In the Aztec religion Xolotl was a powerful and fearsome figure, the twin to Quetzalcoatl and Lord of the West who guarded the Sun as it journeyed through the night. My XOLOTL, while inspired by the Aztec deity, cannot be described as “fearsome”, unless, of course, you happen to be terrified of garden gnomes. Hand built of paper clay, glazed and fired to Cone 6. 8 ½” x 5” x 4”.
BLOOD SACRIFICE, the third in the STONEHENGE DECONSTRUCTED Series posits a different and darker interpretation than the celebratory themes of the first two, WINTER SOLSTICE and VERNAL EQUINOX, that Stonehenge was not always a place of joyous welcome. In BLOOD SACRIFICE the palette is darker and the shapes curve inward and down. Hand built and raku fired paper clay. 7” W/D x 9”H.
When I started the MASK Series the pieces were generic and conceptual, more an investigation into the cultural universality of Masks than an expression of any particular idea; I wasn’t doing commentary, just having some fun with paper clay and Raku. However, things evolve, and the more recent ones, such as MASK #9: THE GOLDEN YEARS, through the facial expressions and palette do try to say something. Technically, MASK #9: THE GOLDEN YEARS is a mixed media piece combining hand built and raku fired paper clay with glass beads for the eyes. Wall hung, 9” x 7” x 2 ½’.
I’ve never really understood the “sport” of trophy hunting, particularly when the “trophy” is not something capable of hunting you back. For food or fur, okay, but just for a head to hang on a wall? Having said that, TROPHY: THE LAST RED-CRESTED WATCHAMACALLIT represents my first, and probably last, venture into the art of trophy gathering of endangered species. TROPHY: THE LAST RED-CRESTED WATCHAMACALLIT is a mosaic/mixed media wall hanging composed of glass, hand built paper clay, marbles and MDF. 12”H x 7 ½”W x 10”D
The STONEHENGE DECONSTRUCTED Series draws from a number of sources: my interest in prehistoric cultures, my own series CRUCIBLES, CAULDRONS and CALDERAS, the work of Alysse Einbender, a marvelous ceramist, and the metal sculptures of Robert Engman, among others. That so much is still unknown, i.e., theoretical, about Stonehenge and the people who built it gives both a difficulty and a wide latitude to doing a deconstructive piece about it. STONEHENGE DECONSTRUCTED: THEORY #1 – WINTER SOLSTICE, the first in the Series, ignores the difficulty and takes full advantage of the latitude. In this piece, the ground is cold, white and hard, but the movement and coloring of the shapes express the joy of the celebration. l Hand built and raku fired paper clay. 7”W/D x 6 ½”.
The Slitherthings: Zeb & Maevis are intended to be a pair of small and expressive, but not particularly scary, monstrous creatures. Hand built out of paper clay and Raku fired, they are part of a series of imaginary beings and were not inspired by, or reflective of, anyone or anything, in particular. About 6″H, the width and depth depend on how you position them. $225.00 the pair.
Cauldron #2, part of the “Crucibles, Cauldrons and Calderas” series, is composed of stained glass and paper clay fired to over 2000 degrees F. and employs various underglazes, as well as low and mid range glazes to contrast the inside of the “cauldron” with the outside of it and the base. 6″ x 7″ x 7″.
Virgin Sacrifice #1 is part of my exploration of using stained glass and paper clay in mixed media sculptural pieces. The skulls in this prototype piece are commercially available molded plastic, but I hope to master the 3-D printer well enough to create custom designed pieces. Virgin Sacrifice #1 takes the Floxnia format to a more complex form and perhaps into a different dimension. 10″ x 10″ x 10″
Masks are ubiquitous,part of every culture and serving a variety of functions, so there is no specific culture or function which served as the inspiration for my See No Evil Series. I just felt like doing a few, playing around with form and expression. Hand built raku fired paper clay and mirrored glass. 13 1/2″ x 6 3/4″.
The White Lady, is a hand built and glazed paper clay sculptural figure set on a two-tiered MDF base with an irregular opaque black glass mosaic. It draws its inspiration from the works of Amedeo Modigliani and from some pieces created by the Cambridge Glass Company in the 1920’s. The tiers are offset to accentuate the curving lines of the sculpture. 13 1/2″ x 10″ x 10′
John Fansmith 