Heidi Morel

Spring Drawings

2010-05-06T18:11:00.000-07:00

Review: Hermaphadites: Living in Two Worlds

2010-04-22T20:33:00.000-07:00

At the Wexler gallery in Philadelphia, Leslie Ferrin curated an obscure, ceramics exhibit entitled "Hermaphrodites: Living in Two Worlds". This sculptural show focuses on living a split lifestyle, whether that means living by means on two genders or living between art and decoration. These artists were brought together because they manipulate what clay can do and say in the formal gallery. As a whole, the show was came together well in the wonderful space. All the artist involved took the subject and it's concept very differently.

Although the theme of the show was on the obscure side, all the pieces involved were not overtly sexual or uncomfortable. As a whole, most of the objects represented were tasteful and even beautiful.

This particular area of gender related psychology has always fascinated me. From the accounts I have studied about, questioning gender is such an exhausting and hard process because you are basically not conforming to your biological self. Gender is one of the first self-actualization tools we learn as infants... there are two different kinds of people, boys and girls. I am a girl, you are a boy. If this is questioned and confronted at such a young age, then how can you keep developing into "you"?

Tip Toland's work amazes me in a horrific way. Toland's figures are very proportionate and realistic, especially considering the medium and the life sized scale of the work. However, Toland does utilize paint, pastel, and chalk to get the realistic, human surface. The figures I have seen in exhibits are placed on the low, ground level and appear tired and life-less.

This piece titled Tender Flood represents the stress of living between two genders. The way that Toland presents this figure is eerie. There is so much ambiguity in the pose and expression. Is he/she sleeping? Was he/she stricken by surprise? Does he/she know they are naked to the world right now? This is a nice collation to the ambiguity of being a trans-gender individual. A constant reminder of feeling slightly odd and out of place in the most mundane situations.

When I saw this piece in the Wexler gallery, I felt oddly compelled to keep looking at the figure. I kept noticing the nice blending of both male and female attributes. In my mind, I kept trying to place if I saw this figure as more of a male or female. And honestly, I still cannot come up with a solid answer. As a viewer, the uncomfortable feeling I gained from staring at this extremely realistic, freakesque person was what held my interest.

Sources:
http://www.wexlergallery.com/wexler.html
http://www.ferringallery.com/dynamic/exhibit_artist.asp?ExhibitID=352
http://www.tiptoland.com/

Review: Grey Whales:Philadelphia

2010-04-15T17:36:00.000-07:00

Shay Church, constructed a inspiring installation in an abandoned lot in downtown Philadelphia. He worked with art students at the University of the Arts in conjunction with NCECA 2010 exhibitions. He constructs wooden armatures of animals, much like a ship, and then covers them with wet clay. Then over time, the clay cracks in a beautiful fashion, both informed by the armature and the natural tendencies of clay cracking.

I first saw Church's work at NCECA 2009 in Phoenix. I stumbled upon his whale right after he placed the bulk of the wet clay on the whale. I was taken away by the size and the gradual change taking place on the animal.

At first, I questioned his subject matter, especially after seeing his prior work with animals such as elephants and deer. But after seeing these three whales outside, in the middle of a city, drying quite rapidly in the sun and heat of the middle of the day, I saw the connotation of a beached, tired, whale. Scientists are still unsure of why whales beach themselves on shore. It is hard to not place a human physiological reasoning to it, like they are tired of life and just want to commit suicide. On an environmental stand point, this piece is beautiful because it's message is so subtle, and the piece is aesthetically strong on it's own. The clay that was once alive and green is not drying and cracking apart, much like a whale would on the shore.

Seeing Church's work at both NCECA conferences, the realization of how important the site is for these pieces to work is very important. In 2009, the whale was inside a large, indoor room with a lot of other ruckus going on. 2010 the whales were placed outside in the open sun, a much more appropriate place for these works.

Overall, I was very impressed with his work and I look forward to seeing where he evolves with this idea.

Review: Earth Matters

2010-04-15T16:02:00.000-07:00

The 2010 invitational exhibit, "Earth Matters", featured ceramic artist's whose work centered around the ever-important environmental issues that we are faced with in the past, present, and future. The exhibit was held at the Moore College Gallery, which is an art school for women, in the middle of the museum district in Philadelphia, PA.

For the most part, I was impressed with the space and the overall flow of the show. But more importantly, I was very impressed with the quality of work shown in the gallery and how each artist has their own take on the subject of "Earth Matters". The show's curator, Linda Ganstrom, explains that her main goal in bringing this group of artists together is to make the viewer aware of what the common human's impact on this fragile planet is. She has high hopes that "Earth Matters" inspires change in our everyday lives.

This piece by Kate MacDowell is titled "Daphne". According to Greek Mythology, Daphne was a nymph that was pursued by Apollo until she violently transformed into half Laurel, half woman. However, her beauty still shined through the rooted feet and leafed hands, therefore Apollo still loved her. MacDowell explains that she was influenced to pursue this piece after hiking through Washington and Oregon's countless miles of freshly cut forest.

