Monday, December 19, 2011

Last piece of semester

This piece combines aspects of my abstract and figurative work. Title is still to come.  I made the deflated swan and spiky form and realized it needed something to pull it together much like the doily in the other swan piece, hence the puddle with mirror.  The yellow string goes from the pull tag on the swan to wrap around the spiky form's neck.  There are three separate ceramic components and I may continue to adjust their position.
hand-built ceramic with mirror and string, 17"w x 9.5"d x 8"h

Monday, December 5, 2011

December

The semester is coming to a close.  I've had my last meeting with Robert Ortbal and am writing the semester summary.  It feels as if my work has blasted off and is now returning back to earth.  I've enjoyed the freedom but am trying to rein it in with this last piece.  While it waits to be fired (as it dries), I will get back to reading and visiting the museum exhibitions that have opened in Sacramento and the Bay Area before the holidays kick in and my kids return home.
   This piece, still untitled, portrays a deflated swan beside an organic spiked orb.  A thin rope will run from the next of the swan and loop around the orb.  The orb will probably be glazed a rustic golden combination of colors where as the swan will have a matt finish over the underglaze to appear plastic.  With this piece, I am combining the use of amorphus organic forms with the trompe l'oeil icon of contemporary culture to see where they meet.

hand built ceramic greenware: 17"w x 11"d x 8"h