sculptedimage

November Shows

2011-11-19T14:16:00.011-05:00

November Show

2011-11-03T20:57:00.002-04:00

Transit of Corvus

September Show

2011-08-31T19:43:00.005-04:00

Halcyon Shores

Island at the Edge of Time
Cosmic Sunset
Borealis

Airport Show "Arrivals and Departures"

2011-08-31T19:24:00.004-04:00

Umbra

The Visitor

Airport show with the theme "Arrivals and Departures".

June Show

2011-06-02T22:07:00.004-04:00

The Dreams of Copernicus
Something a little different than my mandalas and dreamscapes. A sort of combination of both. The June show at State of the Art Gallery Member's Salon.

May Show

2011-05-04T19:49:00.004-04:00

The Visitor

Solar Wind

Perihelion

This Friday Gallery Night in Ithaca. It is the Spring Member's Show and I have three new Dreamscapes in the show.

November Shows

2010-11-03T21:22:00.004-04:00

Deep Forest

Eastern Precipice

Solar Radians

This Friday is Gallery Night in Ithaca. I have openings in two shows. The first is the Members Show at State of the Art Gallery. I have three pieces in the show (shown above).
The other show is "Digital Dialogues" at the Community School of Music and Arts". Click HERE to see exhibit details.

Fall SOAG Show

2010-10-26T22:42:00.004-04:00

Winter Moon/Summer Palace
Winter Garden/Summer PalaceWinter Garden/Summer Palace

SOAG Member's Show

2010-05-10T22:56:00.004-04:00

Moonlight Flight
Polaris

Elm Tree Twilight

Wazonghi on Tilghman

2010-05-04T22:26:00.003-04:00

This past weekend I helped move the sculpture "Song of the Wazonghi" from Bethesda to its new home on Tilghman Island on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake. It was formerly on the Ithaca Commons as one of my sculptures for the "Art in the Heart of the City" show. It seemed to have a cult following there, with poems left at its feet and beads hung around its neck.
Its new location is at the home of wonderful friends of ours. The Wazonghi is now in a beautiful garden with a water view.

Houghton Gallery opening

2010-02-14T20:14:00.006-05:00

Light in Winter opening

2010-02-14T20:11:00.003-05:00

CAP Artspace: Landscape/Skyscape/Dreamscape

2009-12-31T21:33:00.002-05:00

Just hung my new show at the CAP Artspace.

Autumn

2009-10-13T22:19:00.007-04:00

Blue Skyburst
The piece shown above is in the October show in the new State of the Art Salon. It is a fabulous new space and I am proud of my contribution to its construction.

The days are getting shorter and colder. The harvest moon was lovely, but now it is on the wane. I have mixed feelings about autumn. I am not ready for the change of seasons, but it is beautiful. Colors are everywhere and the woods are luminous in the afternoon sun.

Astrolabes

2009-09-21T21:09:00.007-04:00

Becalmed
Celestial Navigation: Scorpius

Celestial Navigation: Cygnus

Recently I have become fascinated by ancient astrolabes. The forms are wonderful and mysterious and I have had a lot of fun drawing my own fanciful versions of these marvelous instruments.
September is the member's show at State of the Art Gallery and I am showing three of my creations.

Ithaca Artist's Market

2009-08-02T22:33:00.002-04:00

This past Friday was the Ithaca Artist's Market. Usually the Artist's Market is on Sunday along with the Sunday Farmer's Market, but for various reasons the event was moved to Friday. Since this was the first time is wasn't associated with the Sunday Farmer's Market there was uncertainty about the attendance. Furthermore it had been raining all morning and the day looked like a washout.
But the sun came out and the crowds were fabulous. The atmosphere was festive with music, food, and drink. The event was successful and I ended up having much more fun than I expected.

Landscape/Skyscape/Dreamscape

2009-05-07T22:12:00.005-04:00

I have been working on a new series that I call "Landscape/Skyscape/Dreamscape". I have three pieces in this month's SOAG Member's Show. And tomorrow is the opening for my show in the Brookton's Market in Brooktondale. The Brookton's Market is a wonderful recent addition to our community and is becoming a popular gathering place.
Both shows will be up fpr the month of May. My new series can be seen in the new works section of my website.

