Developing my Totem

Where do you start developing a totem?  Having researched many belief systems and their totems I needed to reflect on what inspired them; their shapes, their materials, their symbolism.  I then had to think of my materials, shapes that depicted the intended symbolism, but what totems...

I created a list of life events that could be symbolic and I also looked at objects that reflect those events or objects that reflected my era.

Even at this stage I was starting to think about how the totems would be displayed.  I've learned that you have to develop display as an integral part of the design otherwise you be left fumbling for a solution and what ever you do, it will not look either effective nor professional.  My display ideas incorporated movement and lighting.

I progressed these designs and started to consider the making of them and then realised, these do not represent me!  I had ventured off in a direction that had muddied totems with every day life.  Equally, I hadn't properly considered my intention to capture life after death.  I decided to stop where I was and rewind a bit, decided to look at a singular element to develop my thinking.  I decided to look at the concept of 'the family'.

I wanted to capture the spirit of family while also incorporating that something that reflected my era and my life.  I started exploring shapes and configurations.  I wanted to move away from the obvious humanised forms and started to think about geometric structures.  I then thought about cuboids; they are so indicative of the tower block housing that is so singularly 1960's to 2000's.  I grew up in the shadow of two towers that dominated my town's skyline, I also worked in the amongst some of the most distinctive high rise towers in Glasgow, including the Queen Elizabeth Court, Pinkston Drive, Royston hill and the infamous Red Road flats.  

I also looked at the work of renowned Scottish artist David Harding and his works embodied in the town of Glenrothes, particularly his use of modern materials in a concrete environment.

Reflecting on this research and my own developmental work I was able to explore more shapes.

Eureka! I had found my totem!