The blocks were generously donated to us by a major and well-known quarry. The two organizers, Sergio from Argentina and Ursula from Germany, were incredibly proud that so many sculptors had come together to work with such excellent material.
My sculpture emerged during an intense creative phase under the open sky, with a view over the gentle hills of the Lunigiana, accompanied by the rhythm of tools, the scent of olive trees and the fine dust of marble.
The sculpture once again depicts an abstracted female figure, from whose head a spiral form rises, my signature snail head. The spiral symbolizes the primal shape of all becoming, the slow, constant motion of nature, time, and all things. The body of the figure rests upon a base reminiscent of an amphora, referencing the role of the woman as a vessel of life, as a symbol of fertility, nurture, and the preservation of culture.
Engraved on the surface of the sculpture is the Latin phrase:
“Ut sementem feceris, ita metes.”
This phrase translates to: “As you have sown, so shall you reap.” It originates from the Roman philosopher Cicero, specifically from his Epistulae ad familiares. It belongs to those timeless pieces of wisdom about cause and effect, responsibility, and consequence. It serves as a reminder to act with awareness, for everything we sow, be it words, actions, or thoughts, will bear fruit, whether we want it to or not. To me, this message is universal, and more relevant than ever in today’s world.
The decision to carve these words into the stone gives the sculpture not just a title, but also an ethical and philosophical depth. The figure has stood ever since at the entrance of Tendola, right next to a small, lovingly tended farm, welcoming visitors like a silent guardian and bearer of meaning. Its presence there links ancient wisdom, the craft of sculpture, and the beauty of nature in a very special way.
The symposium was not only artistically meaningful for me but also deeply personal: together with my husband Dominik (who also participated as a sculptor) we welcomed our first Italian dog into our lives: Ragnar, a young Maremmano-Abruzzese. A strong and intelligent shepherd dog with the heart of a guardian. He, too, had his first taste of the sculptor’s life, curiously sniffing through the white marble dust, and from then on, he accompanied us for many years on our creative journeys.
When I look back at this work today, I see more than just a sculpture. I see a chapter of life filled with passion, new beginnings, encounters, and creative energy. At that time, we had only been in Italy for two and a half years, and already we were firmly rooted in the world of sculpture. And in this piece, I constantly recognize the truth of the phrase: You reap what you sow. May this sculpture continue to inspire all who pass by, and remind them that every action, every word, and every thought is a seed.
Tendola (Lunigiana) 2007