She was aesthetically and philosophically influenced by this sculpture by Bernini titled "Apollo and Daphne". She feels the her version is almost a modern day rendition on how we are treating our land.

I think "Daphne" is compelling on many levels. First off, MacDowell's technical use of porcelain is flawless. It also makes this dirty issue a little cleaner. I also appreciate the way she displayed this work on the floor. It forces the viewer to look down at the shards and displacement of this tree, as though someone accidentally knocked over and broke the sculpture just before you arrived in the gallery. Upon further inspection, you realize that there was intention in this broken matter, and everything is broken and placed for a reason.

The connection of human and nature is literally staring at you in face, by means of the look of horror on Daphne's beautiful face. It is the same look of horror after being raped, which was a constant concept that I took from this piece. Like innocence, it is something that was stolen from Daphne and cannot be made up. Due to the juxtaposition of the material, I feel that this piece does not guarantee a pleasant future, even if we make changes. You can try to put the pieces back together, but what is done is done.

Sources: NCECA 2010 "Earth Matters" exhibit catalog.

Gender Issues: Jason Briggs

2010-03-08T11:25:00.000-08:00

Jason Briggs is interested in looking at the urge to touch, especially in the sexual context. He wants to look at our unconscious urges to be suddenly, extremely tactile while being in a sexual act, yet our culture constantly yearns for personal space while in a public space.

I was initially attracted to Briggs work due to his choice of materials, namely human hair. The way he places every piece of, dare I say, pubic hair, is flawless. While looking for more images of his work, I am amazed by the response he gets because of the hair. His pieces suddenly become gross and distasteful. However, hair is one of the most important cosmetic tools to people, especially women. If a woman gets a bad haircut or has a bad hair day, we do not even want to leave the house. But if there is a piece of hair in our food, or apparently on sculptures, the hair is nasty and repulsive.

His forms are very soft. They reference sexual anatomy with the open, inviting openings, contours, and shapes he incorporates. I see his work as representing sex as a beautiful thing. Most artists seem to show sex in a violent, dirty, or dangerous context, when it should be far from that. Briggs soft palate, luscious textures, and inviting forms almost makes me want to start rubbing against his pieces, hair and all!

The Social and Human Condition: Jeffrey Mongrain

2010-03-01T11:41:00.000-08:00

This piece is by Jeffrey Mongrain and it is titled The Philosopher's Halo. This sculpture depicts Saint Thomas with the large halo in front of his head instead of behind. This signifies that Thomas had a different way of looking at things than the other apostles. We have a skewed view of St. Thomas as well.

Given the idea that the bible is true, the story of Thomas doubting Jesus is powerful to me. It teaches an interesting story of having faith, which is something that I lack. After Thomas doubted Jesus resurrection, Jesus replied "blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed". It is poetic and appropriate when this part came in the story of the bible. The concept of blind faith is essential to be a Christian, and convenient in life overall. To me, faith is an easy way to say it is not in my hands and I am just going to choose to believe that it is now in someone eles' hands. Because Thomas had the courage to doubt Jesus, he is remembered not as one of Jesus closest apostle, but as a skeptic.

I enjoy this appropriation of religious iconography, especially on this scale. The context of it being placed in a large, marbled, church setting instead of a sterile, white, gallery makes the piece, as a whole, stronger. This piece is a great example of how a simple juxtaposition makes a huge statement, while still remaining quite tasteful.

Sources:
http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/art/faculty/mongrain.htm
http://www.jeffreymongrain.com/
Confrontational Ceramics by Judith Schwartz

War and Politics: Akio Takamori

2010-02-18T01:27:00.000-08:00

Judith S. Schwartz compiled a new clay book titled Confrontational Ceramics. As I carry this book around town, I get some odd stares and a couple of giggles. I think the average person still sees clay as something Grandma does on Tuesday afternoons with the China Painting Club. Not anymore, Folks. Schwartz does a fantastic job of displaying the range of issues clay attempts to tackle, while still referencing the broad scope of ceramic history. Clay may start out soft, but it proves to pack a punch in the end.

The first section of this book deals with war and politics. Although I have solid opinions on the philosophy behind war and politics, I try not to dwell on it because that would lead to nothing but nausea and sadness. Realistically, I do not feel the art represented in this book is going to shake and stir the US government, or any government in that matter, into radical changes. But I do feel theses works can inform, influence, and convey a message to the many viewers(voters) that see the art.

I feel that many political/war artists feel it is their duty to convey their feelings and ideas about what out current state of affairs is, no matter how ugly. This is where political/war art falls short, the idea is usually a larger message than the aesthetics. With the general public knowledge of what happens during a war, and our unreliable, greedy politicians, it is easy to see that there is no beauty to be found.

The piece that stuck out in this section to me, is about the fringing effects of war. It is by Akio Takamori and it is titled Dance. There are many questions that arise when Takamori sees images of a young GI dancing with an Asian woman. He explains that he tries to interpret the relationship. Are they in love? Is she a prostitute? How does her family feel about this? Does he have a family waiting at home? Takamori says that even in a ideal situation, the odds are against them.

