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Robert Dancik, “Thing Maker”
By Barbara Matthiessen
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“Sometimes the things I make are sculpture, sometimes jewelry, sometimes furniture and sometimes dinner. For me, it's all about messing with stuff.”
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“Play Well”, Robert Dancik’s guiding philosophy, has led him to create an extraordinary body of work and an astonishing life filled with creative explorations to the delight of his worldwide fans. Robert is graciously sharing his philosophies, musings and advice with us that he has garnered from over 30 years of teaching, gallery exhibitions, and studying a range of subjects from art to physics. Modest by nature his desire to share is as inspiring as his work. There is much to learn from this talented artist who is allowing us a peek into his inner sanctum.
We asked Robert to share useable information that you can take to your studio, classes or gallery. The following information is intended to be a starting point for your own explorations.
Curiosity
In art, as in life, curiosity leads to exploration and experimentation with often surprising and delightful results.
“I am insatiably curious. I just love the "whys and wherefores" of most anything and adore learning just to know. I make a habit of reading catalogs about obscure, overly specialized and often arcane, materials and tools. In stores, I cruise the isles that I would never normally go down. I frequent shops that have nothing to do with anything I am involved in. And I make a point of listening to music from other countries and reading about who makes that music and why” states Robert.
Inspiration
 Wall of Inspiration
“Wall of inspiration is a wall in my home where I pin up objects of all sorts. The only criteria being that I like them.
“Boats and maps have always informed much of the work I do. I see maps as metaphors of not only where we are heading (in life and such) but also as repositories for the information that gets layered in us as we move through time and space” Robert says.
“Another genesis for my work comes from found objects. People have asked if I start with the object I have found or I make a piece and see where a found-object may fit in. It works both ways for me. Many times an object will suggest the idea for a piece by what it references in its previous life, a button keeps an opening closed, a mirror reflects the world, or a compass shows the way. Sometimes I will be working on a piece with no intention of including a found object at all, but the design needs a formal element (a line, a form, a color) and a certain object or part of an object, simply fits the bill. There is no hierarchy for me. If it’s a triangular corner of a yellow ticket stub, a piece of brass from a bullet casing, or 14 k gold, it’s the design that is important – not the material.” he says.
Robert continues, “Intertwined with the first two inspirations has been a long and deep fascination with materials and their possibilities. Not just art materials but materials that have no supposed place in art making like industrial felt, bicycle reflectors or hair curlers. If I want to imply an aspect of permanence in a piece, I may choose to use concrete, as that is part of its association. If it’s more about pure design, I may go to Plexiglas or Faux Bone™ since they have less of an identifiable reference. If I want to show wear and tear by having lots of marks, scratches, dents, and dings, I might use copper or silver and oxidize it and then rub off some of the oxidation to enhance the characteristics of age. Marks, on any of these materials, imply the passing of time and I like to play with how much time and use a piece has seen by the type and placement of such marks. I rarely make pristine objects with highly polished surfaces or perfectly smooth even skins.”
Work habits
My work bench is self-explanatory. I find it both comforting and thought provoking for me to have all sorts of "stuff" all over as it allows me to make visual connections that rather echo my mental connections. Items that may seem disparate at first glance, may later reveal a certain affinity, be it color, pattern, form, or narrative. If kept in containers and sorted by natural similarities, it is more difficult for me to imagine them juxtaposed in a piece.”
I often make a distinction between working and playing. For me, playing is where the serious exploration of material, process, and procedure is the job at hand. While working is the actual fabrication and making of a piece. Playing is often a somewhat more difficult endeavor because for me, it is paramount that there be no thought of what the outcome might be, if it is of value, if there is an end product, or if it is a “waste of time”. We are taught from such an early age that “playing” is not important or time well spent, and that it has a negative connotation, where as work is valued, important and to be taken seriously. We are constantly told that we get ahead by working hard and playing little. I believe these notions are ridiculous and simply not true. I take a lot of time to go to the studio and just “play” and to see what will happen. This sort of play is what gave rise to Faux Bone™. I had been playing around with lots of materials that would allow me to include something that had the look and feel of bone and would be just as strong, more easily worked and could be available without the size limitations of actual bone. I tried many products like polymer clay and the like and they worked very well except in the strength area where they would break under stress or the blow of a hammer. I kept trying different “stuff” until one day I took a piece of PVC pipe and tried to polish it and low and behold, it had a look I liked. Then came the “work” of exploring some of the more that 200 types of PVC available and working with a manufacturer to make a product that was at once non-toxic, easy to use, incredibly strong, inexpensive, in a useable form for artists and looked great. It took a couple of years of this work and I finally came up with the product I now sell as Faux Bone™.”
