Sunday, April 21, 2013

The Finish Line

My thesis, "Beautifully Grotesque," is awaiting my advisor's final comments. Time is beginning to open up with teaching obligations ending soon. I'm working to make some refinements in the wood/steel pedestals from last semester. The ceramic firings are complete on the two new works. I've sent out a sketch to get bids on the bed frame for the reclining piece, Doppelgänger. I'm currently working out issues for the hanging piece – no a name yet.

Since I'm told work can't hang from the ceiling, I've devised a way to hang it from a pipe straddling the corner. Luckily, Devin Hough is still willing to let me use his garage; there isn't a open square inch of wall (or corner) in my studio. He is holding the cable which will probably be attached to a hook on the wall. He has offered the most steadfast support during this program. I couldn't have gotten this far without him! More thanks will follow later.

For some unknown reason, I am not able to adequately photograph the color in these new works: it looks washed out. There are three ball chains dripping from the ceramic to the floor. I expect the pipe to be several feet higher when displayed in the gallery at AIB.

Yesterday, I saw a thought provoking exhibition at the Berkeley Art Museum called "Silence" based on John Cage's 4'33." Then I attended a truly inspiring artist talk by Ann Weber at the Berkeley Art Center. She had started as a potter and only found the medium of cardboard at the end of grad school at CCAC. Even though our work is very different, we share many of the same influences such as the drapery in Baroque sculpture and shapes from nature. I've been following her work for years. She wasn't able to be a mentor for my MFA program but I do hope to have a dialogue in the future. It was the perfect model of a artist presentation and gives me much to emulate for my talk in June.

1/2" galvanized pipe is 6 ft. long.

This hook over the pipe looked too big and shiny.

Ball chains dribble onto the floor.


this hook works better

The ceramic will hang approx. 3 ft. from the floor and hopefully at least 5 ft. from the pipe.