This piece is the simple, yet powerful use of black, white, and red. The way that the Japanese woman looks up at the GI in admiration and wonder. The GI's stature overshadows the small Japanese woman, to create the perfect scale.

For me, Akio Takamori is like an obscure band; give it some time, and the art will grow on you. When I had first seen his work a few years ago, I honestly could take it or leave it. I felt that his forms were flat and lifeless. Man, was I wrong. My interest sparked when I first got up to UAF and I actually got to see/touch one of his works. His sculpture is one of the biggest we have in our bone yard. Now that I am working stylized figures, I am slightly obsessed.

I look at his figures now and see why he uses an economical volume in his work. I also see the complexity in the bold, slip-work. The line quality is influenced by Japanese woodcuts - each line is jagged and crude, but placed together, they work together like a flowing symphony. "When I'm building, I'm aware of how much to articulate.If there's too much articulation, there's not enough space to render illusion."(Takamori, Ceramics Monthly)

The scale of his figures is not life sized, instead Takamori references historical references like Haniwa Japanese figures.

Lately, Takamori has been making groupings of figures in order to create a more dynamic configuration. I feel that this work is successful for many reasons. Most of all, I feel that it forces us, as humans, to compare the figures because they are set up right next to each other, much like in the Dance. It also makes me, as the viewer, create a narrative as to why all these people are placed together.

Sources:
frankloyd.com
seattletimes.nwsource.com
Judith S. Schwartz, Confrontational Ceramics
Ceramics Monthly; Feb2000, Vol. 48 Issue 2, p55
Ceramics Monthly; Dec2005, Vol. 53 Issue 10, p14-16

Peter Voulkos

2010-02-10T00:28:00.000-08:00

The true beauty of history is that it is linear. "The New" is really just taking what we know and doing something different with it. So, when I think of contemporary ceramics, it all seems to begin with the one and only, Peter Voulkos.

Voulkos is an artist who embodied clay's answer and contribution to abstract expressionism. He brought to light what is essential and true to clay; that is it's ability to go from a soft, malleable material turned into a rock through heat. He also attempted to deconstruct and transcended the functional vessel.

Voulkos is obviously a topic of discussion amongst ceramic artists in academic settings for many reasons. Basically, people love him or love to hate him. Voulkos has been described as a very charismatic individual. John Balistreri described Voulkos as acting with courage, not aggression when he worked with clay. I found it particularly interesting that Voulkos would actually film himself working in the studio. He said he would see all angles of the work, his process, and himself. That interaction with the material is so important to him and he seems to really tap into that. Just like the way Pollock would approach a canvas with such movement, Voulkos would approach clay like he was dancing with it.

Personalities aside, Voulkos is also a "black and white" artist becasue of the crude, aprupt, destruction that started to appear in his 1950's work. This exploration continued until his untimely death in 2002.

Most people focus on the post 1950's abstracted work that put Voulkos on the map. However, I find the evolution and inspirations of his early work far more compelling than his stacks, ice buckets, and tea bowls. Abstract expressionism has always had a place in my life. It was the first fine art I was introduced to in Houston when I was a kid, and I continued to visit the same works by artists like Duchamp, Twombly, DeKooning, Pollock, Picasso, and especially, Magritte. The work stays the same, but my impression of it changes as I change. I ended up mostly studying modern, especially abstract expressionist work, art during college. So it is not too shocking that I start my research of contemporary ceramics with Peter Voulkos.

Voulkos' visual history is rich with the slow progress that happens over time. This is an overlook of the evolution in his work through the 1950's.

1950:Obviously coming from a craft background, Traditional table wear, Japanese influenced. This was work he completed in his college days. He received his bachelors degree at Montana State College in 1951, and a MFA at the California College of Arts and Crafts.

1952: Slip work is increasing in expression, but still conforming to the traditional circular shape of a plate. This was made while teaching at the Bray.

In 1953 he taught a summer session at Black Mountain College, which proved to be highly influencial. Although it was short lived, there was a collection of East Coast Hippies that congragated at Black Mountain College in the 1950's. People like John Cage, M.C. Richards, Robert Rauschenberg, and Cy Twombly. There was a tremendous amount of happenings and performances done on the beautiful campus tucked away in the hills of North Carolina.

1957: Appropriation of Picasso's 1907 Les Demoiselles d'Avignon. Beautiful, bold outlines in slip. The image has dictated and changed his form. This piece symbolizes Voulkos becoming an abstract expressionist artist. He is influenced by Picasso's images, Pollock's movements, and DeKooning's economy of lines. At this point Voulkos is teaching at the Los Angeles County Art Institute.

1958: I really respond to the form of this piece. It has a figurative quality that reflects with the images he was previously drawing on his flat plates. Suddenly these dynamic figures are put into three dimension. With the opening at the top, there is still this connection with function, containment, and craft, but this functional object has somehow transcended into art.

