A little place up on a hill

second installment

2011-12-30T00:07:00.003-05:00

here are some gallery shots from the second year MFA student show at the Artworks Building in Erie, PA.

New Greenware and new life

2011-10-17T21:52:00.003-04:00

Really taking a long time to get rolling this semester. For a variety of reasons I changed my focus - which is wonderfully scary, challenging, exhilarating, and freeing.

I'm still deciding how to articulate my interest, but loosely: idealized environments and landscapes, idealized agrarian life, windmills, snow globes.

Here are a couple of images of green work in progress:

I love windmills - don't you wish they were everywhere?

And of course, the world would be a better place if there were turbines everywhere.

This is a first attempt at a row of silos.

un-wedged

2011-10-15T16:21:00.004-04:00

One of my platters was juried into the "Un-wedged" show at Pottery Northwest. The show will be up November 5-26th, if you are in the Seattle area be sure to stop by the opening night reception Saturday Nov 5, 6-8pm.

Glaze Glaze Calc Calc and Ceramic Materials, Too!

2011-10-15T15:15:00.002-04:00

One of my most favorite things about ceramics as an art form and academic field is that it challenges your left and right brain - what do you want to do today? Geek out with molecular weight formulas or construct a ceramic cake? Ceramics is whatever it needs to be for an individual.

Goal

I decided that I want to develop clays and glazes for a cone 2 firing. I feel that this temperature is still low enough to get sharp colors, and be more economic and energy efficient than a cone 6 or high fire temperatures when I have to set up my own studio.

I have always struggled with the "flatness" of low fire ceramics and surfaces just seem to have more pizazz over 2000 degrees.

Clay Bodies

I started looking at a bunch of clay recipes and am working on altering some for cone 2 and developing a few from scratch. I want the body to fairly un-absorbant so glazes will fit correctly for food safe surfaces - but plastic and able to be used for sculptures with the addition of some filler (paper? nylon?) I am also aiming for a fairly white body that can be altered if need be. Last semester the addition of Black Iron Oxide (I think 5%) gave me the most amazing red from a white body base.

Other People's Glazes

We've been mixing and testing existing glazes to get familiar with the glaze materials at different temperatures, clays, and atmospheres.

Some of my favorite are a lithium glaze with wood ash and a bunny of a glaze containing fibrous wollastonite!

There is also a really lovely cone 1 majolica glaze, I think from Charlie Cummings, that is nice and fat and opaque with no crazing!

The Triaxial Blend

As much as I wanted to pull every little known ingredient from the shelves and make a soup, I contented myself with finding the love in the ordinary. I have a few potential bases from the a triaxial of Ferro Frit 3124, Laguna Borate, and Kaolin.

Even the best of the combinations wind up crazing after a couple of days - I really have to work on my clay body... From what I remember of developing low fire glazes, I think an addition of Ferro Frit 3134 will also help with the crazing.

Clay Reworking Based on Triaxial

I am reworking my clay recipe to include a higher percentage of Silica, and an addition of Talc. Hopefully that will take care of the crazing. I looked into adding cellulose insulation to my clay with the idea that I can make one clay body that is good for functional work and with the addition of cellulose insulation, have the same clay work well for sculpture. I fully realize that this will probably never happen, but I should find some nice clay bodies along the way!

In the meantime, since I have to make a fair bit of work for December, I'm using Standard Ceramics Low fire White Clay with No Grog and Texas Talc - #105.

Rededication to the Blog!

2011-10-15T15:07:00.002-04:00

I've been taking a looonng break from blogging, but I am ready to come back!

The summer was very wonderful, I learned so much at the Bernadette Curran workshop at Haystack and, as always, was so impressed by the lovely and talented people I met - especially my fellow TA Nate Wilever (watch out!) and his g-friend, the massively talented Tessa.

It's taken me a while to settle back into a school routine - I moved apartments and studios in Edinboro and wound up getting stranded in Pittsburgh for a few weeks while my automobile was being patched up...

