Letter One: Introduction

Hawk, Hawk, Hawk,

How many times have I called to Hawk, while walking under trees in the park; my murmurs lift and magically reappear as Hawk.

Hawk, Hawk, how do others speak to you when they search the sky? Hawk, Hawk, I call. Hawk is wonder, Hawk is imagination, Hawk is emptiness.

I speak using drawing, writing, sculpture, voice, photography, and animations to articulate perceived and imagined relationships. I’m interested in expressing the past, present, and future as a moment and then releasing it into a continuum of moments, creating a narrative.

May I speak of Goddard College, a very special community in the woods of Vermont. The “G’s” gather with artistic advisors during residencies then share our work and thoughts in an exchange of letters or video conference calls. A personal journey is composed.

With guidance I have read critical essays on art practice and theory, and I have viewed a range of stop motion and time­lapse work. I am especially interested in artists influenced by Buddhism and how art practice might serve a community beyond one’s own spiritual growth.

Wax is my medium of expression. I love its strength and malleability, and I am intrigued by its beauty. Wax has a value beyond its traditional use as an intermediary material for casting bronze. I respect it in this manner, and my tools now include digital photography, voice recorders, and video editing software as well as traditional sculpture tools.

My art practice and spiritual practice are interwoven. As I touch my knees, palms, and forehead to the ground offering respect to enlightened beings or ply brown wax in my hands speaking to Hawk, each is an aspiration to express the interconnectedness between appearances real and imagined.

Hawk, Hawk, advisor, reader, teacher, G’s—I write these letters with great appreciation. Thank you for accompanying me on a wonderful journey while earning an MFA.

Love,
Tom