Faces of Grief
Constructed of found metal rings and porcelain figures which represent the human face in an abstract form, this work depicts how we survive during our times of grief and put on a brave face when really we're keeping it all together with a thread (see detailed image below) The raw rusted material of the rings mirrors the rawness of grief. The intersecting circles show our spheres of influence where we put on the noble face of someone who is whole and intact, yet we're really broken and trying to heal. Each of these figures is broken and in a different state of mending. The shadows become part of the work. In this setting, a heart-shaped shadow is visible behind the sculpture which speaks to the connection between love and grief. The shadowed faces appear hole reinforce the overall message. This work measures 6.5' x 4.5' x 2'.
Untitled #1
This metal and fused glass sculpture is a collaboration between myself and Juliana Ward, a fellow student at the University of Cincinnati. We wanted to create a work that demonstrated celebration and togetherness. We were pleasantly surprised by how much the shadow adds to the energy of the piece. This work is 5.5' x 4.5'.
Serenity
Serenity is a 23" tall steel and glass sculpture. This sculpture is intended to live in a place of contemplation. Preferable my hometown, Hamilton, OH. I'd like to see it picked up by the City of Sculpture as a new piece to decorate the River's Edge/Marcum Park area. You'll see a photo of it in the green space on the way to the River's Edge amphitheater.
Ideally, this work would be placed at the top of the hill, near the Marcum Apartments near River’s Edge, the City's outdoor music venue. Located near the banks of the Great Miami River, and in Marcum Park, this sculpture will be enjoyed for years by those attending the music venue, walking traffic to the park, many restaurants and shops in the downtown area. It would also be visible to those utilizing the walking path by the river.
With the introduction of additional car and foot traffic in Hamilton from the opening of Champion Mill Sports Complex, the design is a nod to the City's long illustrious history with water. Fort Hamilton was strategically situated on the Great Miami River as a pivotal location for those traveling East to West in the early days of settlement of the United States. The Miami Erie canal which was a 274 mile canal that ran from Cincinnati to Toledo, Ohio was a water route created to link the Ohio River and Lake Erie. The continual supply of water made Hamilton a perfect location for industries like the many paper mills, foundries and manufacturing facilities. Not to mention Hamilton's 2016 "Best Tasting Tap Water in the World honor. As our city becomes filled with weekend athletes, this walking path will generate a good deal of traffic. The sculpture will provide a modern and positive experience for visitors. And, it will provide a modern touch to our City’s already lovely sculpture collection.
Serenity will encourage those who approach the sculpture to enjoy the reflective quality of the glass as the sun moves across the horizon. It will serve as a contemplative element in the landscape and provide a serene atmosphere for those enjoying the park and attending the concerts.
With the introduction of additional car and foot traffic in Hamilton from the opening of Champion Mill Sports Complex, the design is a nod to the City's long illustrious history with water. Fort Hamilton was strategically situated on the Great Miami River as a pivotal location for those traveling East to West in the early days of settlement of the United States. The Miami Erie canal which was a 274 mile canal that ran from Cincinnati to Toledo, Ohio was a water route created to link the Ohio River and Lake Erie. The continual supply of water made Hamilton a perfect location for industries like the many paper mills, foundries and manufacturing facilities. Not to mention Hamilton's 2016 "Best Tasting Tap Water in the World honor. As our city becomes filled with weekend athletes, this walking path will generate a good deal of traffic. The sculpture will provide a modern and positive experience for visitors. And, it will provide a modern touch to our City’s already lovely sculpture collection.
Serenity will encourage those who approach the sculpture to enjoy the reflective quality of the glass as the sun moves across the horizon. It will serve as a contemplative element in the landscape and provide a serene atmosphere for those enjoying the park and attending the concerts.
Circle of Life
The assembly of an object out of many smaller objects is a great metaphor for life. One builds a life from individual experiences. This work explores two main elements. The plaster fish which make up the shark and the glass circles which help to define the shark by alluding to the bubbles and water-like environment in which you’d expect to find both. A simplified version of the circle of life. One might see the shark as one aspect of their life and the fun erratic bubbles as being another, each helping to define the other. The despair of the shark image against the hope and optimism in the bubbles speaks to a common dichotomy in life. I’m interested in exploring the optical effects of these two elements. The repeating elements and intervals between them creates a sense of rhythm and movement. I’m always shocked by how difficult it is to make things look random. There is a huge disparity between the transparency of the circles and the opaque nature of the fish. The random rhythm of the glass is a stark departure to the regular rhythm of the fish. The diversity created in the topographical placement of the glass creates a push and pull rhythm. There is a consistency created by trying to retain the circular image of the glass on the overall circle of the base of the sculpture. The more organic coral components add a freshness to the overall design and break up the monotony of the circles.
