After talking to Tim at the beginning of the quarter and having alot of my ideas change, the past month was a whirl wind of trying to get closser to the center of the metaphorical target for my show. I decided to make figual sculptures simmiar to the the ones I was making last quarter, as well as make sensory mittens to contrast the physical and the emotional. I'll post my artist statement so you can read it. After getting closer to the center the colmination of my past for years at OU has finally happened!!!! My BFA thesis, I can't belive I pulled it off. I was almost positvie that it might not happen. I had a few misshaps this week ( the ceramics disaster strikes again,) with my first glaze firing not turrning out so well, on friday (I installed on Sunday) I choose to rush a re-fire which luckally turned out alot better than the first one. I broke a few mittens while sanding them, which meant I had exactly enough with no room to screw up. And the last bit of furr that I had got ruined sitting on top of my shelves, so I had to take an emergency trip to parkersburg. The rest of the weekend was dedicated to building pedastools, sanding, primer, and painting them, while also hanging the mechanics of the whole show.
After talking with my coleuges that I was showing with Amanda informed me that she was going to paint one of the walls in the gallery black. I originally accepting of the idea when I thougth she was going to paint the whole wall. When I showed up on Sunday she had began to tape off a really crazy stripe across the wall, i had no idea what was going to happen with that stripe. Amazingly, the painting major couldn't paint a straight line, or do it cleanly, it was really interesting to see. I'm not trying to be cruel but as i was setting up it really was something to see as this girl struggled with painting. Other then the crazy black stripe, setup went alright, a litle stressfull trying to rival my other coleuge Missy's large drip paintings, with placement of work in the gallery, but once some problem solving happened with Tim, it worked out alright. Johannes and Yvonne were amizing, helping me every step of the was and keeping me calm as we watched the gallery transform.
Once I installed Sunday and Monday, I wrongly assumed that it was going to be smooth sailing for the next few days, I was very wrong. Origally we were going to paint our names on the wall, but their plan was to use paint pen (like the gold ones you buy at craft stores) and I couldn't have that on the walls, it would have looked so unprofessional, so i had emergency lettering done at the local print shop. and then of course all the setup, and food prep for the opening. I didn't realize with guests comming into town and lettering to put up, it was going to become challenging to find time to make food. Lucilly my Mom made delicious appetizers.
After the rush of all the setup, was the opening. I think it went really well, I feel like alot of people came, and enjoyed the work wihtin the gallery. People were interacting with my pieces, and I hope were interpreting the work. I think that my viewers were actually engaging for longer then the standard ten sec that they normally engage for. Lots of family and friends came,( I can't believe I have any left) and the whole ceramics department came. It was really nice to have such support from everyone. Audry and Beth, I wish that you could be here for the next few weeks, with all the ceramics shows, it will be a good time. Its sometimes strange to not have etiher of you around.





Here's my artis statement for your reading pleasure, and some pictures from the gallery.

Human beings partake in many actions to keep ourselves comfortable, keep ourselves protected and make sure the outside world is detached from us. We take precautions in our lives, from using sunscreen and passwords, to not allowing ourselves to be seen as vulnerable in the eyes of others. Taking these physical precautions, creates the illusion that we will be "safe” from others keeping our inner selves comfortable.
However, there are times when we let down our emotional and physical guards and allow others in. We create deeper relationships and it then becomes easy to take off our everyday armor. Sadly these bonds can be broken leaving one feeling betrayed, empty, and scared. The tangible things that are taken become nothing in comparison to the emotional holes that are left behind.
This body of work is a reflection on protections that have been lost. Turning my torso into a ceramic piece, I remake myself as something resilient yet fragile. The markings on the bodies are emotions that are felt, like scars they are branded across the chest. These scars can be topical as well as penetrate through the body, this internal and external interaction needs a mediator in skin, whose primary role is as a gate or barrier that maintains the stable relationship between interior and exterior. When protections are lost there are physical and emotional repercussions. I choose to represent these repercussions by creating sensory experiences in the form of metaphoical gloves. These sensory experiences are meant to cause the viewers to question their own comfort levels. The viewer can then make connections between this physical response and the lack of emotional protections that they have felt.

I must admit that this blog is not going to be too different from last weeks, because the activites that took place are very much the same. Which pretty much means I didn't leave the studio; in preperation for next week, the opening of my show. Instead of building, this week was dedicated to firing, lots and lots of sanding ( which is everyone's favorite activiy) glazing, and more firing. Beth and Audry you should feel very lucky that you are in Germany, because had you been here you would have definatly been hired out, either by Joe, Ellisa, or myself. Between the three of use we're employing about 10-15 undergrads at relativly hight rates, for multiple hours a week. Joe has needed loads of help, with epoxying, and applying laytex to objects, we both have been hiring the few left willing, to do sanding and glaze mixing, and Ellisa has keep many people's hands busy with installing her show. I would say that most of the undergrads won't need a summer job at this rate, and will have plenty of beer money for the rest of the quarter the way things are going. However, we're getting closer to finishing, and Joe and I both be installing this weekend, so next week's blog should hopefully be far more interesting, than this one about the ceramics dept again.

So a little update, as to whats going on...

Ellisa installed last weekend and opened on Tuesday night. Everything was wonderful, the walls looked as thought a strange, organic, deep inner jungle had emerged, Erratic Swellings was the perfect title. I the whole space was one giant investigation, it was great to walk around and discover all the secrets hidden in the giant structue. The picures won't do it justice, but it will give you an acceptable idea.




