Clay and Stone

While creating a clay model for a stone sculpture, Anna Rubincam says, “A lot of people don’t recognize the fact that clay is an easy substance. It’s soft. You can move it around very fast. You can build it up really fast and so there is no point in being really precious about it. If you make a mistake you can just discard it and start again.”

Once the clay model is finished, it gets translated into stone. This process is very different. It requires patience, time, and hard work. All of this sacrifice is to create a beautiful and enduring sculpture.   

While watching a video of Anna sculpting, I was inspired by the following thought. To imagine the future is like working in clay; to build the future is like working in stone. 

This week, I invite you to ponder: 

How much freedom do I give myself to work with clay, imagining a vision for a better future without worrying about making mistakes? How effective am I at working with stone, making my vision real? What is the next thing that is needed for me to become more effective at working with each medium?   

God bless,
Dan 

P.S. You can watch an amazing 8 minute video of Anna at work here. A commenter called it the “epitome of deep work.”