April 10th, 2018
The AVA gallery in Lebanon, NH, will be home to some of my work from April 27th through May 30th. An opening reception will be held on April 27th from 5-7 pm. The show will be a continuation of my exploration of art using repurposed materials. As part of my work for COVER, a White River Junction-based nonprofit that helps repair homes of vulnerable residents, I find myself making frequent trips to the dump, to dispose of excess materials. Seeing this as a waste, I have begun setting aside materials that could still have some utility as materials for sculpture and art.
I have been intrigued by these materials, not only because I don’t like watching them go to waste, but also because of the interesting effects that time and the elements have on them. The roofing that I am currently working with, for example, is worn in a way that makes it continually interesting to look at. The galvanized metal develops interesting patterns and marks over years of exposure to the elements, giving it nuance. Each unique piece brings its history with it to the sculpture.
For the upcoming show, I have been experimenting with large forms, as the show will fill two rooms at the AVA gallery. While these pieces are made from repurposed wood and discarded metal roofing, my primary interest is exploring how these forms can be expressed and how they engage with the spaces they are set in.
Tags: art of sustainability, creativity, launch, recycled, repurposed, Sculpture
Posted in construction, installation, sculpture | 1 Comment »
September 15th, 2016
This installation – which I installed for the “Grounding” SculptureFest 2016 at King Farm in Woodstock, Vermont – continues a body of work that concerns multiple elements creating a larger form. I was curious about finding a way to float clay in the black box of what I like to call the zen pagoda. I like the idea of taking something earthbound and floating it in the air. In creating this piece I was also inspired by images of asteroid belts. This clay has experienced many uses: other installations, as casting form for sculptures, masks and giant puppets. It is unfired and will be recycled eventually. The balls are hanging on 40 lb test monofilament.
As I worked on this piece the process of applying these 200 clay balls was additionally a type of meditation. I could listen to the wind blow, people talking, teams practicing down at the high school, the town lunch horn blow, grass cutting, art being created, crickets chirping and the birds singing. For four days this was my grounding to this place, my way of being present to each moment. It is no secret that being aware of these moments is the root of happiness.
During the 3 September opening, it was a pleasure to have dancers Tracy Penfield and Chelsea Palin choose to move through and with my piece.
For several years now I have enjoyed the space and freedom offered by the magical space that is King Farm. This place is a fantastic art lab, where artists can experiment and float new ideas. It is a place where time has worked its special entropy into these buildings and land. I feel so lucky to be a part of this fabric that is the evolving history of King Farm.
Tags: art of sustainability, balance, biomimicry, farm, launch, ritual, space
Posted in dance, installation, reflection, sculpture | No Comments »
September 1st, 2016
Welcome to “Grounding,” Co-Curated by Edythe Wright and Jay Mead
It has been such an honor to pull these 20 artists together for this SculptureFest 2016 show we are calling “Grounding.” As you will see, King Farm, in Woodstock, Vermont – with its forests, pastures, pond, topography and classic barn buildings and sheds – is a wonderful tableau for installations and sculpture.
Thanks to the Vermont Land Trust for allowing us to use this unique place to show fresh creations. In fact, many installations were created in situ and some are still curing! Special appreciations are also very much due to Peter and Charlet Davenport for all the hard work they have put into making this such a special venue for so many years.
So what is “Grounding?” We hoped this title would be open enough to invite a wide variety of work and that is what we have here. In this show, you will find many forms of “Grounding;” it can be interpreted on a personal level as in “What grounds me?” Grounding can also be literally taken as connecting to the ground or even to run aground. Then there is the common theme of grounding as in relating to this place, home, nature, the earth, relationships, or even the greater cosmos. We hope this work engages you in the greater question of “Where do you find your grounding?”
Happy trails!
Images of the installations can be viewed on the SculptureFest website by clicking on the respective artists’ name.
Tags: community, farm, launch, space
Posted in installation, painting, sculpture | No Comments »
August 20th, 2016
In June, I started working full-time as a Job Crew Leader for a non-profit called COVER. Based in White River Junction, Vermont, COVER specializes in home repair and weatherization for people in need who live in the Upper Connecticut River Valley of New Hampshire and Vermont. COVER relies on the generosity of individuals, foundations, local businesses, and the proceeds from its “ReCOVER Store” to fund home repairs and weatherization. The mission of COVER is best summed up by “providing hope and community” to the people of the Upper Valley.
I have found this work to be highly rewarding in that I have to apply several skill sets: teaching, construction knowledge, leadership, and the ability to hear people’s concerns. In a time when there is so much negative hyperbole directed toward people in poverty and the safety nets of our government are under attack, it feels good to be part of a positive solution. Learn more about COVER.
Tags: community, fundraising, household
Posted in construction, fundraising | 1 Comment »
June 25th, 2016
In an Outdoor Sculpture elective, which I led at The Sharon Academy for 10 students from late March to early June, we focused on two very different group projects utilizing saplings. For the first two classes, students focused on the gathering and cutting of the saplings. They then peeled the bark from the saplings. We selected the most bendy and supple of this material and, utilizing cedar posts as anchors, we began the construction of two shade structures, pictured here:
These half domes or “apses” are located on the soccer field end of the volleyball zone. They will form a trellis system for scarlet runner beans and 2 northern kiwi plants. Each structure is 10’ tall, 16’ in length with a width/depth of 10’.
For the second project, we utilized the thicker non-bendable pieces of the saplings along with sapling stakes from a previous art project. After the bark was stripped off, I cut this material into lengths varying from a foot to five and a half feet. We ended up with approximately 500 stakes that were then painted white. These stakes were then driven into the ground in a grid-like formation so that the stakes went from 6” to 5 feet above the ground, pictured here:
From a distance, this white piece appears as a curvilinear form. This was a collaborative team effort requiring that all students put in a majority of class time on material prep. I trust the students will come to value this unique experience. The installation is beside the entrance driveway to the school.
Tags: education, nature, space, youth
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