Motivation and a Sigh of Peace

This piece was inspired by a beautiful and intelligent breed. Not many people have heard of the Basenji. It’s a dog that originally came from Africa and was used to hunt large prey. And the strangest thing about it is that it doesn’t bark. Yep, you heard it right - it’s barkless! However, barkless does not equate to silence. They make the weirdest of sounds, one of which is barooing or howling. 

“Motivation,” 2021 Handbuilt sculptural vessel

Now, what they’re really known for is their stubbornness. It takes a special kind of positive trainer to make these dogs obey their masters consistently. I suppose that’s why professional trainers are just that - professionals and I’m not. hahaha! I can just train for three things - sit, come and no. Even then, it’s a hit or miss on a daily basis. Any more commands and it just gets so exhausting. These dogs are such independent thinkers that some even refuse treats when they don’t get their way. They obey when they want to. 

“Motivation,” 2021 Handbuilt sculptural vessel

As I previously mentioned, they were used as hunting dogs in Africa. How the trackers controlled these dogs, I have no clue. I could hardly control one, much less a pack. Hahaha! These dogs have such a high prey drive that they literally want to chase anything that moves fast - deer, fox, raccoon, rabbit, squirrel, lizard, a bug, not to mention, a blowing leaf. 

Once they’ve honed onto a target, they’re very hard to stop. They are so motivated and so laser focused that you have to physically pick them up and remove them from the stimulant in order for the other parts of their brain to kick in and focus on you.

Which brings me to this sculptural vase...Difficult as this breed may be, the basenji’s fearless attitude inspires me. The basenji doesn’t stop and analyze if it can catch a squirrel or not, it just has the propensity to go full speed ahead regardless of the potential failure. Everyday, it is motivated to chase a squirrel regardless if it unsuccesful the day before. This dog just keeps going and going just like the Energizer bunny. 

As a creative, oftentimes I get stuck, hesitant of making a decision either because of fear of rejection or of past failures. I’m not advocating for impulsive actions but after a certain point, I need to make a decision in order to move forward. Because the alternative - not making a decision and standing still would deprive me of growth. 

I fell in love with this breed 3 years ago. Yes, I did my research and I also talked to owners, but nothing could’ve prepared me for this breed. 

Since then, I’ve fostered 6 basenjis with 1 foster fail. Everything that I read and heard about them were true - the good, the bad and the ugly. It takes a special kind of crazy to fall in love with basenjis. Are they sweet? Are they smart? Are they destructive? Are they stubborn? Yes, on all of the above and yet I still love them. I could go on and on with stories of how they’ve given me so much stress and joy all in one day. I could write a book and maybe one day I will.  

Above the Basenji, I included a compass that also showed time. In the past, circumstances had a way of forcing me to make decisions and then I second guess myself not knowing if I did the right thing. Was the timing right? Did I move in the right direction? As I approach the day that marks my golden year, I realize that I lived a good life in spite of my numerous mistakes. 

I wanted this piece to show that balance of pursuing your passion and at the same time resting in God’s peace knowing that things will fall into place in his perfect timing.

The other side of this piece is a sculptural relief inspired by the waterfalls of Oregon. I’ve been hiking on the Oregon trails for many years, often visiting the same parks. The crisp air and lush greens always fill my cup. I get to appreciate the works of our Father, the master artist.

This piece was hand built using Soldate 60 clay. I used slabs to build the vessel. I carved out the mountains and stairs and sculpted the dog and the branches. The leaves were made using silicone molds. I painted underglazes for the base colors when the vessel was at leather hard stage. After the first firing, I applied glaze to add emphasis on the sun and the leaves and then it went through the second firing.

If you would like a sculptural piece that tells your story, contact me. I’d love to tell your story through clay.