Without a doubt Peter Voulkos knocked down a wall that was keeping artists from fulling expressing themselves, just because of the baggage the medium of clay carries. The thing that I find very ironic about this whole situation is that the surrealist, cubust, dadist, abstract expressionist, ect., were all reacting to the changing, war-filled world by looking at the past. The above piece resembles primate forms that have already been produced in clay.

This piece was made thousands and thousands of years ago in Jamon culture(14,000-4,000 BCE) in ancient Japan. This is a female figure, representing fertility. The male figures were always represented in armor; definite power figures on their culture. These Jomon figures are similar in form to the traditional vessels of this culture. I feel this is true to Voulkos at this time.

1959: The work is expanding in both size and concept. At this point function is an initial consideration, but seems to get lost and erased by the deconstruction process that Voulkos adapts to make "stacks".

During this time, he also constructed some large outdoor installations that seem to complement the space it inhabits.

Obviously, Voulkos expanded his work after the 1950's and became one of the most influential, historic figures in American ceramics.

Freewheelin'

2010-01-22T00:36:00.000-08:00

Timeless image.

Clay Glue Hair

2009-11-30T20:43:00.000-08:00

One thing led to another in the studio. If you have not felt mud in between your toes in a while, you should try it again sometime.

Line

2009-11-23T01:33:00.000-08:00

So Simple...

Shoes

2009-11-16T02:56:00.000-08:00

And then one day I looked around and I found the sun shining down
And I took off my worried shoes
And the feet broke free
I didn't need to wear
Then I knew the difference between worrying and caring
'Cause I've got a lot of walking to do
And I don't want to wear
My ah ah worried shoes .

- Daniel Johnston

This is a weird life.

2009-10-11T04:42:00.000-07:00

They asked me to write an artist statement...

Have you ever been so overwhelmed with emotion, that you feel like throwing up? Suddenly nothing else matters but you and the experience you are having. The clock stops, and your physical body replies by breaking into a cold sweat, laughing like a mental patient, or projectile puking to keep yourself grounded from floating in the air.

These times don't present themselves often, and it is not something you can force. They just happen. When I was a child, I thought these moments happened when God was showing his presence to you. There was no other logical explanation for this fleeting, heightened, emotion. Now I know better.

These are the times I feel alive.

I live for these moments.

They reacted exactly like I thought that they would.It was kind of like orchestrating a train wreak. I forgot how good it felt to be confidently defiant. I think I figured it out.

Curiosity

2009-10-07T13:15:00.001-07:00

cu·ri·os·i·ty
Pronunciation: \ˌkyu̇r-ē-ˈä-s(ə-)tē\

Function: noun

Inflected Form(s): plural cu·ri·os·i·ties

Date: 14th century

1 : desire to know: a : inquisitive interest in others' concerns : nosiness b : interest leading to inquiry
2 archaic : undue nicety or fastidiousness
3 a : one that arouses interest especially for uncommon or exotic characteristics b : an unusual knickknack : curio c : a curious trait or aspect

What is around the next cliff? What happens if I add this extra chemical to my glaze? Why do people like conflict? What is he thinking? Where do I go next? How does this engine work? Is this art? Did we go too far? Where does this flower come from?

I have an inquisitive mind that wants to know, or least to attempt to know. This is an attribute that I never want to let go of. I am always open to new ideas, concepts, and theories. What I pick up along the way informs my views today.

When it comes to physical experience, my curious ways have gotten me pretty far in life. I never pass up a new experience, which has given me wisdom. However, I still have a ways to go in this lifetime.

My love of curiosity largely goes into the process of my art, but I do not think the end product really reflects this idea. Therefore I have started thinking about things that have caught my curiosity for a while. Psychology completely baffles me. We are, mostly, rational and have superior intelligence over all the other species on the planet, but we do not understand how we work. What makes us tick, How does our brain really work? I think we are predictable to a certain extent, and then all the bets are off as to how we react, because of what complex minds we are.

Sometimes I feel like I am a mere spectator to the ongoing play that we all refer to as "life". However, this life is my main area of curiosity.

The First Snow

2009-09-26T01:48:00.000-07:00

Transitional seasons tend to really effect me. The noticeably change of daily life is beautifully distracting. For the last month, I feel like I have been in a state of metamorphosis. Maybe that is why people fear change, there is a definite period of uncertainty and soul searching that takes place. Since this semester has begun, I have been going to my studio with an infinite number of ideas and directions. At this point, no one can really offer me much help besides for myself. I have to figure out what feeds my passion for clay, art, life, me, you, and everything that lies in between.

The first snow has come this week and I am finally feeling like I am moving back to center. The anticipation is gone, and the reality of the winter is here. I feel more compelled to my work and studies now. My spontaneous summer ways have calmed down.

I still daydream about my next adventure. I am already trying to decide what to do for winter break... the lower 48, South America, East Asia, Mexico, Hawaii?