This semester is eventful as all get out - I am taking a Glaze Calculation course - which I LOVE- and getting ready for a MFA candidacy this winter. All of the 2nd year grad students are installing a show this December in Erie in honor of the candidacy process.

For more info on the EUP 2nd year art grads please see our blog - www.eupgradart.blogspot.com

May

2011-05-25T20:42:00.002-04:00

Cleaning and getting packed up for Maine! Yea!!!!!!

Just got back from the Routes to Art Studio Tour in Cattaraugus County, New York.

I had such a wonderful time, if anyone is in the area and missed the tour this year be sure to check it out in May 2012!

I shared a studio hub with the lovely and talented Lisa Conklin and Deb Eck at the Cattaruagus County Arts Council building - here are some links ->

www.conklinstudiopottery.com
www.debraeck.com
www.myartscouncil.net

Ceramic History

2011-04-17T11:54:00.002-04:00

Ceramic history site:

http://potweb.ashmolean.org/

My Most Favorite One of All...

2011-04-13T23:16:00.003-04:00

Out of all the NCECA shows "Everenders" was my most favorite. It featured Pattie Chalmers, Benjie Hue, and an artist I hadn't heard of before - CARMELA LAGANSE .

After hiking all over St. Petersburg in a tornado this place was a hug. Not only did I get wine and cookies, but I got to hang out with all of this:

Orton Cones Box Show

2011-04-08T12:00:00.002-04:00

There were a lot of great surfaces at the Box Show.

Travis!
I still have no idea what this piece is made of... it ceramic and glass/plastic and thread? straightened paperclips? love it

Doesn't this remind you of the pregnant lady model from an older post?

NCECA Armory Show

2011-04-08T11:44:00.003-04:00

The Armory show was great! My camera ran out of batteries so I only grabbed a couple of pictures...

I'm not sure why, but there was something about this piece that really intrigued me... I think they way the shape of the lip transitions into the bulbous form...

This was for a mad hatter themed tea party fundraiser, or something along those lines?
All I have to say, is I love glass with ceramics and I love cherub sacks.

NCECA exhibit

2011-04-08T11:40:00.003-04:00

Unfortunately, I cannot remember the name of this show - it was one of the many fine university shows at NCECA. I especially love the heavily carved animal sculpture - and the defiant squirrel!

NCECA K-12 Show

2011-04-08T11:35:00.003-04:00

I was so super impressed by the K-12 show at NCECA. And a little jealous that my schools did not really offer ceramics....

Here are some of my favs:

Erie Art Museum Spring Show!

2011-04-08T11:24:00.002-04:00

The Erie Art Museums' Annual Spring Show open next weekend, Sunday, April 17th. EUP is well represented by graduate students in Sculpture, Ceramics, and Printmaking - I can't wait to see the show!

This is my piece that will be part of the fun!

Marek Cecula

2011-04-08T11:11:00.003-04:00

The graduate ceramic seminar had a field trip to Cleveland for a lecture by Marek Cecula. He did not focus on his own work in the lecture, but on the role/use of ceramics in design. There were lots of example of rapid prototyping (which I like to imagine as a box that you put an image in, close the door, and when you open it the drawing has been transformed into an object), handmade v digital models, altered historical ceramics, and medical ceramics - which made me want an eye patch.

I especially loved the altered ceramic pieces... using dental drills and other high powered, high precision tools artists remove parts of ceramic forms and/or surface decorations to create new works of art or products. I am intrigued by this idea... that there are enough objects in the world, but it is possible to use them to express new ideas.

I think, like a lot of other ceramic artists, I have some guilt over making more product and working in a such a wasteful field. I am not sure what the answer is, because I think my work will always want a functional outlet - that is one thing that initially drew me to ceramics. I guess it's up to debate whether my sculptures have to be ceramic - but I do feel strongly about being part of the historical discussion that is the figure in ceramics.

There was so much in this lecture, with well over 100 images. I left totally impressed with the new processes and products available - and with the vague feeling that my work is totally irrelevant...

