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)
HIGH MOUNTAIN MEADOW is set in spring when the mountain’s snow cap is melting but still visible and the meadow grasses and flowers are starting to come into their own. HIGH MOUNTAIN MEADOW is part of my “Landscape” series of stained glass/paper clay wall hangings. (11” x 6” x 2”) ($255.00)
For the Hawaii National Park Centennial competition in 2016 I created two stained glass/paper clay wall hangings NIGHT VIEW OF KILEAUA and ERUPTION, and since then have been intrigued by the potential for depicting a volcanic eruption using that medium. Hekla is the name of an active Icelandic volcano surrounded by ice which erupted in 2000. HEKLA is my effort to depict, however abstractly, that moment when the eruption has started but the ice has not yet been overwhelmed. HEKLA is intended to be part of my “Rim of Fire” Series. 9” x 9” x 2”.
I am very pleased to announce that jurors Isabel Webb, Janet Webb, and Greg Moon have selected my smoke fired ceramic tile wall hanging DARK MOON RISING to be part of the After Dark 8 – National Juried Exhibition to be held from March 23, 2019 until April 13, 2019 at the Greg Moon Gallery at 109 Kit Carson Road, Taos, New Mexico 87571. This will be the first time that I have exhibited any of my work in Taos which is regarded by many as one of the top art centers in the United States.
BAYOU, part of my “Landscape” series of stained glass/paper clay pieces, is an overview of a lush place where land and water mix and merge in timeless but ever changing patterns. (12” x 6” x 1 ½”) ($265.00)
I am very pleased to announce that my stained glass/ceramic sculpture, CHILD’S GARDEN ON GILESE 832 X: BLUE FLOXNIA, will be part of the Descanso Gardens “Unusual Views” Exhibition. CHILD’S GARDEN ON GILESE 832 X: BLUE FLOXNIA can be viewed at the Stuart Haaga Gallery at Descanso Gardens,1418 Descanso Drive, La Canada Flintridge, CA 91011 from the opening reception for the Exhibition on February 10, 2019 until its closing on June 9, 2019.
SANDBAR, depicting a river sandbar, is composed of stained glass and paper clay fired together to over 2000 degrees Fahrenheit in order to get a depth of color not possible with regular glazes. 5 ½” x 10 ½” x 1 ½”. SANDBAR, along with ERUPTION and LAGOON is currently on display at the Arts Benicia Show “Cutting Edge: Nontraditional Glass” in Benicia, California.
I am very pleased to announce that the juror, Martha Gyllenhall, has selected my piece, DARK MOON RISING, to be part of the 2018 Annual Juried Show at Abington Art Center. DARK MOON RISING is a 21” x 21” wall hanging consisting of 26 hand built and smoke fired stoneware tiles. The tiles were smoke fired over a 28 hour period using a mixture of hard and soft wood chips as the firing medium. The Show will open on Friday, November 9, 2018 with a reception from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m., and will run through January 4, 2019. The Abington Art Center is located at 515 Meetinghouse Road, Jenkintown, PA 10946.
John Fansmith 