Musings

2009-09-17T12:21:00.000-07:00

I can confidently say, that if it was not for Meghan's chicken fingers and Julie's badassness, I would not have gotten to go to the Kantishna Music Festival. Long story short, instead of working my last day of work, I went in the middle of Denali National Park and attended a tiny, but mighty music festival. For some reason I was far more compelled to take pictures of the "subtractive clay murals" on the vehicles. I had the best, most inspiring bus ride with some random folks I met in the park. We called it Cindy's Love Bus for obvious reasons.

After the festival, I headed south and picked up my buddy on the side of the road in Girdwood. We decided to spend the last week of the my summer and her time in Alaska by going to Kodiak Island. We didn't know shit about Kodiak, other than there was a ferry leaving in 4 hours and there are a lot of bears over there.

Kodiak was pretty rainy at first, but luckily, everything always works out when traveling by the hip and out of a pack. We met some coast guard guys on the ferry and we ended up hanging out with one of them most of the time we were in Kodiak. He took us fishing, on motorcycle rides, cooked for us, showed us around town, met his buddies, even crashed on his couch one night.

The last day we were in Kodiak, the weather cleared and we finally saw how absolutely beautiful Kodiak is, lush, green, and alive. The overall trip was spectacularly unexpected and weird. We even crashed on the Homer spit for a night before heading back to Healy and met a motley crew of fishermen. They all had lives that read like old country songs, and now live on the beach waiting for the next big wave of fish to come in.

Moving out of my cabin in Healy was very sad. I have never gotten so attached to a living arrangement like that. I really got accustomed to that space and isolation. I am pretty sure it was also bittersweet because it meant the end of the summer was here.

Getting back into the groove of school has been no easy task. I find myself longing to spend time outside and dig for as much clay as possible before the snow and ice come to cover it all up. It seems like every weekend for the last 2 months have involved spending being outside for most, if not all of it. I can feel the winter creeping up, the clay in the earth is already starting to freeze up.

2009-08-17T12:35:00.000-07:00

Sorry Folks. Clearly I have neglected my blogging duties. Anyways, the summer is quickly coming to an end. This makes me quite sad because I feel that I have not done enough. I am anticipating a very long, hard winter with school and teaching. I have a bad itch to keep trekking around, and I do now know if this one is going to go away. If I have learned anything this summer, it is that life happens quick. One day ya wake up and you are 70 years old with nothing to show for it.

However, I have had a couple of pretty gnarly adventures around the AK. Too many details to write down on here, so I will just post some pics for your viewing pleasure.

I only have one more week here at the Glitter Gulch. Then I am going on a week long trip, and then time to buckle down and hit the studio. I am teaching beginning ceramics in the fall. I am pretty stoked about it. I have come up with a pretty exciting syllabus, full of mud, fire, and fun.

The Alternate Reality That is Denali

2009-06-25T13:30:00.000-07:00

Well, let me start by saying that working in Denali is very odd. Don't get me wrong, I am in love with my job and I have to pinch myself everyday b/c I cannot believe that they pay me to hike. Pretty much all my folks on the hikes have been amazing people that are genuinely interested in Alaska and all that the land has to offer.

I guess the thing that makes this place so odd is that it is all so temporary. Everything from the tourists, the workers, and the town itself. However, like always, I make the most out of any situation. I moved out of the employee housing and into a little cabin on top of a small mountain/large hill in Healy. It is so out there that I have no water or electricity. Living there has given me a lot of time to read, work on art, and think about life. I love coming home from a long day of hiking, starting up a fire in the wood stove, cooking up some fish, drinking a beer, and reading in my hammock with the help of the midnight sun.

All in all this summer has been pretty kickass. Even though I am working 12 hour days, I still get 2 glorious days off. I have gone to Seward, Anchorage, Fairbanks, and obviously hiked/backpacked around Denali/Healy. This weekend I think I am going to go off the beaten path, that is the Denali Highway.

Well I got to go hit the trail again.

Put a fork in me, I am done!

2009-05-07T14:25:00.000-07:00

Ok, maybe not all the way done, but close enough!

I had my big 15 hour review and the opening of the student art show last Monday. Needless to say, I have been stressing out. Basically since my plane landed for Arizona, I have not stopped. But all the hard work paid off because my review went really well. All the faculty members felt like I was on track with the work I have created this year. Anything that was negative was said in a very constructive manner and a cat fight never happened between the faculty members! Everyone congratulated me after the review on a job well done and shook my hand. SUCCESS!

A couple of us got together and raku fired last weekend which was sooo much fun! The weather was perfect and the surface treatment of the pots is so unique. I still cannot decide if I like the finish on my work personally, however, the process was a lot of fun and something I am researching and looking into a little more to get the results that I want out of the fire.

Last Friday the UAF art department turned into a market place. There was a pottery, print, jewelry, and painting sale going on all at once. I stayed up till 5:30 in the morning shooting slides of my work so I could turn around and sell it. The funny thing is that I still am not too comfortable selling most of the work I shot because I am still using it as a reference point for other bodies of work. I still made some pretty good money and cleared out some pots that I id not want around anymore.

