Gallery Talk at Blue Spiral 1, October 9th at 4:00pm

I will be giving a gallery talk at Blue Spiral 1 on Friday October 9th at 4:00 pm. This talk coincides with my body of work that is exhibited in Natural Order that runs Sept 3 - Oct. 23, 2015 

In recent years I have been known for my mixed media vessels and paddle forms. In Natural Order I have moved away from my usual mediums of textiles, ceramics, gut and wire and collages on paper. In this new body of work, prunings from my permaculture garden create the foundation of what I consider as "drawings". This new work incorporates aspects of my usual materials, small bits of wire, waxed linen and gut as lashings, instead of cloth I have created net-like filigree using an ancient knotless netting technique. The pieces are presented on panels whose surface is layered with subtle shades of white milk paint that has been inscribed with writing. The sense of a story creates an evocative backdrop for this new work.

"Natural Structure" at Blue Spiral 1, Asheville, NC

These are created of masabi cherry prunings from my garden.

I will have an exciting new body of work in the exhibition "Natural Structure" at Blue Spiral 1, Sept 3 - October 23, 2015. The new work is a collaboration with the fruit trees in my permaculture garden. The fruit trees; masabi cherry, Chinese apricot, belle of Georgia peach, jujube, box elder maple, bittersweet and willow have provided the prunings that I has responded to, manilupated, and embellished. The work began in March when I graft onto my fruit trees, the cut or pruned branches were selectively peeled and shaped to dry. In June I began responding to the branches and they evolved into what I considers mixed media drawings. In addition to the cherry or pear or jujube etc. branches I have incorporated gut, wire, and waxed linen. This new body of work pulls on so many aspects of myself as an artist.

They are presented on hard board panels like paintings and have layers of different shades of white milk paint to create a sense of atmosphere. Subtle layers of words, some physically scratched in like sgrafitto and other written with graphite pencil, are hidden in the layers of milk paint.  The words evoke a sense of a narrative. Historically literary works by writers such as Emerson and Thoreau and many others created a bridge to the natural world, making nature more accessible and bringing the natural world inside thru their words.

This is an exhibition not to be missed. Blue Spiral 1, 38 Biltmore Avenue, Asheville, NC 28801   Mon-Sat 10 - 6, Sun 12 - 5.  828 - 251 - 0202 

"Passage" in Summer Exhibition at Oeno Gallery

"Passage"  32" x 60" salt and wood fired stoneware, steel, encaustic, glass, 23 kt. gold leaf

                                           available thru Oeno Gallery, Bloomfield, Ontario  

"Passage" side view

          

"Passages" is part of the Summer Group Exhibition at Oeno Gallery in Bloomfield, Ontario. "Passages" continues my exploration of using multiples to express a sense of choice. Life is continually presenting one with choices, small and large decisions that determine one's trajectory thru life. Some hit us over the head and others are so subtle that one may not realize that a life altering decision has just been made. "Passage" presents five vessels all created from different clay bodies, finishes and firing techniques. Each vessel and instrument of motion represent a unique emotional sensibility, imbued with the energy of my hand and heart the day I created it.  As I am creating these pieces my mind explores the vast array of life's journeys that have been presented to me thus far and others that are still just ideas or dreams yet unexperienced. My intention for the pieces in this series is that one responds to and selects a vessel and a paddle or "instrument of motion" to guide you on your journey for that day, as needed on another day one selects another combination to assist one on their journey thru life. The variety of forms, material, surfaces and techniques create an array of sensibilities to respond to and select from.