Here is an image from one of Cecula's installations:

KILN GOD RESIDENCY!

2011-03-28T17:40:00.003-04:00

Everyone should try to apply for the Kiln God Residency at Watershed! The postmark deadline is April 5th - next Tuesday.

They award several residency for two weeks during 8 sessions over the summer - only a few are fully funded, the rest are partially funded. Check out the website ->

http://www.watershedceramics.org/summerjuriedapp.pdf

Paper Pulp

2011-03-26T16:25:00.002-04:00

I recently started using paper pulp to make form additions to ceramic sculptures. A few people were asking about the process.

First, rip up newspaper into 1-2 inch squares. Cutting would work too, but ripping preserves the natural strength of the paper fiber.

Soak in hot hot hot water. You should have enough water to completely cover the paper.

Next, blend the crap out of it. Depending on how much you are making, use a mixer attachment on a drill or a blender - something that will really agitate and cut the paper up.

The paper should break up into a brain matter gray blob.

As you are blending, add a strong adhesive into the pulp. Ideally, you want methyl cellulose glue. I didn't have any, so I used wood glue - the Gorilla brand wood glue was the best. I didn't measure, but I would say I used at least a cup for 2 gallons worth of pulp.

Once the pulp has broken down and the glue is completely mixed in you can strain off the water and use as desired!

The water content of the pulp is completely up to your taste. The drier it is the rougher the texture, the more watery, the smoother the texturer.

Apply in layers of about a 1/4 inch at a time, letting each layer dry out.

It takes forever to dry - under fans over night.

Once it is dry you can sand, carve into, and paint as desired!

midwife tool

2011-03-26T16:19:00.004-04:00

I was google-ing random stuff and I found this:

This is a 19th century model of a pregnant women (complete with placenta and umbilical cord) used to train midwives.

Love the joints and stretch marks.

FOREVER

2011-03-23T16:04:00.002-04:00

Check out this project: http:just-a-bit-of-wet-clay.tumblr.com

The organizers are looking for artists to send in one ounce of wet clay in a normal envelope using a Forever stamp. The idea is to fire the pieces of clay as they arrive, recording the impressions left from mailing and delivery. All the pieces will be displayed in an exhibit in St. Petersburg, FL.

The exhibit explores "the archival nature of clay to the poetic and preposterous nature of a FOREVER* postage stamp."

Bernadette and College Clay Collective

2011-03-21T19:43:00.003-04:00

I got a bunch of great news over the last couple of weeks!

Two of my pieces were accepted to the College Clay Collective at Genesee Pottery in Rochester, NY! I am doubly excited b/c my friend Allison is rockin' it over at Genesee as a Resident Artist so I get to go and visit her for the opening! Super-pumped! Here is the link to her site - she makes lovely lovely sculptural functional pieces: www.allisonrosecarver.com

Here is one of the pieces that I just sent over to Genesee:

(With much thanks to the Papa Collection for lending the piece out!)

The other wonderful news is that I am going to be a workshop assistant at Haystack this summer for Bernadette Curran! I love Haystack so much and it will be a great change of pace to work there for a couple of weeks. Every time I go to Maine I have a life altering experience... something about lobsters and art and the Atlantic.

shape of content

2011-03-06T12:07:00.002-05:00

In graduate seminar we read "The Shape of Content" by Ben Shahn and I was struck by this passage (his socio-political insights are scattered thorough out the text).

... a traveler in thirteenth century France who met three men wheeling
wheelbarrows. He asked in what work they were engaged and he received from them the following three answers: the first said "I toil from sunup to sundown and all I receive dfor my pains is a few francs a day." The second said, "I am glad enough to wheel this wheelbarrow for I have been out of work for many months and I have a family to support." The third said, " I am building Chartres Cathedral."
I always feel that the committees and the tribunals and the civic groups and their auxiliares harbor no misgivings about the men who wheel their wheelbarrows for however many francs a day; the object of their suspicions seems, inevitably, to be the man who is building Chartres Cathedral.