Yesterday the advanced photo and graduate photo students installed a group show that is on display in the wood center all this month. I have a couple of prints in there of my burnt down building series. If you have a chance, you should go check them out. The opening will be on Friday at 5 pm.

So I have finally decided that I am definitely staying at the place I have been living at next semester. It is a good deal, I love my running water and the convenience of living next to the university. My landlord and I have come to an agreement that she will keep it empty over the summer and I can even store my stuff there while I am in Denali as long as I agree to come back in the Fall and I have a roommate. Soooo, I need a roommate!!! If anyone is interested or knows of anyone who needs a place for the Fall semester, let me know! I am a fun to live with and I am never at home anyways.

I am moving to Denali on Sunday and I am pretty excited about it. This 1st year of graduate school has been such a learning experience. I have learned so much about art, life, and myself. I am constantly amazed by this odd journey and how following these chances have lead me to where I am at. I can't wait to spend the summer hiking and thinking about what is next.

Busy, but I would not want it any other way.

2009-04-18T13:55:00.000-07:00

I shot a couple of rolls of film at a burnt down place early this morning. You would think that the danger would be in the building, but it was actually outside of the building. I was walking back to my car with my camera and tripod in my hand. I got over a bank of snow and then was walking on what looked like a flat sheet of ice over the cement. I was keeping my eye out for cops and bystanders that would see my leaving this place that I had no business being in. Apparently there was a huge ditch underneath the ice and I fell through into chest deep ice water. My body immediately went into shock and I could not move my legs. I threw my camera and tripod on the ledge and kept trying to pull myself out of the water, but kept slipping in. I finally pulled myself out after what seemed like an eternity of scrambling. I stripped off my carhartts, socks and boots in the parking lot, and my whole body was beat red. Needless to say, that sucked, but the camera and film is fine, so all in good in the hood. I drove by the place this morning and it was getting torn down. What can I say... I have perfect timing!

I got a super sweet job this summer as a hiking guide in Denail National Park. I can not wait to get paid all summer for hiking and living in a cabin in one of the world's most beautiful areas. I am always having to pinch myself to make sure I am not dreaming... I love my life!

Well the anagama wood kiln is done after a day of loading, a lot of wood chopping, and three days of firing. All the clay kids are super enthusiastic about firing and that makes me so proud! I did not have a chance to make a ton of pots for the firing, but loading and firing the kiln has been so much fun. The weather was perfect, and besides for a couple of bumps a long the road, I would say the process was a success. Well I guess I should not say anything will Wendesday when we open up the kiln! I stoke the kiln so fast, you can't even see me!
Wood Salt kiln went ok. Like a great blockbuster film, I had some epic pots and some disasters. I am looking forward towards fixing the floor, creating more space and air draw, and then adding a veggie oil burner for a more efficient, even firing.

NCECA 2009 conference was amazing. I learned so much and met so many interesting people. I attended a lot of lectures and bought some sweet tools. My mind was blown every hour. It was in downtown Phenoix, Arizona. The weather was amazing, especially since I have been frozen in Fairbanks since September. Walking around town in sandals, a skirt, and a tank top was quite novel.

After the confrence I headed up north to the Grand Canyon, Sodona, Flagstaff, and Jermone. I was amazed by the diversity of Arizona. I got a little more adventure than I bargained for, but that is what makes things interesting. I got caught in snow storms, wind storms, hail, lightning, thunder, floods, weird men, lurking skunks, sunburns, and freezing tempertures that I was not all too prepared for. However, I came out a stronger person and my adventures gave me a lot of time to myself to think about what I am doing with my art and my life.
After my educational vacation, I have been busting ass again trying to get everything done before the dooming end of the semester gets here. My fifteen hour review is in a week, which is making me very nervous. I feel like going up to all the faculty and telling them that although I feel I have learned so much about art and life this past year, I still do not know what the fuck I am doing or where I am going. But I have to play the art grad school bit and act like I know exactly what is going on.

We have had a visiting kiln builder come in this week to fix one of our existing kilns and we talked for a while today about what grad school really is. I think I have come to the conclusion that it is the time of my life where I can do anything, but it will never really make sense till I am out of here. It is also a time of my life where I should push every boundary to failure to find my working parameters. I have decided that Donovan, the kiln builder, has the best job ever and somehow I am going to work for him and learn everything he knows. He subsidizes his income on building kilns all over the country, and then makes whatever artwork he wants, weather it sells or not.

Wood Fire Week

2009-03-29T00:59:00.000-07:00

I have officially been consumed by art. I have never produced so much work or been so involved in such extensive processes. The last 10 days have flown by. Sleeping and eating have taken a back seat to ceramics, drawing, and photography.