April SOAG Opening

2009-04-01T22:12:00.008-04:00

The Universe in an Orchid

Greenwich Sunset

The two pieces I have in the State of the Art Gallery show(above) are part of a series I call "Landscape/Skyscape/Dreamscape".The "Greenwich Sunset" was made from a photograph of a sunset in one of my favorite places where the light is always magic. It was a fun challenge to draw in all the constellations.

yet another fuzzball

2009-02-24T22:49:00.001-05:00

Just managed to spot the new comet, Lulin. A tiny fuzzball next to Saturn, below Leo. Right where it is supposed to be. Not as spectacular as past comets, but a strange and wonderful visitor just the same.

State of the Art Opening

2009-02-05T21:34:00.003-05:00

Tomorrow night is an opening at State of the Art Gallery. This is particularly exciting for me because I have just become a member. And as a member I get to show a piece in the member's section. The piece is "Red Tree Mandala" and is shown above. I am looking forward to the creative stimulation from being a part of a community of very talented artists.

Gallery Night

2008-12-04T21:25:00.006-05:00

Chesapeake Sky

Crimson Forest

Crows of November

Friday night is gallery night. I have three pieces in the CSMA show. These are shown above.

Ursae

2008-11-14T16:53:00.002-05:00

Tonight is the opening reception at Limestone Art Gallery. I am looking forward to it. I have a piece in the "20/20 Small Works" show. The piece is called "Ursae" and is shown above.

CTB opening

2008-11-13T21:59:00.002-05:00

This afternoon was my opening for my show Mystic Mandalas. It was held at the College Town Bagels Aurora St. location. The show will be up through 12/14. It was lots of fun to have an afternoon party and invite my friends And CTB was great. They provided advertisement and contributed a very nice cheese and bread platter. All I had to do is show up and bring the wine. They are an excellent patron of the arts in our community.
And, of course, it's allways nice to be in a room filled with my art and getting many compliments.

new mandalas

2008-10-29T22:06:00.003-04:00

I just posted my new mandalas (including the ones shown above) on my website SCULPTEDIMAGE.

Gemeni Moondance

2008-09-04T22:54:00.002-04:00

Friday night is Gallery Night in Ithaca. Always a fun social night, meeting artists, and running into friends.
I have three pieces in the Titus Gallery, including my most recent, "Gemeni Moondance"(shown above).

clouds

2008-09-03T23:23:00.004-04:00

As usual, summer seemed to go by in a flash. Lots of travel. Many home and garden projects. My art was neglected a little, but I made several new pieces for the Ithaca Artist’s Market. And the show, “Manipulated Realities”, at the library.
But August brought a time away that soothed the soul and reinvigorated the muse. Sea and sky were the theme, with a wonderful week on the beach in Weekapaug, R.I. And later in the month, an extended weekend on an island in the Chesapeake.
The clouds over the water captured my imagination, and I took many pictures. This fall I am changing directions and working on landscapes and skyscapes.

the garden

2008-07-31T22:35:00.005-04:00

The daylilies are now at their peak. Color is everywhere.

Ithaca Artist's Market

2008-07-27T21:46:00.006-04:00

I love the Ithaca Artist’s Market.
One of the best things about the Artist’s Market is using the Farmer’s Market infrastructure. I didn’t have to invest in a tent or other equipment to get the outdoor art fair experience. The artworks were protected from the elements. People will still come if it rains because they can see the art without getting wet, but the weather was delightful and many people came to see art.
The Artist’s Market brings in a lot of people that wouldn’t ordinarily go to art galleries. In a gallery setting everyone compliments your work and you never know whether they are sincere or just being polite. But at the Artist’s Market you are exhibiting along with many fabulous artists and they don’t have to linger at your booth if they aren’t interested. So it gives me a much better feel how people respond to my work.
The whole experience was festive, with food and music. It gave an opportunity to chat with other artists and see the new things they are doing. And it was lots of fun to watch people’s faces as they look at my work and to explain my inspirations and techniques for the pieces that interest them. I got many positive responses and sales were good.
It was exhausting, but a good day.

Manipulated Realities

2008-07-24T22:33:00.005-04:00

This summer I am part of a six person show at the Tompkins County Public Library. The show is called "Manipulated Realities".
It is a wonderful opportunity to get my art seen by a wide range of people that would not see it in galleries or other venues. To read more about the show click here.

woops

2008-07-23T09:43:00.002-04:00

What has happened to this blog? I have recently been chastised by a friend for neglecting this blog.
Spring suddenly turned to midsummer in the blink of an eye.
I need to focus and get my act together (more to follow).

