It’s a special thing when someone finds their passion. For Jesse Dermody, he found three: poetry, music and sculpture.
Dermody’s exhibit “The Deep Dreams of Roots” opens at the Nemeth Art Center on Thursday, May 1, and closes May 31. It will feature nearly 30 sculpture pieces created by Dermody over the years.
Poetry first pulled Dermody toward art, he just didn't know it at the time.
“Poems just occasionally started to burst out of me, and I'd have to scramble for pen and paper because I was unprepared. I’d jot them down and not even know what they were. And it took me about a year to figure out that, ‘Oh, you know, these might be poems.’”
Eventually he became interested in sculpting and then drumming and music. He formed the band The Brothers Burn Mountain with his brother Ryan.
Early sculptures
Sculpting came to Dermody out of necessity. He told Area Voices on the KAXE Morning Show that his father was working on a project involving building a retaining wall at the back of their house with cement blocks.
“And I thought, ‘Oh man, cement blocks are so ugly compared to what could be.’ And then suddenly what could be burst in my mind's eye. And I said, ‘Dad, I'll do this for free if you don't use the cement blocks,’ and he did, he allowed me, which was great.”
Reflecting on his art, Dermody is reminded of the mythologist and poet Joseph Campbell. When witnessing Zen gardens, Campbell said he couldn’t tell where nature ended, and art began. That’s exactly how Dermody approaches his own creativity.
For Dermody, nature is a voice of guidance and a reminder of nature’s randomness. There aren’t a lot of straight lines in nature. For him, imperfection is inspiration.
Finding materials
Dermody's sculpture materials come from his daily hikes. He’s constantly looking for beautiful pieces of wood, root or stone.
“They're all over the place, and if I find a little thing that meets my fancy, [I] stick it in my pocket or oftentimes will carry bags with me. Some walks are so good that I have 100 pounds of things, and it takes me all day long to load my van up.”
To remember what he has later, Dermody studies the pieces he collects, cleans them and lays them all out to see as much as possible. Instinct leads him to the pieces for his artwork.
Trusting his heart helps Dermody know when his sculpture is complete. Sometimes he feels like too much was added, and he edits accordingly. Sometimes he even feels like he has overworked his art and has destroyed it.
Finding creative time
Dermody will work on his art when inspiration comes to him, but he also sets time aside to create. He’ll schedule recording time with his brother to make music. In the mornings, he spends the first couple hours sitting in a chair drinking coffee while looking out the window. During that time he finds inspiration for his poetry. Sundays and Mondays are usually for sculpting.
“It's a full lifetime endeavor every moment of every day, I would say.”
Dermody came to his practice with trial and by error. People aren’t often taught to set aside time to do nothing and reach a relaxed, lucid state. Dermody views that as great incubation periods for creative ideas. It’s not something he takes for granted.
“I don't think about earning money during those periods of that sacred time. I don't think about how much money I can make off of it. Money isn't a concern. My true-life passions are the concern.”
Dermody considers himself a guarded person, and because his pieces are created from deeply inside of himself, it can be strange to share his art with an audience.
“It's a trick. How do I share my naked soul while retaining privacy at the same time? It's a fine trick for me. ... I have to figure out my own balancing act artistically.”
When asked about his favorite part of the process of creating, Dermody says it is when he takes a deep breath he is led to an idea.
“It is a very healthy thing for me, and it feels wonderful. It's a thrill.”
Tell us about upcoming arts events where you live in Northern Minnesota by emailing psa@kaxe.org.
Area Voices is made possible by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and the citizens of Minnesota.
