Color Study

Color study in preparation for finishing this clay panel, called ‘weighted’.

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Works in progress

Here’s a glimpse into some of the new figurative work I’m exploring. The first is a paper clay form. Here it is in the sculpting stage:

Here it is, brushed with underglaze and ready to be loaded into the gas kiln for the final firing:

The second piece is stoneware with porcelain glazing and porcelain winged forms around the head. This one is still in the greenware stage. The wax circles on the cheeks allowed the stoneware to show through in those areas when I was applying the porcelain glazing.

Exploring figurative content is feeling rewarding and so challenging!

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Mixed Media Installations

It feels so fun to print, draw and paint a vertical surface, then explore the interplay of ceramic elements on top.

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Exploring figurative fragments

Figurative content is completely new for me. I’m enjoying the exploration and the challenge of interpreting new forms.

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Results from the wood kiln.

The Gather Series:

 

 

 

And some others:

 

 

 

 

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Twirl. Blush. Hive.

Clay and glass.

 

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El Fuego

Porcelain, stoneware, glass, cone 6 firing.

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Mudflat Holiday Sale is this week.

The Mudflat Studio December sale is happening this week. Two floors of functional and sculptural clay objects. Stop by and check it out.

81 Broadway, Somerville
December 5–14, 2014

Sale hours:
Saturdays, December 6 & 13, 10 am – 6 pm
Sundays, December 7 & 14, 10 am – 6 pm
Monday through Friday, December 8–12, 10 am – 9 pm

Here’s a little preview from my studio:

Hope to see you there.

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Installation at Charles Rose Architects

Hello! This is an exciting time in the studio. I am working to finish a large group of clay objects that will be installed at Charles Rose Architects near Davis Square at the end of the month. The building has a clerestory running the length of the office and the pieces will be suspended in the air underneath.

This is the most ambitious project that I’ve taken on to date and I am learning so much every day. Each step I take pushes my boundaries as an artist and forces me to learn something new, or causes me to consider new resources. The biggest breakthrough has been asking for the support of my community of family, friends, students and other artists. I’m typically the self-reliant, John Wayne type of artist, but this project has forced me to think in new ways about what a community can bring to artistic expression.

The biggest surprise? Community brings SO MUCH. A group of individuals working together to make something inspirational results in something greater than the individual can achieve. My final result is not manifest, yet, but I see the signs. Something special is in the air for this project.

53 individual artists, family, friends, supporters, children and students made 9,520 of the individual ‘quill’ forms over two days. Here we are:

Here are some examples of the beautiful quill forms that we made together:

It was such an honor to work with these forms and so inspiring to notice the myriad individual styles. Here are some of the forms going into the first of many, many kilns:

Here are some of the individual pieces, after the cone 6 reduction firing (melty and delicious!):

Here is a little hanging mockup that I constructed in my studio. The final installation will evolve on site at the architects office.

Please mark your calendar and attend the opening on May 11th at Charles Rose Architects in Somerville, MA to see how this all turns out.

I’ll be excited to see you there!

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Mudflat Opening.

The Mudflat Studio Opening was extremely well attended this year. Thank you to all who came out. Here are some sketches for an upcoming installation. Stay tuned for time, location, etc.

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Propagating wall forms.

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The new Mudflat building is coming along!

Many years ago Mudflat purchased the old theatre building on Broadway in Somerville. After years of hard work by Mudflat Director Lynn Gervens, the Mudflat Board of Directors, the staff and donors it finally looks like this project will be completed this year. The new building will be an amazing, inspiring space for professional artists and student artists to work and learn together. For the full scoop on the renovation, go the Mudflat Studio Renovation blog. Below are a few highlights from that blog:

A model of the new balcony and archway that will be added to the current facade.

The outside is coming along.

This is a shot of the second floor in process. Installation is underway on the staircase and atrium railing. The two doorways you see open to few of the artist studios on the second floor (the door on the left will by my studio, which I’ll be sharing with Monica Ripley). Notice all of the light beaming down from the clerestory. Here’s an outside view of the clerestory in process:

There will be a big event to celebrate the move to the new building, likely in August or September. Visit the Mudflat Studio Events Calendar to sign up for their newsletter or to donate to the building fund.

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Collaboration with Suzanne Stumpf.

These pieces are the result of a collaboration with Suzanne Stumpf, a ceramic artist from Natick (and former Mudflat artist). This collaboration began when Suzanne gave me a piece in the greenware state that she made with a combination of porcelain and paper clay. I added a grog-filled dark stoneware sculpture body using an expansion-style joint and split the piece into two. Then I bisque-fired the pieces and returned them to Suzanne to alter in the bisque state, glaze, and fire to cone 10 in her new electric kiln.

I find it interesting that these pieces have no ‘bottom’. They can rest on a surface in several orientations. Each orientation seems to express a different mood:

It was great fun surprising one another with our choices. We are looking forward to another collaboration, this time in reverse — I’ll start by giving Suzanne a greenware piece, she’ll add to it and bisque it, then I’ll glaze it. Look for the results here, and check out Suzanne’s work at www.ceramicsatthebarn.com

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Artist talk & potluck this Friday at Mudflat.

This Friday, November 5th I’ll be presenting work created at Mudflat Studio during my year-long Artist Residency. Potluck starts at 7:00 pm. Bring something to share. The talk begins at 8:00.

For address and directions go to: Mudflat.org

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Bones? Husks? Shells?

White stoneware, underglaze. Cone 1. Approximately 5″ x 6″ each.

What do they look like to you?

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Dark glider.

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Engulfed.

More shell inspired work, with a dark side and a dash of hope. I’ve been feeling a lot of empathy for the ocean creatures.

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New lowfire body.

White 04-06 clay with talc. Enjoyable to the touch. Forgiving, unless you beat it up. I’ve been pushing the temperature a bit. I like how it gets warm and creamy at cone 1. There is a price to be paid for this, though.

This piece is approximately 20″ long. Inspired by skeletons, shells, and artifacts revealed by digging.

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New work.

New sculpture body fired to cone 10 reduction — nice and toasty, the heavy grog really shows itself off at close viewing. Size is 11″ deep x 24.5″ long x 3.5″ x 3.5″ high.

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Mudflat celebrates the Somerville Street Festival.

Howard Gerstein and Jennifer DeAngelis demonstrate clay and entertain the crowds at the Somerville Street Festival while the rest of the Mudflat crew sells, wraps, and bags pots. Thank you shoppers. We break ground for the new building renovation this Thursday, so every pot counts!

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