Next piece

This piece will be suspended on the rod like a vagabond's pack.

Last Wednesday was the first meeting with mentor Jann Nunn at her Oakland studio.  Since my work was still "green" and fragile, I wasn't able to transport it. We looked at some artists' work on-line she had pulled together, and discussed issues I am concerned with.  Even though it feels like I am continuing in several directions at once, there are things I feel that are necessary to resolve in order to move forward. So far, I have created one large pile of squashed pots and two figurative pieces. Next I will be pursuing the bound swan. Beneath it all, and an important element I need to address, is the presentation of the work: how can I display the work so the pedestal is seen as integral to the piece?

Yesterday I purchased some clear lucite discs and tubes (to the tune of $96) which I put together as stands for two of last semester orbs.  They really seem to hover now; a technique I may use for future presentation.  For the works in progress, I have done some loose sketches which will be firmed up and given to a metal worker to fabricate some cage like pedestals. I've built the newest piece on a board propped at an angle so the figure appears to be going uphill.  I brought the large mass of squashed pots to Sacramento to be bisque fired yesterday but while trying to load it in the kiln, it came apart in sections (the pots probably shifted during transport) so the form eventually was narrow enough to fire in my kiln. Back it went, saving me the $90 firing fee.  I just hope I can get it back together properly! My first two pieces are loaded in the kiln and are air drying. It can't be rushed because I'll encounter cracking and they'll explode if the thick walls are not dry first. The triple digit temperatures were are having should help move them along although I don't look forward to starting up the kiln!

Also in the past week I squeezed in a trip to Santa Barbara and LA to help my partner with his parents and to go to the Getty to see Heaven, Hell, and Dying Well: Images of Death in the Middle Ages. I can't say that I found the exhibit enlightening. Although I studied a 14th century manuscript for my senior thesis at Yale, I was surprised at how miniscule most of the illuminations were. The most engaging show was on Messerschmidt and his impact on contemporary artists http://www.getty.edu/art/exhibitions/messerschmidt/.  There was a fantastic Tony Cragg sculpture and terrific works by Tony Bevan.


Yesterday I learned that my dear cat that I've had for 17 of his 18 years has stomach cancer.