Does anyone feel that they are building Chartres Cathedral? Isn't it interesting that from the outside there is nothing to distinguish inspired work from the daily grind?

New York trip

2011-03-06T11:42:00.004-05:00

After so much planning and waiting... the dumb bus never made it to Edinboro to pick us up and take us to a NYC art wonderland!

This is as far as we got...

Lots of thanks to Heath, Deric, and Jera for making the wait fun - like a mini adventure in the hallways of Edinboro!

secret lives of tableware

2011-03-04T14:40:00.004-05:00

This is one of my most favorite illustrations ever.

teeth dish

2011-02-25T01:25:00.002-05:00

I google-d "weird ceramics" just to see what was considered wierd. This is one of the first matches. I think I am now collecting images of ceramic pieces utlizing teeth. This was on etsy and being sold as a spoon rest. Awesome. But I wish it wasnt' an open mouth - maybe a pyramid of teeth?

Any thoughts about why someone would make this and why it's weird? I mean, we have figurines of garden scenes, busts, etc.

clay

2011-02-25T01:08:00.002-05:00

Arghhh! The last week ran away and hid from me! I finished my eye study piece earlier this week and it was really helpful for me... I think I had to see a bunch of options together so I could decide how to use them. I can't wait to finish up the large sculptures that are in my studio box right now... I have too many ideas to try, I can't wait to move along.

I am so happy that Magda came up to visit us - she was really good to talk to, her demos were really informative, and she was a great speaker. I remember a few years ago, when I first started working in ceramics, I had a post card from the Society for Contemporary Craft on my fridge - it was definitely on of Magda's earlier figures, the lizard headed little girl.

I'm also setting up a show in Bates with the other first year grads this weekend. Tomorrow will be devoted to finishing the last pieces up.

Vandalized Graffiti Wall

2011-02-13T23:14:00.002-05:00

This is an old story from Cornwall, England - but I never get tired of it!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/3202767/3000-graffiti-wall-vandalised-by-disgruntled-taxpayer.html

Salad Days 2011!

2011-02-12T13:27:00.003-05:00

Here's a little plug for Watershed... If anyone feels like taking a little vacation this summer, take a look at the Salad Days event at Watershed in Newcastle, Maine.

It is July 9th and includes an all you can eat buffet, keg beer, local music, and lots and lots of ceramics! It costs $30 and includes the food and beer and a gratiab salad plate! You can roam around Watershed and the adjacent organic cow farm, check out the resident artists studios and shop for pottery at the invitational pottery sale. Watershed is a super special place located right near the water and in easy driving distance to Wiscassett ("the prettiest village in Maine"), lobster, and art.

jessica harrison

2011-02-12T13:09:00.003-05:00

I was searching for ceramic figurines online and i found Jessica Harrison - a british sculptor who has this zombie fetish figurine thing going on... I particularly admire the pooling of blood.

Here is her link: http://www.jessicaharrison.co.uk/page6.htm

Here is a piece from a related body of her work - teeth are creepy! AHH ITS EATING ME!!!

Work in Progress

2011-02-12T12:37:00.004-05:00

I love all the collaborative projects this semester!

In ceramic seminar we are doing a work exchange. Everyone made three pieces of greenware, we switch it up, and then we do the surface work. Hopefully we will have a show later this spring of all the completed work. I have a Decker, a Ghisson, and a Loveless. I am in the contemplative stage of the process... I stare at them and they stare at me. I'll just draw a bunch of elephants on 'em

Collaboration with Mr.Ence

2011-02-12T12:36:00.002-05:00

I'm super-pumped. One of my goals this semester to collaborate with Mr. Ence on a few pieces. Deric threw one of his lovely jars for me this week and I am slowly but surely finishing it up. I just cut up the bottom and some windows and am working on a slab of drawings to insert into 'em.

The drawings are going to be a little tricky - I like the slab to be a hard leatherhard before I carve into them. Which is a little to dry to put them into the windows... if that makes sense. Hopefully the clay can withstand some dry/wet yo-yo-yo-ing.

