the two day distraction

The Twins

The Infant Gas Masks (or "the twins" as I have unofficially named them) are taking up most of my time these days. But they will be well worth the time and effort once complete. They're connected with a knotted hose, bejeweled with clear glass beads (courtesy of Brian Wertheimer of Werthyglass), and they will leave you pondering their eerie yet enchanting gaze.

A Fragile Affair (continued)

A Fragile Affair was finally exhibited last month in a show curated by Erik Geschke, Material Language, held at the Littman Gallery. A special thanks to Nathaniel Gallagher and all of his wonderful efforts in collaborating with me on the carriage and the cannon's interior steel structure.

A Fragile Affair is currently on display at the Pacific Northwest College of Art's main building, 1241 NW Johnson Street.

A Mechanization of Freedom

John T. Thompson introduced the Thompson submachine gun in 1919. It was developed to aid trench warfare in World War I, however, prototypes of the gun did not even reach Europe before the War ended. Its producers were left to find new ways to market this weapon within the United States, initially appealing to both citizens and law enforcement. The reputation of the weapon’s versatility was caught on in the 1920’s by prohibition-era gangsters. The gun is an iconic image, mostly associated with the roaring twenties and popularized with the help of Hollywood.

The ability of this weapon to traverse the range of ownership is alluded to in the butterfly motif. The butterfly transitions through its own life from egg to larva, from pupa to adult. Similarly, the Thompson originally was destined to aid in war, eventually finding use among the police and citizens and finally ending up in the hands of criminals. The butterfly is also a symbol of freedom. The majority of the motif is located on the back stock and can only be seen from the side and behind the weapon. If one was to stand at the end of the barrel, the motif would not be visible.

The pattern of the fragmented glass transitions from organic curved lines to angular shapes echoing a mechanical progression. The midnight blue glass also fades to a deep red as it reaches the tip of the barrel. This stained glass sculpture is purposely unlit. The Thompson’s popularity was short-lived; its place in history set. The weapon’s inability to transcend its time is made apparent through the lack of emanating light. This one sculpture set amongst several other stained glass weapons may appear dull, yet it holds its own beauty. The Thompson in a contemporary setting is collector’s item, one that is cherished and kept carefully preserved.

The Fantastical Telescope

(detail shot)

(installation shot) cardboard, wood, chain, viewfinder, lens, transparency, led light, 2010, 42" x 8" x 8"

linocut, 2010, 4" x 6"

The Fantastical Telescope:

The Information Dispersal and Retrieval Society mission went astray. We traveled west to understand its confluences and instead lost ourselves. Perhaps it was a success after all? But now we've returned and how exactly do we relate our adventure? A fantastical telescope perhaps, to see the far-off destinations and all their splendor.

Directions for using the telescope: Close one eye. Place your opened eye approximately one foot away from the lens. Adjust your distance to sharpen view.

holgas are fun

A Fragile Affair

For the past couple months I've been primarily preoccupied with this sculpture and I can happily report I am nearly finished! My blood, sweat, and tears are in this piece, it has been a grueling and emotional adventure that I think was worth it. I hesitate to say it was because of everything I sacrificed for it, there was a time when it made me miserable. Alas, it is over with. I submitted it to "Transcendence - the Magic of Glass", an exhibition in September at the Museum and Arts Center in Sequim, WA. I hear back later this month.

The cannon is one sculpture in a series of stained glass weapons I'm creating. What began as an exploration fueled by my fascination with guns has expanded to include iconic arms from early civil war up until the twenty first century. Using the medium of stained glass to depict these loaded images offers a distinct visual contrast between the delicate, fragile tendencies of glass compared with the omnipotent weapon. Specifically in the United States there is a widespread, gun-crazed culture that developed from a long historical tie to weapons. This country was practically founded on the basis of artillery and continues to hold fast to our second amendment, the right to bear arms. The medium of stained glass has been explored very little in terms of sculptural fine art. It is a material that is laden with its own history and references that is hard to escape. In its religious context, stained glass is a symbol for the transmission of knowledge or truth. Glass, in the context as I have used it, glorifies the weapon, posing questions as to why we still succumb to the seductive power of these destructive machines.