I am very pleased to announce that jurors Kim Balentine, Cheryl McCardle, and Jenna Webb have invited my hand built Raku fired paper clay sculpture SKEPTICISM into the 311 Gallery show “Abstracts Matter”. SKEPTICISM, part of my “Cognitive Emotions” Series will be on display at 311 Gallery, 311 West Main Street, Raleigh NC 27601 from February 28, 2019 until March 30, 2019. There will be an opening reception from 6 until 9 pm on Friday, March 1st.
In Greek mythology, Prometheus stole fire from the gods and gave it to mankind for which he was punished by being chained to a rock and having his liver eaten by vultures. My PROMETHEUS, a hand built and raku fired paper clay sculpture deconstructs the myth by having Prometheus part of and one with the rock holding the chain rather than being held.(8” x 8” x 8”)
I am very pleased to announce that Juror Sigrid Zahner has invited my ceramic sculpture MEMORIES OF FORGOTTEN KINGS into “Bodies of…Juried Exhibition of Ceramic Arts” a nationally juried show at the Crooked Tree Arts Center in Traverse City, MI. The show will open with a reception from 2 to 4 pm on Saturday, April 27, 2019 and run until Saturday, July 20, 2019. I am particularly pleased to be in this show because I recently had two of my Joomchi pieces in a nationally juried Papercraft show at the Crooked Tree Arts Center. Being able to exhibit works at the same location in two different mediums is something of which I am very proud.
In ORACLE, two High Priests seek guidance in a desolate place amidst a surreal mixture of the natural and unnatural. ORACLE is a mixed media sculpture: the base consists of handmade paper clay using rehydrated scrap clay and recycled newspapers fired together with glass tiles; the “tree” is a found object, part of a yew root from a necessary brush cutting; the “Oracle” is composed of a different type of glass tile than in the base, and the “High Priests” are hand built and raku fired using a different type of paper clay than used in the base. Underglazes, epoxy, acrylic paint and shellac complete the piece – as I said, a combination of natural and unnatural. (11” x 13 ½” x 7”) ($325.00)
John Fansmith 