I typically have a number of ideas or themes in mind that I wish to influence and shape the work. These themes become a kind of "terrain" or context from which I can formally develop a complete art piece. With "Sphere Trace II", I began with a series of circular bands that are contained within a translucent sphere. The sphere is only defined by these other elements. I have always been intrigued by the spatial qualities of knots, especially their graphic way of intimating a compressed spatial depth through the simple use of overlap. In this piece, I was attempting to achieve something similar yet simply relying on the bands or rings to simultaneously define the sphere and form a kind of knot that overlaps spatially. There is a strong connection to the tradition in ancient civilizations of incorporating relief sculpture in architecture and stele as a means of pre-literate communication. Encountering this type of sculptural experience, the mesmerizing play of light and deep shadow, the shifting perspective and physical presence, and the process of interpretation still resonates today.
Nine individually hung panels are created using an "earth-forming" technique, a one-off casting method developed by the artist. A dis-solvable "form work" is carved from silt and filled with liquid clay. Over a period of weeks, the silt & clay matrix dries and disintegrates, allowing the clay within to be excavated. Glazed and fired with colored porcelain.
Due to the nature of this process, slight variations occur between each composition. Tiles are ready to hang; a full-sized paper pattern is included for easy and accurate installation. Suitable for indoor or outdoor display. Limited edition of 10.