The Life of a MFA Student:
Saturday: Glaze empty bowls for food bank for 8 hrs, load/fire electric kiln for studio, work in studio all night and miss Kimbo's birthday party. I was going to be captain banana!
Sunday: Shoot a couple of rolls of a burnt down building, see a dog sled race, process negatives, print in the darkroom, make cylinders, lidded forms, and bowls till 2 am.
Monday: Unload empty bowls kiln 9am, make glazes, move dry chemicals for studio, work on Drawing portfolio, print in darkroom for about 7 hrs till 1 am
Tuesday: Gallery Advertising meeting 11 am, work on drawing portfolio while doing laundry, drawing class, attend a lecture from a visiting paper conservator from North Carolina, show myportfolio to Dave, freak out that I do not have enough work for the kiln and throw like crazy till who knows when.
Wednesday: Go right back to the studio after a few hours of sleep and trim/decorate/design/attach pots, make more glazes, freak out some more, Go back to the studio for slip and scraffito work, meet Lacie and Adam at the bar for some much needed nachos, a beer, bitch session, and some drying time, Back to the studio for all the finishing touches till I decided that it is what it is and then I went home.
Thursday: Skip photography seminar, Load/Fire bisque Kiln, Rip out wood salt kiln floor with Jim and repair it to make the kiln more efficient, Make cone 10 clay for studio, Disassemble and clean out the freaking pugger, haul pots from my studio to the school studio, make glazes, glaze till 3 am, get pulled over by a cop for not making a complete stop... but due to me looking like I just came out of a muddy, colorful swamp, and a good attitude, he let me off with a warning.
Friday: Faculty meeting 10 am, mentor in teaching, make cone 6 clay for studio, glazing for 4 hours, Friday Nude Drawing session, unload bisque kiln, freak out more b/c Holly is stuck in Chicago and has no pots to put in kiln, haul pots from my studio to school studio, freak out again, Glazing from 7 pm till 6 am.
Saturday: Loaded the wood salt kiln outside in 15 degrees for 12 hours. Enough said. At this point, my body hates me for everything I have done to it.
Sunday: FIRE THE WOOD SALT KILN! Last year, it took them 24 hours to fire a kiln that should fire in 12. This year, my firing buddy, Joel and I fired the kiln in 14. 5am-7pm! Hell yeah! We had a few issues with the air flow/intake at around 2000-2100, but after that hurdle and some wise words forJim, we got it up to 2350 at a pretty steady rate. Outside at the experimental farm at UAF , it got up to 37 degrees, it was sunny, and the birds were chipping. All in all, the work was worth it. I am planning on opening the kiln on Wednesday, so I will post pictures of the firing and unloading then.

Even though I probably looked like I got dragged behind a truck through a mud pit this week, I could not be a happier person. I am in my element. As strange as this might sound to most people, especially in this bleak economic time, studying ceramics at the graduate level in Fairbanks, Alaska is exactly where I should be right now.

Here is the wood salt kiln(on right) in the summer time.

What a Week

2009-03-22T20:58:00.000-07:00

A water bottle exploded in my backpack. Yeah, how much does that suck? A TON! With my luck and the dry climate of Fairbanks, my laptop miraculously lives on to tell this tale. However, my screen is kinda messed up. I can't really describe it, but I am slowly getting used to the strange dots that now exist in a blob formation on the left side of my screen. While my computer was deciding if it was going to live or not last night, I got to thinking about how much I use this freaking thing. It's function in my life has sprawled out of control. Communication, inspiration, information, entertainment, networking, commerce, and marketplace. I hate how dependent I have become on my computer and theInternet. However, it seems like if you do not adapt to this online existences, you are out of touch.

Aside from my internal technological struggle and waterlogged books, good things are aloof. Festival of Native Arts was intense and highly inspirational. The drum beats were intoxicating and the rhythm of the dancers varied from fluid and beautiful to rigid and masculine. I checked out a fur auction and a sprint sled dog race today. Trappers have the most unique pick up lines I have ever heard!

I have gotten very excited about the new photo series I am working on. I have been going into burnt down building shells and photographing the melted wreckage that it leaves behind. I secretly enjoy the element of chance as the building infrastructure sways in the harsh winds Fairbanks has had recently. If anyone knows of any burnt down, forgotten buildings/houses in Fairbanks, let me know!

Snow is still everywhere, but the days are getting so much longer! I am in love with the sun and all of it's amazingness. I have been thinking about this summer and what I am going to do with it. I have been applying to places all over Alaska. I feel that the best opportunity will come and find me.... hopefully. If I could do anything this summer, I would buy a motorcycle, and go see Alaska with a tent and a sleeping bag. You only live once, or whatever they say.

Better than a NASCAR race

2009-03-15T23:35:00.000-07:00

Again, random Alaskan oddities were happening this weekend. Not only did I get to see the Aurora in full blast last night, but I also attended the 30th annual outhouse races in the Chatinika, Alaska. I don't know what I enjoyed more, watching all kinds of folks bundled and liquored up or the cute outhouses on skis racing down one of Alaska's only highways. I even got to ride a snow machine. How awesome was that?!?! Now, I want one... A girl can dream!

A lot is going on in the art side of things. I am gearing up for a wood firing next weekend. I am really feeling the need to finish some work and make a fire.