Spring in the hills of Upstate N.Y.

2008-03-20T19:51:00.004-04:00

The first day of Spring and the winds are howling, temperature dropping, and the air filled with snow. Ah, March.
The picture above is actually from several days ago. About an hour before guests were to arrive for a fancy dinner party, a violent ice storm descended on us, complete with thunder and lightning. The power went out and it looked like the party was doomed.
But we improvised, brought the movable feast to a friend's house in town, and all turned out quite fun (if not a bit strange).
The next day was cold with brilliant sunshine. The hills gleamed with silver-white, and every vista was amazing. I took many wonderful pictures. But I am seriously ready for Spring.

succulents

2008-03-06T22:36:00.004-05:00

This Friday night is the first gallery night of the year. I had a piece accepted in the State of the Art juried photo show. It is shown above. The title is called "succulents".
It is a bit of a departure from my usual collages. Most of my work has photographic elements, but much of the image comes from my own drawings and paintings. In this case however, this show was a photo show, so my work is entirely derived from a single photograph.

geese riding north

2008-03-03T16:57:00.000-05:00

I love to get out into the winter woods and cross-country skiing is one of my favorite winter activities. This year hasn’t been very good for skiing with thin, icy snow. But this weekend the snow was excellent and I went out often.
Today was bright and sunny, and a warm wind was blowing so I went out on my skis early while the snow was still cold and firm. While I was enjoying the woods I suddenly heard the call of migrating geese and barely had time to look up to see them rocket by. I couldn’t believe my eyes at first, but then I realized they were riding the strong south wind that was bringing unseasonable warmth, and not some new super species. I saw several more large flocks heading northward while out on skis.
I am looking forward to spring,. But March brings fickle weather, even more so in times of climate change. And the forecast is for ice storms, so it is time to savor the sun and mid 50’s.

Leo's toy

2008-02-21T11:14:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was bitter cold but the sun was out and the sky was an intense blue. This time of the year it is usually cloudy, so I hadn’t raised my expectations to see the total lunar eclipse. But after a crimson sunset I was hopeful.
Sure enough, around 9 PM a little bite appeared on the moon. In the clear cold night air (9 degrees), the light of the moon was so intense that it was hard on the eyes to look directly at it. And that made the nearby stars difficult to see.
But as the eclipse reached totality the moon appeared as a glowing red-orange orb. It was easier to see details and get a sense of the moon as a sphere, rather than a bright source of light.
Suddenly the surrounding stars were much more apparent, and I recognized Leo. The moon was right at his feet, as if the giant cat was playing with a ball. And next to the moon was Saturn shining bright yellow.
The beauty of the night sky takes my breath away (as did the bitter cold). The phases of the moon dance in my dreams, and I am bringing their images to my art.

Light in Winter

2008-01-10T14:51:00.000-05:00

Ithaca has a fabulous winter festival called Light in Winter. It is all about combining science, music, and art, and exploring the synergy when they interact. I find this very exciting because I have spent my life going between science and art, searching for ways to bring together these passions.
The first Gallery Night of the new year coincides with the festival. I have a piece accepted for the invitational show in the Clinton House Artspace. The theme of the show is “identity”. The work is shown above, and is titled “Helliconia Nights (self with flower)”.
This piece originally started out as a self-portrait (since ‘self’ is one of the ultimate forms of identity). However, I noticed that when I shrank my image, made it fainter, and moved it to the side, the piece seemed to improve. This process continued until I am barely visible as a tiny (but recognizable) dot.
The basic theme remains, with images of science and nature interwoven to reflect my interests. And, of course, art.

Solstice sunset

2007-12-21T18:24:00.000-05:00

OK, so I'm a bit of a druid. About 20 years ago I made a sculpture and placed it so that the sun sets right above it on the winter solstice (from my kitchen window). And it does it every year! I monitor the southward progress of the sun as the days get shorter. And finally, on this night it reaches its most southern point and begins its slow trek north. That means the days are getting longer (though it will be a few weeks before it is noticeable.)
Sometimes the sky is cloudy on the solstice sunset, but I have always been able to see it within a day or two, and the sun is very close to the position over my sculpture. And I always toast the sunset with a wee dram of bourbon or single-malt.
Today was bright and sunny, so I was looking forward to the sunset. But alas, the sky clouded up an hour before sunset. I had pretty much given up on having my celebratory drink, but around 4:30 a sliver of clear sky appeared on the horizon. Immediately after, a brilliant red gold orb dropped under the clouds and hung for a moment over my sculpture before setting. I took that as a good omen as I enjoyed my bourbon.

