Tuesday, December 11, 2012

To Boston and beyond...

I've been researching and gathering packing materials for shipping work to AIB. It is hard to believe that the work has to be boxed to leave next Friday, 12/21 in order to arrive on Jan. 2! It has taken at least two trips to each of three suppliers including in the towns of Elk Grove and Woodland to get the appropriate sized boxes. There will be 8 outer boxes total. Everything will be double boxed except for the four largest ones for the pedestals: 40" x 20"x 20" each. These have to be cut to size along with 1" honeycomb cardboard inserts to strengthen the walls. I'm in the process of getting shipping quotes from four sources. The most economical is ground freight if bundled on a pallet. It looks to cost $400-500 each way, not including insurance. I've already spent $300 on boxes.

My exhibition at American River College comes down this Monday. I'll be heading to southern CA over the weekend to see the Ken Price show at LACMA and to visit ailing family.


These loose sketches show thoughts for future work. In one, a chrysalis ceramic form is to hang on a metal cable from a wall hook. There is a companion ceramic piece positioned below like a wax puddle. The other piece is a ceramic body form with steel base. Rough holes are to be burned through the steel to show the upper ceramic nestled in and hanging through the center. Both pieces will likely have some mixed media: pins, mirror, fabric or turf. I may also incorporate fine metal mesh and wax.

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Finished and photographed

Chicken or the Egg, 14"l x 14"w x 16.5"h



Final photos of work after polishing steel, changing out artificial grass for longer turf, and adding extra ceramic and wire elements.
Bobble Head, back

detail

detail

Bobble Head




Knuckle Ball, detail back

Knuckle Ball, detail inside

Knuckle Ball
Mirage, detail 1

Mirage, detail 2

Mirage, side

Mirage
Slither, back

Slither, detail

Slither
Vagabond

Vagabond, detail

Vagabond, side


Sunday, November 25, 2012

Chicken or the Egg?

This piece was started towards the end of September when I was asked by the Crocker Art Museum to do a demonstration for their October Harvest Artmix event. I had found some interesting gourds, a pink pumpkin, a rubber chicken, and an egg, for props. It was shelved after I decided to focus on abstract forms. Even though it is not the direction I've chosen for my thesis, it is still about the clash of beauty and the grotesque, artifice and nature.

This is the first round of color before bisque firing. It is approximately 18"l x 16"w x 17"h.




Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Exhibition installed

Monday was the reception for my exhibition at the Kaneko Gallery, American River College Sacramento. Last Friday, not wanting to take risks with students bumping into ceramic works, we installed the majority of the pedestal pieces in two central islands. In addition there are two on pedestals against the wall and two hanging works. There was a large turnout of students during the reception and I had the opportunity to talk about my work and answer questions. I'll return on Dec. 3rd for a second reception and on the 4th to speak to a class. There are eleven ceramic pieces on view, six of which were created during the previous three semesters.

Meanwhile, I've made some additional small elements for the works already posted. The new longer artificial turf is supposed to arrive next week at long last after which I'll finally be able to have them professionally photographed. It has taken multiple phone calls and emails over a month for it to be delivered. I've started tracking down boxes for shipping the wood/steel bases. Unfortunately the quote for shipping tubes was prohibitively expensive. Last weekend I went to the Berkeley Art Museum and  Berkeley Art Center exhibitions. The Art Museum had large scale installations by the graffiti artist Barry McGee. I found several great resource books there as well. The Berkeley Art Center's "Local Treasure" was a powerful show of ceramic sculpture by Richard Shaw, Annabeth Rosen, Pete Voulkos, Stephen De Stabler, and Nancy Selvin.







Saturday, November 3, 2012

In the details

My current studio time is all about refinement and detail. Now that I've finished my research paper on Beauty and the Grotesque, I'll be fine tuning the work from this semester. I'm so glad Jann suggested I do something with the opening under the hanging form. I found small sewing pins and poked them through the artificial turf. This spiky bulge reflected in the mirror adds another layer of mystery and intrigue.
detail of reflection in mirror

larger detail

full view
Next I'll be cleaning polishing the steel elements in the pedestals. On the "Vagabond" piece, the slant has been corrected and welding is now tacked from below but the steel is very uneven with color. Jann also suggested I make the wood grain less visible so I'll be sanding and repainting the plywood surfaces as well. I am still waiting on the more realistic remnants from Turf Evolutions to complete the other works.

I've trimmed the base to a round on the wooden pedestal; the square form didn't seem to fit. There are now more piano wire "feelers" and I'll also make more "blobs" to hang off of the slats. I'll substitute the taller turf in the base when it arrives.

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

new piece & images



These pieces were presented to Jann Nunn yesterday. They are nearly finished but need some refinement in both pedestal and appendages. The welder agreed to modify the last pedestal due to not meeting my initial specification of a 30 degree slant and for cleaner welds at the mid point. I am going to repaint the wood component of the steel pedestals grey, clean & polish the steel, and make some additional "drips," among other things.

Friday, October 19, 2012

Towards completion

There really isn't a good place to photograph the new work in my studio. I'll bring them to be professionally photographed when done. Yesterday I picked up the three welded pedestals and a metal hook for the fourth piece. The ceramic form that rests on the wooden pedestal is back in the kiln for its fourth firing; the others mostly had three.

I'll post the wall piece after completing the mount for it. The wood forms and mirror have been cut and it just needs to be put together and painted. These works (plus the one not photographed yet) will be presented on Monday to mentor Jann Nunn. Titles haven't come to me.


This piece was created in the last studio session but was waiting the fabrication of the pedestal.

The bottom piece is back in the kiln.


This piece is also in the kiln for another round of color. It is hard to see, but there are ceramic pieces hanging off the wooden framework as well as one that is suspended down the center. It also has piano wire appendages with plastic ends.



Saturday, October 13, 2012

"Stretching Function"

Last night was the reception for the "Stretching Function" exhibit at the Davis Art Center Tsao Gallery. The clear plexi stands under the pedestal works provide lift and make them appear to hover. These are my bowl forms included along with 10 other artists' work. It runs from 10/11 through 11/18. I have works in 3 other group shows in Sacramento, Woodland, and Davis. Next month, I'll be sharing the Kaneko Gallery at American River College, Sacramento with a 2-D artist.





Monday, October 8, 2012

New pedestal

The welder I had employed to fabricate the steel elements of the pedestals dropped out of the picture. I'm meeting with someone new tomorrow. Meanwhile, I've built a new wooden pedestal for a piece that is cooling from the bisque firing. No photos yet so I trust it didn't blow!  The three most recent works should be out of the kiln by morning. There will be some ceramic forms resting (dripping) through the woodwork and another suspended down the middle.
stand in progress with clay forms nestled in

complete except for top board

another view