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.

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

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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.

New Finished Work- Jordan and Kuwait

Kuwait

Jordan

New cartograms!

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....

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.

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?