“The Poetic Heart of a Faun”

“The Poetic Heart of a Faun”....in my garden

Often people ask me why such a rarity of male sculptures showing up in my work…and its true,  my sculptures are mostly women…but when there are males, they most likely will be Fauns or versions of the Green Man.  Relating to my work as personas or archetypes, influenced by mythology, I am drawn to these male consorts of Mother Nature…generator, fecund lover…the creators, nurturers, healers & teachers…and other aspects of male gentleness. First inspired, I am sure, by one of my favorite ballets “Afternoon of a Faun”, music by Claude Dubussy which I first saw as a teenager…it swept me up into its beauty, lyricism & romanticism…the choreographer was Jerome Robbins who turned the Faun into a ballet student and was no longer the very randy Faun (half man, half) created by the original choreographer, Nijinsky and who also danced as the Faun in the ballet’s infamous opening of 1912 in Paris (think “Rite of Spring“)…so it was Jerome Robbins’  gentle , ethereal “Faun” that made such a huge impression on me. Actually, the Faun of the ancient Romans is said to be a gentler form of the ancient Greeks Satyr.  So for me, the Faun  represents a poetic heart…and so far, all my Fauns have emblazed on their chests; a heart.

“The Poetic Heart of a Faun”
Photo of “The Poetic Heart of a Faun” in my studio showing the red terracotta clay while he waits to dry enough to be fired in my electric kiln

 This photo is thru the mystical dimensions of Photoshop shop…oh, I do enjoy playing there! If you would like to see “The Poetic Heart of a Faun" in person, he is @ Cocco & Salem Imagine Art Gallery, 1111 Duval Street, Key West, FL