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.
THE GREEN MAN: AUTUMN marks my return to a favorite topic: the folklore, legends and mythology of the “Green Man”, something I’ve explored in a number of different mediums. This time the medium is paper collage using paper that I hand inked and hand pulled specifically for this piece. Mounted on mat board and matted and framed to 18”x 14”, THE GREEN MAN: AUTUMN is the first on an intended four part “seasonal” series.
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’.
John Fansmith 