Gallery Night

2007-12-05T22:33:00.000-05:00

Friday night is "Gallery Night" in Ithaca. All of the galleries in Ithaca have their openings on the same night. This happens four times a year, but the December event is the most festive. Besides walking around from gallery to gallery there is an Ice Sculpture show on the Ithaca Commons. And all the holiday lights are lit as well.
Last year was my first one-man show “Rorshach-Mandalla”. This year I have a piece that was accepted in the State of the Art Gallery Regional Juried Competition. The piece is titled “Wind Dancer” and is shown above.
I am looking forward to festivities.

The Crows of November

2007-11-29T21:21:00.000-05:00

For some reason I always notice the crows in November. Of course, they are around all year, but somehow their gatherings are more noticeable in the bleak barren trees of late fall. Maybe they are more obvious, reeling and cawing against the gray sky. Or maybe their chattering and varied vocalizations are easier to hear without the muting of dense tree leaves.
I have always been fascinated by crows. They are remarkably intelligent and their social behaviors are complex and often human-like. Thus they play a significant role in the culture and mythology of peoples worldwide, from bearers of omens to minor gods.
Recently, ravens have moved onto our hilltop as well. These are much larger and more impressive than the crows. They are also very intelligent, maybe more so than the crows,(and hold a higher status in cultural myth.) It will be interesting to observe how the ravens and crows get along in the coming years.
A few weeks ago I was walking along the road when I heard a loud beating swoosh coming up from behind me. I cringed, as if a giant pterodactyl was about to carry me off. But looking up, I saw two huge ravens flying a few feet overhead. The pair was wingtip-to-wingtip as they flew purposefully down the road. It was quite a sight to see, and well worth the start.
I have been sketching and photographing crows and ravens, and expect them to appear on future works.

Fuzzball and the Night Sky

2007-11-15T18:04:00.000-05:00

I have always been fascinated with the night sky. On the hilltop, a clear night brings out a vast sparkling sky of countless stars. Long ago I memorized the major constellations and the brightest stars. I have followed the seasons in the sky for many years and find their familiar patterns give a sense of comfort and order. But occasionally something interesting happens and disturbs that order.
The past few weeks a comet has appeared and is currently in the constellation Perseus. The comet is named Holmes. It unexpectedly brightened significantly and can now be seen with the naked eye. It looks like a glowing fuzzball rather than the typical comet. This is because the tail is pointing directly away from the earth and can’t be seen behind the comet.
People used to think that comets were omens that brought great disruptions and change. When that was pointed out to an astronomer during a radio interview, he responded with tongue-in–cheek cynicism, “it’s just an icy dirtball and doesn’t care about us.” Still, it is an object of awe and inspiration.
And as an inspiration, I have included the night sky in several of my works, including my most recent. I hope to post that on my website soon.

Autumn already

2007-10-11T22:28:00.000-04:00

O.K. So it’s not like I didn’t know it’s Fall. The equinox came and went. Then there was an amazing full Harvest moon rise over the hills of southern California (immediately after witnessing my first green flash on a Pacific sunset.) Part of a trip to the West Coast for a wonderful family wedding on the Queen Mary. And fun touristy things such as going to the amazing Getty Center, and exploring the L.A. basin’s beach towns.
I’ve been away from my blog for a while. And away from my art. And it wasn’t just the travel. There was a long period of unusually warm weather (including several record breaking days of August-like heat. Maybe I just convinced myself that it was still summer.
But a couple of days ago I was walking through the woods, listening to the distant rumble of thunder. Suddenly a strong wind came up and the sky turned a dark black-purple. As the treetops thrashed back and forth I decided to scamper back up the hill. I thought I was going to get soaked, but what sounded like rain turned out to be millions of small yellow leaves falling. The air was instantly filled with swirling color that was dazzling and disorienting at the same time. But no time to linger. Bright flashes and the loud crack-boom of nearby lightning spurred me on. I barely reached the shelter of my porch as the first drops began to hit.
I spent quite a while sitting on my porch watching the heavy rains falling and illuminated by frequent lightning. Thunderstorm watching is one of my favorite pastimes (as long as it’s from a dry, cozy vantage). The sticky afternoon heat was quickly swept away by the cool air. The quality and texture of the rain was not the heavy drops of a summer storm, but the dense fine drops of a fall rain that seemed to saturate the air. I knew that it was finally autumn with the arrival of this cold front.
Sure enough, this week will average 30-40 degrees cooler than last. Flocks of geese have been heading south. The woods are filled with russets, crimsons and gold. A time of change, and I need to do so myself, seeking my muse.