I was really giddy when started working Deric's pot. As I say, straight lines and super balanced work makes me nervous and was literally shaking when I went to make the windows and bottom. Like I was going to get caught vandalizing.

Because I was so nervous, I messed up cutting the lines out (they hit the seam of the top and bottom) but I am just going to embrace that and keep moving forward with it. It seems like any attempt to fix it will really just make it worse.

The windows in the pot are shaped like my plant drawings and I made a few cut outs on the lid in cloud shapes. In the picture the piece is upside-down - but I really like that shape!

Who Says Ceramics and Performance Art Don't Mix?

2011-02-02T23:28:00.002-05:00

We were talking about conceptual and contemporary art in Art Theory Seminar - and, inevitably, the discussion turned to what is good and bad conceptual art and why. Now, one might say that conceptual performance art + clay=mud. And one would be right.

The artist JJ McCracken makes the strongest and most eloquent case that performance art and clay does not necessarily equal mud. I wander to her website periodically and wallow in the senseless vapidity of my own work. You can too -> just visit www.jjmccracken.com

Seriously, I love her pieces - especially Stasis and the Hunger Project Performance. The Hunger Project reads like an Austrian opera set.

The Creatures Emerge

2011-01-31T14:07:00.005-05:00

Bisqued the two large sculptures in the car kiln this weekend. Getting much more comfortable with the process - still feel like I am going to blow myself up when I light the pilots.

The figures reduced ALOT at the end - seriously when I looked in the peep hole I thought I lost an eyebrow. The sculptures go from being black-grey-red-brown. I was thinking about pit firing some sculptures so I could leave some areas raw and smokey and some parts painted... hmmm....

ARTWORKS ERIE!

2011-01-30T11:16:00.003-05:00

Went with the other first year grads to visit the Artworks galleries in Erie - on State Street. We had a meeting at 9 am on Saturday am - which was NOT my idea. Miraculously we made it - unfortunately I forgot my camera so I pirated some images.

The space is amazing! The building has a wonderful feel, in no small part b/c of the wonderful managers (?) John and Deb! They showed us the spaces, brought us up to their respective studios and showed us their work. I want to be friends.

John created this crazy copper/metal automaton thing with gears and pulleys that rotate glass spheres in an orbit. I think it was for Hammermill? He made it 20 years ago and is now refurbishing it with another artist.

Deb is an alumni of edinboro and teaches at the museum and is involved in bunch of artist groups. Such good energy, a wonderful change of pace – even if we had to wake up at 730am to meet them Saturday!

Derek, Kevin, and Cara were part of group show in the space last summer - here is one of Derek's pictures from the opening. (Thanks D3!) This is the smaller side that is finished with cosey nooks.

Meadville Council for the Arts, PA

2011-01-28T21:54:00.004-05:00

I ran over to Meadville today to check out the Meadville Council for the Arts gallery. It is super bright - wonderful natural light from the window (and lovely track lighting as well) and wood paneled floors.

They also have the room subdivided with 3/4 walls.

Meadville also has this kickass roadside "mural" made of recycled metal road signs. This picture does not do justice...

Fear and Oscar

2011-01-26T23:54:00.004-05:00

I really like to read books like a grazer - paragraph here and there, munching away and letting things digest.

I did manage to finish a story from the Complete Fairy Tales of Oscar Wilde called "The Birthday of the Infanta." The story super lush, full of descriptions of the personal communiation and social structures of garden flowers and sundials set amidst the princess' birthday celebrations - but here is this really beautiful passage:

"The arena was then cleared amidst much applause and the dead hobby-horses dragged solemnly away... a French posture-master performed upon the tight rope, some Italian puppets appeared in the semi-classical tragedy of Sophonisba on the stage of a small theatre... They acted so well, and their gestures were so extremely natural, that at the close of the paly the eyes of the Infanta were quite dim with tears. [T]he Grand Inquisitor himself was so affected that he could not help saying to Don Pedro that it seemed to him intolerable that things made simply out of wood and coloured wax, and worked mechanically by wires should be so unhappy and meet with such terrible misfortunes."

