Tag Archives: silica based life forms

“The River” exhibit at the Parkersburg Art Center

My work will be on view at the Parkersburg Art Center as part of “The River” a biennial juried exhibition.  The exhibit runs from June 26 through August 6, 2016.  An Opening Reception is on June 26 from 1-3 pm come join the fun!

Here are my three Fish sculptures that are in the show.

Silica Based Life FormFish

Silica Based Life Form Fish #3220

Silica Based Life Form Fish #3439

Silica Based Life Form
Fish #3439

Silica Based Life Form, Fish #9277

Silica Based Life Form Fish #9277

All of these pieces are from my Silica Based Life Form Series that began in 2013 and continues to evolve.

Here is a link to the Parkersburg Art Center for more information.

http://www.parkersburgartcenter.org/

 

Women of Appalachia art exhibit 2015

This years Women of Appalachia Show has again gathered some very fine artwork made by women who live and work in the many counties of Appalachia.  I’m proud to be apart of this traveling exhibit and I hope you can get to see the show and go to one of the poetry and short story performances.

These are the sculptures that I have in the show.  There is a link to the website with more information at the end of this post.

OFF COURSE glass, clay, stone,shell

OFF COURSE
glass, clay, stone,shell

Below are three of my Fish from the Silica Based Life Form series

DSC_5039

McDonough 2a DSC_3421

http://www.womenofappalachia.com/

You can see this amazing show now at the Parkersburg Art Center, in the Multicultural Gallery in Baker Center, Athens Ohio from Jan 12 through April 30 2016 and at the Pump House Center for the Arts in Chillicothe from May 5 to ?

There is also a written word aspect to this show and three more readings will be held in December, March and May.  These are real women telling their own stories and sharing their poetry.

migrating fish

My Silica Based Life Form Fish have really been getting around.  This one just came home from the Zanesville Museum of Art’s 70th Ohio Exhibition.

DSC_3218

 

The Fish below just landed at the Dairy Barn in Athens Ohio and will travel to Athens West Virginia and Athens Georgia over the next year as part of the Athens Voices Show  Upcoming Exhibitions | Dairy Barn

Silica Based Life Form Fish

Silica Based Life Form
Fish

Five more of my slumped glass sculptures will be moving from Parkersburg West Virginia to Athens Ohio as part of the Women of Appalachia Show

Women of Appalachia | Their Stories & Their Art Exhibition

In the Eye of the Storm

In the Eye of the Storm

Silica Based Life Form Flower

Silica Based Life Form
Flower

DSC_3203 DSC_5105

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DSC_5098

 

 

 

 

 

There’s an opening at the Dairy Barn January 16, 2015 from 5-7 pm and a reception for the Women of Appalachia Exhibit at the Multicultural Center in Athens Ohio March 13, 2015.

All of these sculptures are for sale if you live close enough we can negotiate the shipping charges.

 

 

Glass & Clay Sculpture in Starbrick’s Window

 

 

All the sculptures awaiting transport

All the sculptures awaiting transport

It seemed like I had forever when I made the commitment to put a display of my new glass work in the window of Starbrick Gallery.  I kept making more thinking I’d never fill up that huge space, but as I grew the collection of silica based life forms the window space miraculously got smaller and it all came to a very nice intersection if I do say so myself.

I’ve never mounted a show before so I was pretty wigged out for a few weeks in advance, Jay got a lot of work done in his shop.  I knew it would take a few trips to transport the sculptures because they are not packing friendly so I started on a Wednesday morning.  Naturally, when I arrived the old window display was still in place.  It didn’t take me to long to empty it out as the coffee and adrenaline were kicking in.  After picking out the pedestals and wrestling them into the space I decided they needed a coat of paint.  Two trips later my painting,  arranging, signage and lighting were done.  The work is on display!

 

Fish Silica Based Life Forms

Fish Silica Based Life Forms

Fish Silica Based Life Form

Fish Silica Based Life Form

Tree Silica Based Life Forms

Tree Silica Based Life Forms

Fish Silica Based Life Forms

Fish Silica Based Life Forms

Flower & Tree Silica Based Life FormsFlower & Tree Silica Based Life Forms

The show was supposed to be up for a month but the Starbrick Gallery needs two weeks to paint the rest of their pedestals and place tea cups upon them.

I will find another venue and post an update.  I am also posting all the pieces in the store one at a time.  Free delivery in a 100 mi radius of Rutland, OH.  If you are farther afield we can negotiate.

SNEAK PEEK AT NEW WORK

slumped glass "silica -based Life Forms; Flower"

slumped glass in a clay base
“Silica Based Life Form” Flower

Here are a few pictures of my new work.  I started experimenting with slumped glass a little over a year ago.  It all came about because Meigs county OH no longer recycles glass of any kind and the powers that be will not even entertain the thought of a bottle bill.  Being an avid recycler since the early 70’s I literally could not throw out something so easily recyclable.

After viewing an online how to video I realized I could create my own clay molds to slump the glass.  I grabbed all the bisque ware I had, broke up a bunch of bottles filled my “molds” and started firing.

Naturally nothing worked out the way I planned (if that ever happens I will be pretty sure I’m dead) but the results were very interesting and spurred me on to continue the experimentation.  I quickly learned that the edges are razor sharp, invested in a variety of gloves, and carried on.  A few people have suggested that I should soften the edges but quite frankly that is my favorite part.

detail photo of sharp edges from "In the Eye of the Storm"

detail photo of sharp edges from
“In the Eye of the Storm”

Eventually I decided to mount the slumped glass in clay bases.  I use either a white stoneware or a beautiful dark red/brown clay with black specks called Nelsonville Pottery clay by Columbus Clay Co to recreate the starbrick clay used to make bricks that are still in use today in Nelsonville’s streets and sidewalks.  The work quickly took on the look of trees, flowers and fish.  I plan to exhibit my “Silica based Life Forms” in the window of Starbrick Clay Art Studio at the September Final Friday in Nelsonville on September 27.  It will remain up for a month, if you’re in the area check it out, if you’re not it’s worth the trip

 Silica Based Life Form Trees

Silica Based Life Form
Trees

 

 

Silica Based Life Form Fish

Silica Based Life Form
Fish