Ah, summer

2007-08-22T21:43:00.000-04:00

These days summer seems to go by in a flash. There never seems enough time to savor the season and this year was no exception. But after the Artist's Market there was a little time to relax.
The gardens were spectacular, especially the daylilies. Abundant rain and sunshine made everything thrive despite my neglect.
And then there was a marvelous week on the beach. No full moon over the ocean this year (although late night revealed a waning last quarter shimmering over the water.) But there were clear nights filled with stars and an excellent view of the Milky Way. Jupiter, like a jewel, still above Scorpio.(All the more lovely, reflected in the ocean.} One night the Perseids put on a marvelous show.
The days were spent on long walks, and swimming in the ocean every day. There were many opportunities to photograph trees and flowers to use in my collages. The weather was mostly lovely (though a couple of spectacular storms made things exciting). I love living in the hills of the Finger Lakes, but the ocean is a special, soul-soothing place for me.
Home now, with a bit of summer left, my thoughts turn again to art. There are no deadlines to spur me into production so it will be a time to explore new directions.

Ithaca Artist's Market

2007-07-29T22:43:00.000-04:00

Long exhausting day. (Exhausting week actually).
But lots of fun. Watching peoples faces light up as they walked into my booth was very gratifying. Listening to people comment on and compliment my art all day was worth all the effort.
It was my first time at the Ithaca Artist's Market and quite an experience. I even sold enough art to want to do it again. And considering the competition I think I did reasonably well. Ithaca is a small community with a large number of very talented artists.
All week the forecast for Sunday was rain. But the day started off with mixed clouds and sun, and got even more sunny as the day went on. The market was festive and crowded.
At the end of the day I could barely move. I sat on my porch watching the light fade. My daylilies seemed to glow in the twilight along with the occasional firefly. And when the Full Buck Moon rose I knew it had been a good day.

Grassroots

2007-07-23T21:11:00.000-04:00

Four days of music. I've been going to the Grassroots Festival for the past 10 years.
Almost didn't go this year. After all, the Ithaca Artist's Market is next weekend, and I should have spent this weekend getting ready. But few things nourish the soul (and excite the muse) like music. So I'm four days behind where I should be. And still smiling.
Thursday night the evening sky was suddenly filled with lightning and torrential rain. (fortunately I was cozy under the dance tent listening to Cajun music). It looked like the festival was going to be a wet, soupy mud-fest. But the next three days brought the most amazing sunshine and blue sky, and things quickly dried out.
And oh, those nights! Early evening the crescent moon hung in the western sky. When it finally set the crystal sky was ablaze with a million stars. Jupiter sat atop Scorpio, and its brilliance made the constellation seem strange and familiar at the same time.
All the while music drifted sweetly in the night air. When I finally dragged myself away and headed home I noticed the Pleiades climbing into the sky, and I knew it was well past my bedtime.

Moosewood

2007-07-08T22:06:00.000-04:00

Another mixed blessing. An unexpected opportunity to show my work suddenly appeared. There was a cancellation for the July art showing at Ithaca's famous Moosewood Restaurant. I was able to hang a show with two day's notice. Very exciting.
But the downside is that I was planning to use those pieces in the Ithaca Artist's Market coming up at the end of the month. So I am going to be scrambling to get some pieces ready during a very busy month.