I also started Art and Fear - which we are reading for the graduate theory seminar class. I feel like I read this a long time ago, but I can't remember details.

Just flipping through here some words I want to stew:

'We have met the enemy and he is us.' - Pogo.

"The Pooh Perplex: A Freshman Casebook In Which it is Discovered that the True Meaning of the Pooh Stories is Not as Simple as is Usually Believed, But for Proper Elucideation Requires the Combined Efforts of Several Academicians of Varying Critical Persuasions."
-> I don't even care what this means or why it is in a book about the art making process. I shall strive for this artistry in all of my titles from now on.

Some quotes regarding art v. craft:

"Yet curiously, the progression of most artists' work over time is a progression from art toward craft."
"Craft is the visible edge of art."
"With craft, perfection is possible"
"Your job as an artist is to push craft to its limits- without begin trapped by it."

Did you know that Frank Lloyd Wright told young architects to make sure that ivy was planted around their first buildings. Hopefully, given time the ivy would overtake these buildings so that they would not be haunted by the naivete of their first works.

Esteban and Sebastian

2011-01-26T23:15:00.003-05:00

I had this really interesting discussion with someone today about personal imagery and how to assign meaning to imagery. We started talking about the process of embracing imagery and then stepping away from it and trying to decipher meaning from the image and the process of making the image. I think it is important to listen to the inner dialogue that happens as you work with images and we started talking about books that influence our images and vocabulary.

That got me thinking about the earliest stories that I remember reading/watching - Charlotte's Web b/c my mother read it to me and it was the first time I remember being moved to tears by a story. There was also this series of picture books that my mom read to me all the time (and she'll kill me, but I can't remember the title) that recorded the cyclical life of farmers and farm animals. We read these books so much that the bindings broke apart. I'm trying to pin point what was so important to me (then and now) about those farm stories. Whether it was the comfort that comes in cyclical living, or the dependability of animal's role, or the presence of animal characters. Still thinking...

Just curious, does anyone remember the cartoon, Esteban and the Cities of Gold? It was broadcast in the early 1980's from a French/Japanese company. In it Esteban is a small child regarded as the son of the sun. Linked to the New World by a gold coin given to him by his father, he is scooped up by the unscrupulous gold hunter to divvy out the gold cities of Mesoamerica. The Fountain of Youth and the Lines of Nazca, not to mention the Olmec and Aztec people and gods make cameos.

Here is a link:
http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/?q=esteban+and+the+cities+of+gold+pray+to+the+sun&vid=323341C88F9EE64369CA323341C88F9EE64369CA&FORM=VIRE8

It's super weird and creates this strange pan-Latin American world with little regard to geography or time - but it was hands down my most favorite cartoon growing up and probably the earliest show I remember watching. That and the countdown sequence in "3-2-1 Contact." Now I enjoy my memories of watching the show more than actually watching it now.

The other show that my memory constantly melds with "Cities" is "Belle and Sebastian" - another Japanese series. This one is about an orphan (sebastian) who befriends a huge white dog (belle) and travels across the French alps in search of his missing mother. Belle kinda acts as a surrogate mother, protecting Sebastian as they brave the elements and have scraps with the local law enforcement.

I guess my point is that articulating the meaning of images and their meaning to you is so layered and vague. The wonderful challenge is in opening up memories and thinking about stories that shape your perspective - and then trying to describe those in between moments and chain of thought to someone on the outside of you. Even if the best description is just - "like in that scene when Belle growls and Esteban forces open the clouds."

Week One.

2011-01-21T18:20:00.009-05:00

I finished the two large figures that I started last semester. The one that looks all crumbly was finished by alternating layers of sprayed water and flung fistfuls of kaolin. They are each about 40 inches tall and super heavy. Both figures will have a wooden platform constructed for them with accompanying plant life and perhaps an elephant or two.

