"Denny" 10x12x6 Terra Cotta with acrylic patina
Denny and I have quite a history. We are high school sweethearts. We found eachother after 30 years. We are in the process of writing a book about it all. It is a testimony that miracles do happen. This sculpure is the first sculpture I did after Denny and I got back together. It was only fitting that I sit and read his face for hours then apply what I saw both visually and spiritually with clay beneath my fingers and love within my heart, into something I could grasp within my creative psyche. I realized many things about him while sculpting him. I did a lot of drawings of him at the time as well. I did a couple of of him while he was sleeping. It is such a surreal experience to watch someone sleeping I think. They are so unaware and yet you find you are aware enough for both of you.
If you would like to know more about Denny visit his blog at:
http://dennisgmagnusen.blogspot.com/
There you will find his songs, thoughts and some of his history.
Here is part of the first chapter of 'My Story'. Denny is writing his own version. 'Everyone' has a story to tell by a certain age in their lives. Some have theirs formed early on. Ours 'together' began when I was 15 at West Covina High School in 1964.
"My Story"
September 1995
"Aloha" said the male voice over the phone.
"Hello?" I said with anticipation. "Is this Dennis Magnusen?"
"Yes"
"Did you graduate from West Covina High School in 1965?" I asked.
"Yes" said the voice hesitantly.
"This is Kathy"
"Oh Sweetheart!"
He knew exactly who I was. Our story unfolds from there, inside a little window of time that gave us the miracle of a second chance.
1964
When I was fifteen, I noticed a tall blond head amidst the crowds of non people in my high school. I would look for him at breaks or lunchtime, see where he was and who he was with. His 6'2 1/2" frame with lovely blue eyes and calm demeanor my reward to glance upon from a distance. He was usually with another girl or a group of friends. I noticed him then and have felt my eyes and heart searching him out ever since. I was a very shy girl with no confidence about who I was or my place in circles of clubs and established friendships around me. I was born with the spirit of art inside me. It was my hideaway as well as my best friend. My Mother always told me I was pretty. I never felt sure if that was an asset or a hinderance. I was and am still blond with green eyes of Scandinavian decent. Scandinavians tend to be reserved yet moody which fits me well. I never considered high school to be a highlight of my life, rather an intrusion into my underdeveloped psyche. I was still playing hop scotch in my front yard after school. My bed was filled with dolls that I still found delight in combing their hair and changing their clothes. I was a young 15 with pressures around me to grow up and become a young lady.
When I was a Junior in high school I went out with a guy from one of my art classes. He asked me to 'go steady'.
"Yes!", I said, loving the 'idea' of being in love.
Bob had a party at his house one night. I was so excited. I felt like a grown up. I spent two hours getting ready. The party was filled with tons of people and there was laughter everywhere.
"Kathy, I want to introduce you to my friend Denny and his girlfriend Jody", said Bob.
We stood in front of Denniy and his girlfriend. The peripheral vision of the room narrowed into one small space; his eyes, his smile back at me, and the thought that he now knew my name.
"Hello." I said
"Hello." back.
Jody had a perfect flip in her hair. She always did. I could never understand that. She seemed so confident. I could never understand that either. I felt like a little girl in a crowd of grown ups. It would be a long time, if ever, I thought, for him to actually say hello to me in the hallways of our school.
Going steady with my new boyfriend lasted a total of a month or two. Because I was so shy and insecure I totally ignored him at school. I secretly hoped he would come over and get me... rescue me from my shyness and invite me to laugh with he and his friends. He would only feel the sting of what appeared to be my rejection of him. I began going out with friends of his though and found a place for myself in their group occasionally. I would see Denny from time to time as well, always with someone else.
The school year ended. All the seniors, including Denny were off to find themselves in the grown up world. I was still there... still looking towards one more year of the ups and downs of self discovery in a population of kids and classes.
*****************************************************
As a footnote to this story I would like to add this thought:
People say that love changes when you get married. It develops into a 'new kind' of love unlike the passion you felt in the first 6 months of falling in love. It isn't true.
