Monthly Archives: April 2020

Destroy/Create/Repeat

My work titled “Destroy/Create/Repeat” was was juried into the Best of 2020 show put on by the Ohio Designer Craftsmen in Columbus OH. The dates are a little squishy right now but I will update when we all know more.  You can view all the pieces in the show on their website, http://ohiocraft.org

The title refers to the circular nature of not just life but everything. Every single thing that we humans make required the destruction and recreation of something if not many things.  When you consider that every molecule in our bodies came from our food be it flora or fauna and that we will return all that we are to this closed system someday.  Every single thing that a plant needs to sustain itself requires the destruction of molecules in the soil and the destruction of our sun in the form of photons that excite the photosynthesis process in every green leaf and stem.

I created this piece with recycled/upcycled bottles that I smash and reassemble in clay molds that I create and fire in my kiln. I then arrange the fired glass and add embellishments as needed.  As with most of my work I discover the meaning? point? reason d’etre? after the fact.  I follow my muse with questions on a gut level and she informs my understanding of myself and my place in the universe.  This understanding percolates slowly into my consciousness sometimes many weeks, months after the fact.  I sometimes feel that a piece isn’t done until I get the message.  Your message will probably be different and that’s the power of art to communicate.

The piece looks a little like a geyser that hit a glass ceiling ;-D  It is coming and going on the top side and the interior.  I love the way glass melts and catching it in the act gives a most satisfying feeling of movement, something I’ve long been trying to imbue into my work.