The undergrads in Tim's class (Mahlon, Abby, Johannes, Yvonne and myself) are going to have a show in Columbus with the Ohio State Ceramics Dept, so we're all tying new things, working out ideas, and just plain experimenting, particularly Johannes. We joke that Mahlon's pieces look like giant saposatorys and Abby made a GIANT egg to fire her animals in. Yvonne is making small gargens, which apparently is very different then her usual large work.
Katie is making giant thrown pices with lots of lace details, and Carolyn is blowin clay up with the air compressor (messy!)
The weather is finally getting alittle warmer and the trees are budding, athens is loosing its winter coat and becoming ready for spring/summer.
Don't worry with all this work we have been taking small breaks to chill on the kiln pad. Guess what!? its is loaded with wood!!! Which means Brad's class is going to fire "Flamer Flame" in the middle of may. I'm really exctied to see it finally happen.



Well sadly thats all the interesting news i have for you.

So, I have to admit that this week has been very eventful! Days jam-packed with activities starting at 9am and often running very late into the evening/morning sometimes running as late as 4am. You would think that days filled with such events would be impossible in Athens, and you would be relatively correct. These days have not been loaded with interesting things like gallery hopping, sight seeing, and late night clubbing. Rather, its been spent, in Siegfried hall, in a little space in room 111 right next to Boomer’s door, my studio.
As far that goes, there is officially two weeks till my show opens (counting from today, Tuesday 4/10) and to add a little pressure my last bisque is this Thursday 4/12, I can’t believe how quickly it snuck up on me. So to say the least I’ve been busting my behind to make sure everything works out. With the start of a new quarter and Tim deciding to make me question every move I’ve ever made within the ceramic studio, it has been crazy trying to reassemble the pieces he left me with. On the bright side I think that my show will be that much better because of it. I’ve made some new molds this week, freezing my rear-end off in the wax room while Carolyn made a new torso mold, and fighting off Mahlon for room in the glaze room to work on mitten molds, after finishing those its been fun to pump mad work out of them, as well as learn the quarks of each. I’ve been trying new inlay techniques that Johannes has taught me as well as different ways of mark making. I’ve changed a few execution ideas, and have also been trying to keep down the sick felling I have when I think about all of this working out properly. Joe Davis and I have been each others cheering section trying to keep the other motivated for our openings on the same day, and Johannes, and Yvonne have been reminding us that its impossible to work all the time, and that you have to take breaks or otherwise you make mistakes. It has been good to have such a support system in the studio, though the eighteen-hour days are starting to become a bit overwhelming. I know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel I just have to make sure that I keep running towards it, otherwise it will be right on top of me before I know it.
The studio has been in full force this quarter, classes are full, lots of beginner wheel throwers as well as some crazy hand building projects, John Fitz made a giant mess by hanging bags of whet clay from the ceiling, it looked like a dead body, and Carolyn is blowing up clay, we got a new student, his name is Paul, he seems like a nice boy, and Elliot is back to throwing on the wheel. So all is well in Good Ol A-town, and we miss you guys a lot, it’s not the same with out you.

This week was a week completely dedicated to art! To start things off Johannes, Yvonne and I went to the Dairy Barn Exhibition, going to galleries is always a good way to get your mind started thinking about exhibitions and, to begin exploring new ideas for a body of work while abroad. For me, having helped set up the show, then going to it a few more times for the opening, and artists reception, it was refreshing to be able to see it again almost with new eyes. In the past few weeks since we set it up, we have been in Louisville, and seen a lot of art, lectures and gallery hopped, as well as seeing it with "the Germans" who were seeing it for the first time, helped me see it with a more refreshed eye. The first thing I thought about when Johannes started making was the artist Chris Gustin, he makes large (3ft-4ft) wheel-thrown, then wood fired vessels; Johannes was making large (3ft-4ft) thrown and stacked forms, that he was assembling. I couldn't wait to take him to see Chris Gustins work; one of the first pieces you see when entering the gallery happens to be a Chris Gustin piece, it was great to see his eyes light up with excitement over his pieces. Johannes inspected the piece-taking note of each detail, admiring the pieces grace, and delicacy, though it is such a large piece.
Seeing what Yvonne was making I wasn't quite sure what she was going to like in the gallery, I couldn't wait to see what she was going to choose as her favorite piece. I was only partly surprised when she choose Yoshiro Ikeda, (she makes big, bulky, functional forms, that are thick, hand build, and have heavy crawl, glazes on them.) I was only partly surprised because she has been making things here that are of a more delicate nature, but using thick walls and slips similar to Yoshiro pieces. I was surprised that she had chosen one of the functional items in the room, until later she divulged to me that she had made a series of large teapots at home, that’s obviously when the clarity to her choice came through.

My choices however have changed, as to my favorite piece, originally I liked the delicate, Jeannie Quinn piece, but I have started to prefer the Todd Shanafelt piece more and more each time I see it. I find his, glazes interesting in their necessity to be investigated further, and his forms to remind me of childhood fantasies, of far off places. Being in the gallery, forces me back to reality and starts to make me nervous for the upcoming weeks with my own exhibition to put together.
When it comes to the next few weeks, Tim Berg has come up with quite the rigorous schedule for us all. With all of the connections, being made between our two countries (Germany and America,) we might as well make a few more, so he has planned for our class to have an exhibition in Columbus at the Silver Paint Gallery, with The Ohio State University ceramics department. I think that it will be quite nice to show in Columbus with the other BFA students, the conversations may be refreshing to have coming from another fine art department. Tim is also doing a very good job of questioning every move that we all make. Breaking down every element of our work and causing us to question are ways of making and why. It is good to have a different perspective to stir things up, but is also starting to make me nervous having all things questioned. I think that all of our works will be stronger from the questions. I don’t help with the clarity or the light at the end of the tunnel. With only a few weeks away, the questions are great to be raised, but doesn’t help with the tailspin of an exhibition.
I am really excited to show with a different group of students, I think that the potential for making great connections with other ceramic artists of my age group will be a price less experience.