Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Art meets Science: Views of the Arab World

I am excited to be featured on Ben Hennig's Views of the World blog today.  I have been using his maps to create my Constructed Cartogram Series.  Ben's blog is facinating. I hope you enjoy checking it out.  Thanks Ben for the feature and for all of your fabulous maps.
http://www.viewsoftheworld.net/?p=2171

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

New work- Lighting conundrum

  Last night I had Jay Jones over to photograph my new work.   He and I are having an ongoing conversation about capturing the surface of my sculptures with stark shadows versus the soft lighting that most people are using these days. I am including the soft lighting version of Qatar for an example. I  like them both, but wonder which style shows the surface treatment better? I like the dramatic lighting, but is it too much? I would love some opinions on this issue. Thanks!
Egypt

Qatar dramatic lighting
Qatar soft lighting
Afghanistan
Fukushima crossing the North Pacific
Egypt, vellum drawing

Kuwait, vellum drawing
Libya, vellum drawing


Sunday, October 14, 2012

Collaborating with Veronica De Jesus

by Veronica De Jesus
I am excited to be collaborating with Veronica De Jesus on a sculpture of this basketball player that she drew. We had our first work day today at my studio.  She is sculpting the head and I roughed out the shoes, legs, and started the the shorts.  He is going to a very big guy.  I have never made a figure this large. I know we are in for some challenges but I think we are up for it. We are using Dixon clay and building the armature out of half inch pipe.  Check out Veronica's fabulous work on her website. www.veronicadejesus.com  I will post new updates as the piece progresses.  Wish us luck!





 

Sunday, October 7, 2012

September phew!

detail of North Pacific
September was a busy month for shows this year.  I will get back on the blog updates once I get some of my new work photographed.  I sold Libya and the drawing that went with it, so that is good news.  The texture above is what I plan to use for the NCECA show in March. I have a ton of work ahead of me.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Ceramics Annual of America 2012

I am excited to be showing my Constructed Cartograms this weekend at the Ceramics Annual of America at Ft. Mason in San Francisco.  Please check out the event website for the scheduled lectures and demos at http://www.ceramicsannual.org/?page_id=6   Below is the statement for this current body of work.  A big thanks to Ben Hennig for letting me sculpt work based on his maps.  I am attaching an example below in case you haven't seen my process. Please contact me if you need tickets to visit the show!


Constructed Cartograms

         Online research led me to the Worldmapper website where I found the unique two-dimensional shapes created by Benjamin D. Hennig’s  Phd. research. These gridded population cartograms reflected the human landscape, but also suggested abstracted insects, animals, and flora.  I was intrigued by the possibility of sculpting these shapes and Ben was enthusiastic about a cross-pollinization of the arts and sciences. Images of my sculpted cartograms have been included in several of his lectures including a presentation to Population Special Group at the 2012 meeting of the Association of American Geographers (AAG) in New York.
         The first phase of this body of work has focused on the countries of the Middle East.  Interpreting maps that reflect the location of the people seemed like an appropriate place to begin. Color and texture always play an important role in my sculpture.  The gold and silver line work is used to suggest the potential for human flexibility and success. The crawly, cracking glazes represent shifting circumstances and political changes.
         The maps presented in these sculptures are equal area cartograms, otherwise known as density-equalizing maps. The cartogram re-sizes each territory according to the variable being mapped. In this case the variable is the human population. The underlying grid ensures the preservation of an accurate geographic reference to the real world.  Please view Ben’s website at www.worldpopulationatlas.org for more maps and information. 
Kuwait

Add caption

Saturday, August 18, 2012

New finished work- Morocco

Finally Finished!

photo credit Wilfred J. Jones






I saw this Rhinopias fish on Pinterest today. Doesn't it look like this piece?

5/22/12
Well I went for the full on mehndi. Now to let it slowly dry and get it bisqued!
5/16/12
Today I finally finished the surface and moved on to the line work.

5/1/12

4/29/12 update
I started to surface treatments today.  I am using the rolled Keraflex for the front decoration.  I am thinking Morocco wedding theme. Don't ask me why, because I have no idea how it became wedding themed... other than my henna mehndi research, and the cakes, well....maybe I do know.  He he.  I know the how, but the why is another story.  





Building this has been very fun.  I am enjoying the scale.  At this point it is all about the form.  I am making adjustments and working it out.  Next comes the surface treatment. I can't wait.

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Monday, June 18, 2012

New work in progress-Afghanistan




This is the newest in the cartogram series.  It has been challenging to work on this piece because of the multitude of complexities surrounding the country.  How do you represent Afghanistan?  I am doing my best.    Right now it is too big for my kiln so it may have to travel....

Sunday, June 10, 2012

New Work in Progress- Egypt




  I am loving this larger format.  It is very exciting to see them at this scale. The technical issues are challenging. I am fighting cracks and repairing the thin coils, but I think it is worth the fussing.

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Work in progress-Jordan




 I am having fun with this one. I am playing with Lana Wilson's slip carving technique and trying to tweak it into my own thing. What do you see?

Friday, March 23, 2012

More New Work from the Cartogram Series

Tunisia

Libya

Iran Unlocked

Iraq
  I took down the Ruby's show on Monday and photographed these pieces on Wed.  I love my photographer!

Monday, March 12, 2012

New work in progress- Kuwait



I have been working on this cartogram construction for the past few days.  I am experimenting with Lana Wilson's hand-building and slip carving techniques.  Fun stuff.
  ****Update on this piece.... It blew up in the bisque.  I will be remaking it better than the original.  Lesson of the day-be careful bisquing in the test kiln!

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Workshop with Lana Wilson



I did a workshop today with Lana Wilson at 4th and Clay.  These are just a few of the pieces she did during the full day workshop.  I love that slip carving technique on the bowl.  I will definitely try that one and the others as well.  Her website is http://lwilso2.otherpeoplespixels.com/home.html check it out!

Friday, March 9, 2012

New work in progress

This is a plate for the Plates and Totems show coming up.  I am using the Keraflex porcelain again and enjoying it.  I hope it survives the firings!
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