strange, isn't it?
A fascinating mystery when one does not seek to unravel it and is content to contemplate it.
So.
Consider this article as a testimony.
And perhaps if you are reading this and you too are a craftsman, an artist, these few lines will resonate with your experience.
Painters, sculptors, writers, poets…
Can we identify with a breath that comes from elsewhere by attaching our name to it?
Cabinetmaking and the journeyman system
I can only recommend that you read a recently published article on Substack:
The birth of cabinetmaking
The author, Neb, mentions a story of movement, mastery, and mindfulness.
Very enriching.
Best vibes,
Valwicz
To discover Valwicz's creations, it's here.
And the workshop is just a few steps away…