This work is not only a repetition of shape but of color. The choice of color for the glass was dictated by the water-like element but the balance of the glass to plaster was also considered. It was important to create a balance between the fish and the circular elements of the glass. The suspension of this work just off the tabletop creates a tension between the delicate nature of the glass and the impending doom of destruction which is a systematic duplication of the tension theme created by the fish who make up the shark.
It’s always important to me to try and create something unexpected from glass. This work is approximately 33” in diameter and is made of metal, plaster, glass and acrylic. The base is 13" deep.
Chakaia
Constructed on a metal and wood armature with tires for a base, this work is a tribute to one of my favorite contemporary sculptors, Chakaia Booker. To emulate Chakaia's celebratory headdress, the fabric construct was built in the medium of choice for Chakaia, tires. The face was slumped in fused glass in it's elemental form and in the colors you would normally find in her headdress. This bigger than life tribute expresses my admiration for the textural and tonal nature of tires as a medium. Like women, they are strong, durable and protective. The nearly indestructible nature of the tires juxtaposed to the fragility of the glass face speaks to the strong competent nature of women. Not fragile like a flower but fragile like a bomb. A force to be reckoned with.
Where are the women is not only the title but the takeaway for the viewer to think about. Where were the women when Leonardo, Raphael and Michelangelo were creating during the renaissance? They were there but have practically been forgotten by those who were entrusted to record art history. Where are today's women artist? Is there one who can compare to the celebrity status of Richard Serra or Jeff Koons? The answer is yes, of course. This tribute is a reminder that women are creating and producing phenomenal works of art.
This work incorporates automobile, motorcycle, trailer, ATV and bicycle tires. It stands 82" tall and 37" wide. I dare not guess the total weight and that would be impolite anyway.
Connecting
In the creative arts, the hand speaks, and one senses the tremendous power of the hand to convey human emotions. The hands are an extension of the one's emotions which, except for the face, have been used most often in the various art forms to express human feeling. This slumped glass bowl is 22.5" in diameter and has been sandblasted on one side to enhance the relief details.
Glass Ceiling
Three strong and significant women I've long admired (Greta Thunberg, Condoleezza Rice and Ruth Bader Ginsburg) are supporting the weight of a glass ceiling while delicately balanced on one point to the base. The glass is covered in hands symbolizing the pressure weighing down on these women. Retaining the feminine qualities they have all exuded with their braid, pearl necklace and lace collar, these women have moved mountains. Not accepting the status quo, these women, with their fierce looks, have broken all kinds of social barriers. The glass barrier features hands in relieve from the bottom and top which gives the glass a fractured appearance. This piece is metal and glass 15" x 15" x 10"
Delta Existence
As a basic study of form, color and structure, this work explores the challenges of forming a three dimensional object from flat planes. The addition of color which builds from large to small, bottom to top, encourages the viewer to follow the color choice around the object. The basic pyramid/delta shape speaks to the change which occurs in the medium during firing. The combination of circular and triangular elements combines basic formal design elements. The transparency of the pyramid allows for ghostly colors to be seen from all sides. The natural bubbles formed between the two base layers of glass capture a moment in time before the glass becomes molten and then begins to cool and solidify capturing the air at that particular moment. A testament to the fleeting moment of an experience. Technically, the challenges of cutting glass, firing it and then building a structure from it were all great experiences. Total time designing and cutting and constructing, 7 hours. Total time firing, 30 hours. The dimensions of this work ar 12" x 9" (the base of the pyramid is 6").
NOthing to put here
Matchbook Nostalgia
This insanely huge matchbook is 20” x 25.25” x 4”. It’s comical by the mere size of it. The exterior photo provided shows this matchbook next to an ordinary book of matches. The exterior is corrugated cardboard painted white with green lettering and a fused glass shamrock. I couldn’t resist including a glass. The green tape used as a graphic element on one side was once a popular design. The matchbook was created for a fictious Irish pub but is a part of the artist signature. Between the name of the pub and the handwritten name on the inside cover of the matchbook, this piece is sufficiently signed by the artist. When you open the matchbook, the stem of the matches are made of chip board and edge banding was used to form the sulfur head. Gray charcoal was used to immolate the wax line on a match to ensure a consistent flame. The real struggles with this project were cutting clean lines in the corrugated cardboard and the bending of the edge banding on the match heads.
The nostalgia of the matchbook dates back to a time when hundreds of thousands of businesses across the globe had printed matchbooks for patrons. But, in addition to using the matches, it was customary to grab a book of matches from a bowl on the bar or restaurant and jot down a person’s name and number so you could call them later to do business or to ask them out. Everyone had a book of matches in their home, now hardly anyone does. Even now, the smell of a match reminds me of the days when they were lit all around us as people socialized and conversed. Brides and grooms would have them printed with their wedding date for the reception hall. People all over the world collected them as a token of where they had been on vacation or while they traveled about. My father traveled for work weekly and would bring home matches from everywhere he went to dinner. With eight children, it was a small token to remind us that he was thinking about us while he was out and he’d regale us with the story of the people he met.
