Place cont..

New work looking at "place". Not finished yet but getting there.

Place & Location

These two pieces are part of my exploration of "place".  Combining lines based on road maps from my region of Vermont with patterning, geometric shapes and color to represent a geographic location. I can't seem to escape patterning so I am just going to embrace it! I am interested in looking further into "place" vs "landscape" and how people respond to differently based on their geographic locations.

Experimentations

Here is one of my experimentations. I have been exploring the cultural landscape and environmental geography. How people adapt, change and respond to their surroundings. I have been using watercolor, ink and encaustic to create "landscapes" responding to the marks using color, patterns and symbols.  Not sure where it's going or what the finished work will be. Still feeling a bit lost and want to run back to ceramics on a daily basis but I'm sticking it out!

Uh Oh!!!!

So here I am working away on a series of work that embodies the message of womens' roles in modern society and WHAM it hits me. This is not what I want to be doing!  Uh oh! I have just realized that I have been forcing myself to work within a subject that I think will be of value in the art community not what I find of value to me!  I have been struggling to create art that went along with this concept but I keep running into dead ends and a profound lack of interest on the subject. Not that this is not an important issue, its just not my important issue.

So I dug out a few of my old Anthropology and Geography texts from Undergrad (Yes, I am a closet nerd!!) to take a break from art & critical theory heaviness. Reading them over raised many questions.  I found I had a multitude of ideas and directions to go in with my work.  I now understand that I need to put these concepts and ideas into my art. So..... I am scraping all I have done this semester and starting anew! I have so many things I want to explore that I feel energized and can not wait to get started. Just needed to share this with you all. Wish me luck. Who knows what will come out of it!

Something different

I couldn't help but post these images. This is the body of work I have been creating at the same time I've been working on my "non-clay"  AIB work. They are part of my exhibit that opened yesterday. They are so fun I just wanted to share them with everyone.

New work!

I have had an exciting few weeks. Experimenting with new mediums and techniques.  I attended a fantastic encaustic workshop at R&F Paints in Kingston, NY taught by very talented Lorraine Glessner.  Check her work out here www.lorraineglessner.net  Since retuning from the work shop I have been very excited to explore the encaustic medium. I have been using objects, materials and techniques that are traditionally thought of as part of the domestic sphere. Such as irons, wall stencils, fabric patterns, lace, embroidery thread & sewing transfer paper in my work. Here are two recent works, mind you these are still in the early stages.

Frustration!!!

So since the residency ended I have been exploring other mediums. My results have been less than satisfactory! I have been working with fabric/textile to create vessels as well as encaustic/collage. Really nothing is coming together for me. I have yet to finish a single piece.  I'm stressed and worried that the semester will end and I'll have nothing to show for it! I 'm not giving up yet but I do have to ask myself if it is a mistake to not be working in ceramics?