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Faux Bone™, mixed media, electric etching.
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Map Pendant, Faux Bone™, Sterling silver, jasper, 14K gold, amethyst, peridot, aqua marine
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Grid Figure, Sterling silver, polymer clay, stones, iron wire, 18K gold rivets, old buttons, Picasso stone
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Faux Bone Story Bracelet, epoxy resin, copper, Xerox copy, carved, stamped and mechanically etched
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Saun Bead, Faux Bone™, Sterling silver, tormalated quartz, and pearls
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Materials, Processes and Procedures
Robert has compiled the following thoughts, observations, and questions culled from teaching students from kindergarten through graduate school, professional artists in workshops, and working in his studio.
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Compass, Sterling silver, compass, carnelian, and pearl
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Reflector Pendant, Faux Bone™ bicycle reflector, epoxy resin, Sterling silver, aqua marine
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- Putting things together is what we do as a species – whether it is words, food or “stuff”.
- No material is outside the purview of the artist.
- Not getting it the first time doesn’t mean you can’t get it.
- Materials, processes and procedures are only useful if they allow you to better express yourself.
- Procedure generally includes a degree of planning.
- Thinking procedurally does not have to destroy intuitive action.
- Reading directions can really help in the process phase however, reading doesn’t have to mean following.
- Spontaneity is usually easier when working with fewer materials
- All materials can be changed from their original form.
- Everything can break.
- Almost all artistic endeavors, even drawing relies on putting at least two materials together
- More materials, processes and procedures do not necessarily mean better work.
- The more you know about stuff, the more you can play with it
- Reading catalogs is a quick way to acquaint yourself with a large number of materials and processes.
- If you change the process, you change the material.
- Characteristics of materials may change in the procedure phase
- Playing with stuff can be serious work.
- Is there a reason to use only one material if it doesn’t permit full expression?
- Compass, Sterling silver, compass, carnelian, and pearl
- Reflector Pendant, Faux Bone™ bicycle reflector, epoxy resin, Sterling silver, aqua marine
Teaching, students and classes
Having taught all over the world to a wide range of skill levels and ages we thought Robert would have some great insights on teaching; he did not disappoint. Below are some of his observations helpful to all those involved in education.
- Classes are about students, not about teachers
- Knowing more stuff doesn’t equate to being a good teacher
- Smile
- Different isn’t good or bad, it is simply different
- Have an idea of what you want to your students to leave with before you begin
- Listen
- There is a difference between what students need and what they want
- Some knowledge is attainable only by spending more days on the planet
- For a teacher, “I don’t know” is an answer
- Try to separate your class from the outside world
- When possible, greet your students at the door, but wherever it has to be, greet them
- If you are asking for right brain thinking, you often need to provide the shift from the left side
- Degrees (PhD,etc) do not necessarily equate to intelligence
- There are distinctly different styles of learning and it is the responsibility of the teacher to address as many as possible
- Students want teachers, not friends
- Students and teachers are people before they are students and teachers
- We all know a lot
- Age does not equal intelligence
- Repeating doesn’t ensure understanding for the teacher or the student
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4 Faux Bone™ Bracelets, epoxy resin, Sterling silver and various stones set in Faux Bone™
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Picture Pins, antique doll face transfers onto polymer clay, Sterling silver, pearls, beads
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Robert Dancik holds a Masters degree in sculpture and a BA in fine art and has been an artist/teacher for more than 30 years. He has taught people from kindergarten to graduate school while exhibiting his jewelry and sculpture in museums and galleries across the US and in Japan. He teaches workshops at art centers in the US and abroad including Penland, NC, Southwest School of Crafts, Glassel Museum, TX, Silvermine, CT, and Mid Cornwall School of Jewelry (UK) to name a few. He has artwork published in numerous books including “1000 Rings” and magazines including “Niche” and “Lapidary Journal” and “Perspectives”. Robert serves on the boards of Brookfield Crafts Center and The Hammond Museum. He is a partner in the gallery “zoe & floyd” in Seymour CT. near his home in Oxford CT where he is an avid cook and collector of maps, compasses and toys.
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Red Quadrant, paper mache, epoxy resin
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Pearl in a Boat Pendant
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Bi-Cardiaural; Monitor
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Piece from “Regulators and Monitors from the Office of Dr. Trebor”. (Trebor is Robert spelled backwards.) All parts were made, not found. |
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