Solstice

2007-06-21T22:40:00.000-04:00

Clusters of heavy thunderstorms going through all afternoon. This evening was the opening of the "Art in the Heart of the City" sculpture on the Ithaca Commons. The rain stopped and the sky cleared off just minutes before the ceremonies began. Afterwards, a tour of some of the sculptures. I talked about my two sculptures and seemed to get a good response from the crowd. Lots of excellent sculptures in the show. A must-see for anyone visiting Ithaca this summer.
Back home and off for a walk. On the longest day of the year there is plenty of light left. The air, cool and clear, cleansed by the storms. Distant clouds, puffy cumulus, chased eastward by the cold front.
The moon, a thin crescent sliver only a couple of days ago, is almost first quarter. The image is an inspiration for a mandala collage. And with sculptures done I will move on to my digital art. After all, the Ithaca Artist's Market will be held in just a few short weeks.

Dark Pyramid

2007-06-18T22:17:00.000-04:00

Sunday morning I installed Dark Pyramid on the Ithaca commons. The sculpture is made of polychrome ferro-cement with a copper tip. It is almost nine feet tall. The installation was quite a challenge, particularly transporting it in my Subaru. It is the largest sculpture I have made, and I think I've reached my size limit.

Duamutef

2007-06-18T22:11:00.000-04:00

Saturday morning I installed Duamutef on the Ithaca Commons. The sculpture is over six feet tall and is made of polychrome ferro-cement. It is based on Egyptian canopic jars

stone circle

2007-06-13T22:29:00.000-04:00

Many years ago as a very young artist, I invented the stone circle. Needless to say, I was quite disappointed to find that I wasn’t the first. In fact it had been done many times before. I have since enjoyed the works of Richard Long, and admired his stone circles in many museums, including our own Johnson Museum . And one of my favorite sculptors, Andy Goldsworthy, has done many amazing circles in stone as well as other media.
Despite the fact that others have proceeded me, (probably for millennia), I still am fascinated by circles in landscaping. I have a large raised-bed garden in the form of a circle.
And now I have just finished a circular patio in flagstone. I took this picture before it was covered by furniture (the reason it was built in the first place). It shows some of the stonework detail. In the cold months with the furniture gone it will once again become “sculpture”.

sticks and stones

2007-06-10T22:39:00.000-04:00

A pile of lumber and a pallet of flagstone from the local quarry.
The lumber,4”x4” is for fenceposts and 2”x6” for a raised bed. Refurbishing an old garden. The old wood, almost 20 years in the ground, is pretty much rotted out.
And the stone, nearly a ton, is for a new small circular patio. Pictures to follow.
Anyway, I still seem to be caught up in garden projects when I should be installing my sculptures. But the installation deadline has been extended by a week and I am taking advantage of glorious weather for outdoor chores.

suddenly summer

2007-06-01T20:56:00.000-04:00

In the wink of an eye, summer is upon us. I am always amazed at the sudden change of seasons. And always caught off guard (you'd think that after years of the same experience, I would learn). But it is the usual scramble to try to keep up with the gardens and outdoor projects.
The woods are deep green, dense and lush. The forest floor dark enough that I must remember to bring my tripod to photograph ferns and wildflowers.
The lilacs are almost past, the rhododendrons in full glory. And in the moonlight (last night's full blue moon) the viburnums and bridal wreath spirea glow and the sweet smell of locust wafts in the sultry air.
This the season of artistic procrastination for me. With so many demands on my time, it is easy to get sidetracked. But I have obligations and deadlines, so work on sculptures will proceed.

walk in beauty

2007-05-18T21:26:00.000-04:00

Home after a long week. Enough light left so I can get a few garden chores done.
But instead I wander off into the woods. This time of the year the days are long and the evening light is lovely. The sun hangs low in the sky, a sphere of red-orange. Leaves are starting to fill the canopy, but the sunlight filters through. Shafts of brilliant gold illuminate emerald buds. Magical light dazzles, like jewelry suspended in air. I want to capture the moment, to paint it or photograph it. But I know it would be in vain. No medium is sufficiently radiant. Not to mention the chill of evening air on my face, scented with honeysuckle. Or the haunting melody of the hermit thrush, fluting like a distant lonely Pan.
I remember the Navajo blessing, "may you walk in beauty".
The experience of beauty is a gift given to the artist. To pass this gift on to others is his duty. But sometimes failure is part of the process. So I am content to hold this fleeting gift, with the hope that someday it will emerge in a future work.

