For a period in my life during which I was exploring other avenues of experience, rather than working on the sculpture, I became somewhat involved with the dance. This stemmed from my parallel interest at the time in electronic music. So from the early eighties until midway through the decade, I took this diversion very seriously, then incorporated this experience into my sculptural work when I resumed my studio works again.

To back track one step, it isn't unusual for an artist to temporarily dry up, especially after going through a mid-life crisis sort of thing and I suppose that's what happened. However, because I was unable to successfully complete my work at the time, (first one new series, then another, built up, then destroyed) the frustration and bound up energy forced me into looking at other options for a creative release.

That's when I obtained my first synthesizer (I currently keep about twenty different units in service now). I then learned how to compose music and worked on developing those skills. Then one way or another, I connected with a dance workshop, became entranced with that form and merged it with the practice of tai chi that came somewhat later. (By the way, I was never a professional dancer, nor a professional musician/composer). I just do what I do, without external purpose and that eventually becomes a part of the make up of the sculptor. Everything connects and is incorporated into my essential work.

I had explored body movement, music composition for dance performances, then somehow in a fluid moment, began doing some of the first of a series of sculptured pieces using the dance form. In actual practice I realized that during a performance, dance is a form of kinetic sculpture, using the body as the medium. This brought me around to doing again the kind of work that I'm meant to be doing. The initial dance sculptures then went on to become the Maverick Weed series which I'll talk about later then became a normal part of the repertoire of works that I now do.

By the end of the eighties I could no longer dance, so every now and then I will have a sort of performance work in mind and will translate a segment of that metaphor into a sculptured piece. It's frustrating....no, it's maddening, not to be able to comfortably do something that is pure joy and pure motion. I guess that every now and then, the dancers that I create are really my surrogates in performance.

The dancers appear intermitttently in my work now. Every now and then I may chose that particular figurative form, to express whatever I have in mind that may appropriately be said in that way. Other times, a different form may turn out to be dancing without my being aware of it.

"Fan Dancer"

"Fan Dancer" is a work that was commissioned by the daughter of a collector of my work. This younger generation of the family grew up in a house that held an exquisite collection of works, mostly antique work from the far east. I was delighted and thrilled, that this now grown up daughter had chosen to have a work of mine, to start off her own independent collection.

When she appeard at the studio with her parents she had expressed interest in a piece that I had, which belonged to someone else. It was the "Dance Of Icarus" piece she had seen. I then suggested that I create a companion dancer for Icarus and to allow me to let this dancer develop it's own choreography in relation to the other. Agreed.

So in my mind I created a new performance for Icarus, bringing in a female dancer who follows him on the sun journey. This time she enchants the sun into becoming a mirror image of the moon, thereby allowing Icarus to complete his journey. She stays behind and waves him off.

The new owner of this work appeared at the door of the studio, sooner than I had expected, after calling her. I have had no time at all to acquaint myself with this particular piece and to find out whatever happened after Icarus went his way. While still warm from the final application of a hot and burnt oil finish that was applied to the work, it disappeared in the arms of another. I have not seen the piece again, since.

Some works, that we do at times, seem to have more internal animation than we might realize. They become almost human, but that's really the result of an over active imagination, isn't it?

"Dance Of Icarus"

Icarus is a figure from mythology that had always held my interest. In my early years I had created one version or another of this character. He cropped up again in this later work and this time I playfully tweaked his persona a bit. I enjoyed making this piece and here, I have him making preparation for his journey. He is rambunctious, a little foolhardy, capricious and confident. A little conservative too, to be on the safe side. You'll notice he's wearing his sun hat.

In my mind this figure is expressing delight in engaging in an unknown adventure, certain that the outcome will be wonderful. Like a warrior before the battle of the coming morning, he whirls around the firelight, exhausting his physical reserve but without a doubt, invincible. History, the first time around, proves him wrong but as noted above history can be rewritten. So in his reenactment the second time everything turns out okay for him, thanks to the intercession of another.

The idea I wanted to express originally was that dynamic and fearless quality of youth, blind to the realities of the daylight. "Just do it" is the only justification for action. Many of us have been youthful Icarus' and it's simply a little look back to that other time.

Chris Ray