|
Work
In Progress
Ever since moving into Anderson Center for the Arts at
Hartwick College in 1973, I’ve had the goal of building a ceramic mural
outside the ceramic and glass studio. The niche incorporated into the
first floor corridor wall for this purpose measures about 8.5 feet high
by 25 feet wide. To work with and reveal the earthy and tactile qualities
of clay, my design has been inspired by rock outcroppings on the Hartwick
College campus near the Johnstone (Miller) Science Center, from rocky
areas in upstate New York, and even an image of a moonscape. I have used clay and cut, cast glass to
make my vision of the rocky outcroppings so common to this state a
tangible memory and a persuasive metaphor for the material I have used
educationally for many years. This metaphor enfolds and encompasses the
majesty of our surroundings. I am excited to share my vision of how
ceramic and glass art may speak to you and to everyone in different ways
by means of this mural project.
Work was begun in July 2005 with over 100 slip tests
run to determine colors to use. In August the curved wood easel was constructed.
From September through December, over 2 1/2 tons of clay were sculpted
onto the 30 foot easel by hand and
with garden tools. In January 2006, the process of cutting the sculpted
clay into irregular pieces and hollowing out the back of each was begun
and completed by December 2006. As the 355 segments were hollowed out,
they were re-fitted into place to compensate for distortions during
handling and were painted with colored slips. The realignment of all the
parts was finished in December 2006. In the spring of 2007 the mural was
air-dried, bisque fired, then high fired to C/10 in a reducing
atmosphere. In the summer of 2007 the pieces were epoxied onto 97 plywood
panels and installed on the wall. The formal unveiling took place on
October 20, 2007.
The project has been funded in part by a faculty
research grant, as well as former students, student and community
volunteers and friends, whose contributions of time, money and product
enabled me to make this vision a reality.
|
Click
on picture to enlarge
|
