Bears By the Lake - A CeleBEARtion

Bears By The Lake....a CeleBEARtion

DONNA HUGHES

I was fortunate to spend my childhood surrounded by the beauty of nature in the Sierra Nevada mountains; Lake Tahoe is an idyllic place to live. In the Tahoe basin during the fifties, classes in line arts were very limited. However, I was raised with a passion for both music and art. My family instilled in me the importance of the creative process and inspired my lifelong love of the arts.

I have witnessed many changes in the Lake Tahoe area over the past fifty years, and experienced many changes within myself. In the past, art was something I would view, appreciate, and occasionally collect, but it was not something I believed I had the ability to create. All of that changed in my sixties, and now, I feel like I’m beginning a new life as I learn to express myself through sculpture.

I am fiercely proud of my Native American heritage, and I try to convey this sense of pride and feeling of spirituality in my art. I enjoy working in bronze; however, clay is my passion. I use clay, and the hands on additive method of sculpture, as a form of meditation; I can lose myself in its feel and form. I find myself drawn to intricate lines and smooth planes. I push myself to create without the use of an armature. I prefer using water-based clay to work my pieces into highly stylized natural forms with sharp edges flowing into rounded planes. I strive for a very smooth finish, inviting viewers to observe, and encouraging them to touch my sculptures.