I have been looking at a lot of Japanese designs for drawing inspiration. I forgot how much I enjoy design and pattern. It is kind of like music. The simplest of notes placed in the right order is usually the best work. Negative spaces has also become a large focus on mine. I no longer look at two people in a picture, now I see that beautiful space that is created in between them.

I have also been helping out this kid with his B.F.A. Thesis Show. If you don't know him, he is James Stugart and his show will be up for the next two weeks at the UAF Art Gallery. It is one of the most complete, conceptual, well thought out student shows I have seen in a long time. Way to go Jimmy!

March is fun!

2009-03-13T13:10:00.001-07:00

This past couple of weeks have been full of fun Alaskan activities. I learned how to cross country ski, and then my second time to ski involved trekking out 7 miles to a truly rustic Alaskan cabin in the middle of spruce heaven. It was challenging and fun. Afterward, we soaked it up in the hot springs and ate some greasy diner food. Unfortunately my camera had no battery power, therefore, I have no pics to share. Too beautiful of scenery to post on here anyways!

We had a visiting ceramic artist, Justin Novak, come to UAF to do a workshop. I learned a lot from his lecture, demos, and critique. Although he works in a completely different vain than I do, he has inspired me in many different ways.
I also got to check out the dogs coming into the finishing line of the Yukon Quest. It was pretty amazing to see the teams of dogs finish a 1,000 mile race across the mountainous Alaskan terrain. They actually did not seem too tired. I do not know what I was more excited about, standing on a frozen river or watching the end of the Yukon Quest. I took my holga and F2 camera to the race and I have yet to print and scan those pics.

I got the esteemed pleasure of judging the Ice Alaska world ice carving competition in Fairbanks, Alaska. Artist come from all over the world to carve the smooth Fairbanks ice, which is apparently the best ice in the world. The judging was hard. Not only do the sculptures need to be technically flawless, but the artistic content of the pieces needs to be of a high caliber. It was cold, windy, and snowy on both nights of judging, but here are the highlights.

Dreaming in Bowls

2009-03-03T18:17:00.000-08:00

Empty Bowls Project was this weekend which benefits the local food bank in Fairbanks. I lost count how many bowls I have thrown, trimmed, and stamped in the last three days. I have even found myself throwing little two pounders on the side in my studio.

There are so many things that really excite me about the bowl form. I love the fullness and givingness of the open form. Rims that cave in are so dark and uninviting. I like rims that flare and flaunt the food inside of it. The primitiveness of the bowl intimidates and drives me at the same time. The perfect bowl has been created and mimicked a trillion times by industry and craftsmen alike. When I make a bowl, I try to think of all the important elements that make a bowl both beautiful and functional.

I got to throw next to Jim today, which was surprisingly really beneficial. I would be throwing, watch him for a little bit, mimic what he was doing, and keep working. I could feel my hands gain more control and confidence. Unlike my studio, the clay lab in the art dept has an amazing view of... well Alaska. The wheels are south facing, so not only is there an amazing view of the Alaskan Range, but there is also the sun shinning in your eyes.

Which for those of you that don't live in Alaska, it is freaking awesome to have the sun shinning in your eyes in March while you are making pots.

UAF MFA Show

2009-02-23T06:19:00.000-08:00

I'm plattered.

2009-01-31T18:01:00.000-08:00

After a very thrilling faculty meeting, hours of unpacking the ceramics studio, an exciting hockey game, cleaning my apartment from top to bottom, and being distracted by random cooking, I am finally going to go to the studio to play with my new, huge bats. I want to make some huge platters for large amounts of food. I want to draw sets of 2 figures that interact with each other on the surface and hopefully will influence the form. We shall see if I can pull all of this together. Wood fired platters complement so much of the local food here.

The MFA show opening was on Thursday. Honestly, it was a bit nerve wrecking. We had to speak about our work and our direction. I tried to keep my statement as vague as possible becasue my thoughts on clay change week to week now. Ahhhh, grad school! I will try to get some shots of the show on here.

Cambodia

2009-01-27T21:58:00.000-08:00

Well Christi, my best friend of 6 years, has moved to Cambodia. She got a job there with an english speaking newspaper. I feel like a parent who has sent their child to college, I am very happy and worried for her all at the same time.

I think it is time for a photo-montage...

Coming Home

2009-01-18T09:37:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow I am going to embark on a four thousand, two hundred, and twenty-two mile journey back to Fairbanks, Alaska. I am excited about going back home. I am really excited about getting back into the studio. I am registered to take ceramics, photography, and drawing this semester. After taking John Britt's glaze chem workshop, my head has been buzzing with surface ideas.

Here is some work that I made last semester.

I definitely feel inspired by my amazing journey this last month. I have been to Houston, Penland, Kingsport, Honolulu, Anchorage, Asheville, Gatlinburg. I have ended up in some random places, met some interesting people, had a couple of disappointments, learned a lot, mostly about myself, and oddly enough, experienced some happenings that could not have worked out better.

Thanks to everyone who enriched my time on winter break!