Riding the Wild Donkey
- Tamara Sagathevan
- Sep 4, 2021
- 2 min read
I generally try to stay away from Donkey phrases. Like "Donkeys work", "Donkeys years", "Carrot-Stick-Donkey". I think it's got to do with our elders calling us "Donkeys" with wild abandon, or all those fables where the Donkey is just an ASS.
Recently however, my art coach mentioned a phrase: "Riding the Wild Donkey", which has just stuck with me and has been my vibe for the past few days.
Riding the Wild Donkey, is a concept by Leonie Dawson. The scenario is that a Wild Donkey (Aka a project idea) enters your paddock (brain), and your job is to jump upon that donkey and ride it until the ride is done, and then let it go. You may not do it perfectly, but you would have approached it bravely and done what you're supposed to, ride that Donkey.
I have so many Wild Donkeys kicking about in my paddock, and my great need to be a "professional" while I am actually truly a beginner really delays my output. So what sometimes happens, is I take so long to get to that Donkey, that it gets miffed, takes a big shit in my paddock and leaves.
My paddock is also really messy right now.
So I have been trying to employ this method to my current projects, and so far so good. I still have a really huge one looming - I am going to ride that Donkey tomorrow!
Today's Wild Donkey was finalising this really fun project of translating some sketches I did, into Clay versions of themselves.
They are so gross and grotty - I even think one of them looks like an uncle of mine - waahaa
Leonie Dawson, has a free e-book on her site about riding the Wild Donkey, if the concept sounds interesting to you
Until then, Tamka....Out!
Effy Wild Blog Along Sept 2021 - Join us?
wowee clay looks fun
I love the idea of the donkey what a great concept. I'm going to go and get that ebook now too. The clay figures are amazing.
I love this and your 'wee clay heads' that Cally wrote. That made me adore them even more with that title...
donkeys are highly intelligent and curious. let those donkeys run free and see where they go!
I love this idea of donkeys in one's paddock, especially the acknowledgement that sometimes "I take so long to get to that Donkey, that it gets miffed, takes a big shit in my paddock and leaves" - I'm pretty sure my paddock is extremely well fertilized! (And in fact my actual home is on a piece of land that was previously a horse paddock!!) I also adore your wee clay heads.