Chiseling, Not Hustling

A poem on conscious chiseling

the work of undoing — the chiseling process — dissolving the unnecessary pieces is not done by aiming for an ideal state or the idea of sculpture I want to make

it isn’t so much of a doing for the sake of doing or to make myself feel I am doing but recognizing the importance of a hidden process — undoing and realizing that sculpture is already there my work is to see what needs to be chiseled away to see what prevents it from being there already — taking away the unnecessary pressure

I ain't forcing an idea of sculpture which at best would be an imposter for sure but risking to see what might already be there and so perhaps the sculpture is not my responsibility but the chiseling away of what is not required which kept growing as I was busy asleep — chiseling, not hustling

do not complain that it (sculpture) isn’t there already for you had not allowed it to be uncovered but instead added new futile layers without giving it a chance for you know it has to be repeated every day chiseling the futile layers you allowed to be added — until the sculpture is recovered

Now, I do not have to add new marble blocks out of impatience but having the courage or willingness to see, acknowledge, and understand the futile and stubborn forces I had been entertaining unconsciously they begin to dissolve naturally in my wakefulness leaving the sculpture, the surprise gift, alone.

“The sculpture is already complete within the marble block, before I start my work. It is already there, I just have to chisel away the superfluous material.”― Michelangelo