Weird

2007-05-16T21:04:00.000-04:00

More weird spring weather. Yesterday was record hot. Tomorrow is supposed to be brutally cold. Progress on sculptures and gardens seems haphazard, but both are coming along. I don't know if it's the weather or my own ability to procrastinate that makes my projects disconnected.
But in the meantime, I've done some work on my web page. Mostly repairing some bad links, changing the appearance, and adding an Artist's Bio.
I have also set up my new printer. So far, the results look wonderful. It is very exciting to be able to work in a larger format. And the pigment-based inks are archival and can last up to 200 years without noticeable fading.

Rain

2007-05-10T18:56:00.000-04:00

Weather happens. I sit on my porch watching a gentle rain and listening to the distant rumble of thunder. It's raining on my sculptures-in-progress (obviously no progress today). But I refuse to be frustrated.
After a winter that would not let go, the warm rain is a welcome sign of spring. The dark skies make daffodils and forsythia seem luminous. The leaves are just beginning to green-up. (A friend always reminds me that this is the time of a thousand shades of green. The dark greens of summer are lovely but monochromatic by comparison.)
My new printer has arrived and I will use my indoor time to set it up. It will be exciting to get back to my digital collages.

Spaces

2007-05-06T22:01:00.000-04:00

Yes, yes. I know. I should have been working on my sculptures. But today was such a beautiful sunny day and it was time to work in my garden.
Mostly ripping plants out in the long neglected north garden, a series of semi-formal beds that were well designed but long ignored. The fact that the beds were presentable until recently is a testimony to the original design. But stuff grows and runs together and the structure is lost.
Good landscaping is like good sculpture. A balance of shapes. And the spaces between the shapes are just as important as as the shapes themselves.
So, as much as I hate to yank out perfectly good perennials, I need those spaces to define the overall structure. I will work on the sculptures tomorrow.

Mixed Blessing

2007-05-02T14:03:00.000-04:00

The "Art in the Heart of the City" show asked me to leave my pieces from last year's show in place. This is a mixed blessing since I am happy to leave my work in public. But it also means I can't use the underground support structures for those pieces with my new pieces. I have to cast two new huge slabs for them.
I guess I'm mostly pleased, since I always hate to move them from their home on the Ithaca Commons. One piece in particular, "Song of the Wazonghi" seems to have acquired a cult following. Poems and other "offerings" appear at its base from time to time, and it is occasionally adorned with necklaces.

Weekend

2007-04-30T22:11:00.000-04:00

Weekend away. Great visit to NYC and museums. Always nice to get stimulated and recharged artistically.
Today I cast heavy angle brackets in the base of my canoptic jar.
I also ordered a fancy new printer. An Epson R1800. Very exciting.

Heavy Stuff

2007-04-26T16:34:00.000-04:00

Not much accomplished today, but I did buy a sack of Portland cement to cast bases for my sculptures.
My back still aches from hoisting the 90 lb. sack into the back of my car. I am reminded that maybe I'm getting a little old for working with large concrete sculptures. Still, I am committed to displaying my pieces in the "Art in the Heart of the City" show this summer. With public art, it's almost as much work making the works "people proof" as it is creating them in the first place. In my case, it involves casting a large concrete pad that is buried in the ground and mounting the sculpture on it.

Second Try

2007-04-25T14:57:00.000-04:00

Ok, so my first blog wasn’t very exciting. But it was mostly a test blog, so I could explore how to set up a page. I must say that it was extremely easy. I’ve had a web page for several years and had to edit everything in HTML. However, with Blogger it’s quite simple to just enter text. (I will try pictures soon).

I’m not entirely sure why I decided to do this blog. I am going to use it as a personal journal to chronicle my artistic endeavors. If this seems to work out, I will post my progress in my various art projects. I have read that blogs can give an artist wider exposure and help potential customers connect with the works on a more personal level.

My current projects are two large outdoor sculptures made from ferro-cement. One is a tall pyramid, and the other, a large canoptic jar. I hope to have them accepted for the annual “Art in the Heart of the City” sculpture show in Ithaca, N.Y. I have had pieces in the past five shows. These can be seen on my sculpture page.

My progress has been impeded by the weather. A little over a week ago we had 22 inches of fresh, heavy wet snow on the ground. A week later it was 80 degrees (I think we broke the climate.) With the snow finally gone my priorities have shifted to garden chores. But I have to get back to sculptures soon to meet deadlines.

My First Blog

2007-04-24T11:32:00.000-04:00

So here I am starting a blog. Totally unfamiliar territory. Never done this before and, in fact, I've only read a handful of blogs. But it’s time I gave it a try.