I made the arms separately and they will be epoxy-ed after everything has been fired and painted. I punched holes in the shoulder joints so that a metal rod can be used for extra joint-joining power.

I also fired up two totally sweet "cookie cutter" boxes. They will get fired up to cone 6/7 and then waxed 'n' buffed.

Here are dualing views of the first one. It has only been bisqued to cone 04, after the next firing the tan lines will be more pronounced... might add some more washes and shadow.

And the good news on the second...

...and the bad news.

I mean really... this box totally blew it. Really like the color washes and the inlaid lines... hopefully the next one will want to live.

welcome back...

2011-01-19T11:20:00.000-05:00

As predicted I totally suck at keeping a blog. The short story from the summer: I made about 600 plates, they are pretty awesome, come to Salad Days in July 2011.

The short story from my first semester in grad school: I'm over lowfire red clay for a while, I tried a bunch of different clay bodies and glazes, and I have a new direction to take my functional work - more on that later.

I started working in figurative sculpture - started with a series of small "sketches" focusing on messing with surface. I looked at terra sigillatas, oxide washes, rubber, flocking, slips/underglazes - and I fell back on acrylic paint strangley enough.

At the end of the semester I started two 2/3 life size pieces and am just finishing them up for bisque. I'm hoping to construct a system of platforms/ramps to display these figures. I am actually going to have to finish these guys b/c all the first years are going to have a show in the Bates student gallery this March.(!)

This semester (1)I'm going to focus on finishing my two large sculptures (sticking with the acrylic)and build the displays for the bates show. (2)make a bunch (5?)of small scale pieces to try encaustic with (3)continue working on the functional stuff using cone 6 clay bodies.

I'll have some images up soon!

Welcome! Goals. History.

2010-04-28T12:40:00.000-04:00

Welcome! I created this blog to document my work at the Watershed Center for Ceramic Art in the summer of 2010 and, eventually, as a graduate student in the Ceramic Department at the Edinboro University of Pennsylvania.

I tend to not be vigilant with these kinds of things so we'll see how it goes...

This summer I will be at Watershed as the 2010 Salad Days Artist - hard at work creating 500 plates for the annual fundraiser. I've been going through cycles of nervousness (vomit) to cautious optimism (dangerdanger!). All I tell myself is that I crank when given ample time and space... that and prozac keeps me level.

My work so far has focused on narrative imagery in functional forms. I work in hand-built low fire red and white clay with commercial and non-commercial slips, underglazes, stains, and Amaco underglaze pencils. This is my current artist statement:

In my work, I focus on functional ware as a vehicle for personal, narrative imagery. The utilitarian piece offers a unique platform for drawn imagery: it emphasizes the individual hand of the maker in an often homogeneous global market, drawings brings the utilitarian object out of the backdrop of daily routine, and places drawn art in an area where it can interact with the consumer/viewer’s personal space. I am interested in the shapes and tools of the domestic home and hearth as metaphors for the inner world of emotions, psychological processes, and spiritual aspirations such as: nourishment, protection, purity, self-sufficiency, envy, and fear. Narratives depict doll-like characters wielding pins, or running from washing machines in a flat, ambiguous dream world. Mittens deny us our ability to feed, protect, or express ourselves fully. Scissors and pins are our tools for transformative processes, while the washer machine offers purification. Characters in animal suits illustrate our uneasy existence as human animals and our desire to declaw our most potent emotions and instincts and make them cuddly. Pull toys comment on the ability to move through life; the desire to act according to one’s will and also the comforting lure of being a passenger while others are decisive.
My pieces are fired multiple times to cone 05-03 as images are developed through layers of commercial and non-commercial slips, stains, under glaze, and glaze. By working in layers, I achieve a painterly surface that preserves a sharply drawn line. I am drawn to the low fire process because it allows me to work intuitively and quickly through the surface treatment process.

I've been experimenting with figurative sculpture techniques, so hopefully this blog will capture the transformation from pots to sculpture!