The Restraint Becomes Our Strength, The movement of Waves Among the Reeds Becomes the Freedom, A Metaphor the Beholder Creates.

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‘The Restraint Becomes Our Strength, The movement of Waves Among the Reeds Becomes the Freedom, A Metaphor the Beholder Creates.’

By Samuel Shoemaker Sutlive

Outside of Athens, GA

"My goal was to create waves within reeds. Movement within a restraint. The reeds are a metaphor of strength while simultaneously being the object of restraint. The waves always will be moving and undulating within the walls of reeds. These waves become and are an expression of movement, emotion, and feeling. Within this metaphor of reeds and waves I have angled ivory piano key panels rising out of the restriction of the walls of reeds. These piano key panels to me are an association to or of steps ascending and I believe the viewers of my square with feel this as well."

What materials did you use to make your square?

I used a knife, pencil, pen, and paper to plan out my design as well as to mark spots for sawing. I used a hack and wood saw to make the waves and manipulated some of the cut angles with sandpaper. I also used a vice for the cuts and glueing of the reeds and steps. I then used reeds from a field in the surrounding woods of my house to make the walls of reeds that surround the waves. To support some of the steps I used the inside stems of the reeds as well as their casing material. I used the ivory piano key panels for the steps and cue tips and a stick to spread the glue to hold the materials together.