Show Announcement

Find out more about the New Jersey Arts Annual  "Transformations" at the

New Jersey State Museum in Trenton, NJ. Four of my pieces were selected for inclusion by the curators.

Looking Ahead

                                           Thea Clark, Tassel Pod Neckwear, 2008

Well, the economy is hurting and it is certainly showing at the shows. The best part of the Westchester Craft Show, besides some new customers (thank you!) was meeting Lisa Klakulak, a remarkable felter, who dyes all her materials with natural dyes, and Donna D'aquino who makes sculptural jewelry and wall pieces. Her plastic dipped steel pieces are like spontaneous gestural sketches that have jumped off the page into 3D.

My next show is Artrider in Morristown, NJ at the Armory, Dec 5-7. 

Play, Pleasure, Persistence

                                                  Thea Clark, Tertium Quid Pin, 2008

 Some pieces emerge from a plan. Others seem to will themselves into existence out of the subconscious. Still others, hang around, orphans passed over, picked up, put down again and again. Until one day with the persistent efforts to pick it up, to see it as something more, what it could be, it finally feels alive with possibilities. Now the play and pleasure can start.

 Tertium Quid- something that cannot be classified into either two groups considered exhaustive; an intermediate thing or factor, late Latin "third something". (neither animal nor mineral, other) 

 

Something Old and Something New

                                                  Triangle Felt Ball Earrings, 2008

These earrings are a new design, but I have repurposed an old casting I used to make hollow forms in my pre-felt, production jewelry days.

For the Love of Color

                                                   Oxidized silver, felted wool, 2008

My local paper is covering the subject  of "Happiness" in several parts. These days research indicates 60% of happiness is determined by genetics, however the remaining 40% is influenced by learning and even practice. Meditation has been shown to activate areas of the left hemisphere that stimulate "positive" feeling. Apparently, we aren't very good at predicting what will make us happy, but fortunately our brains like to manufacture happiness. This is a useful survival tool. Which brings me to the act of creating, creating for me is a bit like manufacturing happiness in the moment. I'm certain our brain waves respond to color, mine do anyway. Plenty of people decorate their homes or dress themselves according to theories of colors' emotional impact.

My work has fluctuated between stark tonalities and full blown color saturation. I have speculated in the past that this may be because I was at a very formative age, during the transition from black and white to color TV. After all the networks introduced color, I would still seek out the Saturday morning, black and white oldies repeats as a visual reprieve.

However, I always return to color, to communicated mood yes, but also, simply for the love of it.

Textile Techniques In Metal

I just discovered www.weavecast.com. Here is an interesting interview with Arlene Fisch, an innovator of textile techniques with metal.

I found this casting about online to find a workshop. Not that I want to become a weaver (I think)

but I have a huge affinity for textiles, which is probably hereditary. My book collection includes titles on Central Asian, Indonesian textiles, Oriental and Tribal rugs. I'm fascinated by the cultural heritage past on through textile techniques and motifs, as much as by contemporary work.

The cross pollination of medium is where I find the most inspiration these days.

Yes, You Too Can Etch

                                                Habeas Corpus Boteh Brooch, 2008

 This one day workshop , "Etched Surface Design with Bi-Layered Metals", is Octber 26, 10-4 pm, at the Newark Museum. Sign up now space is limited. You'll learn freehand and transfer paper resist techniques to achieve graphic surface treatments on your metal. Etching, chemical preparation and safety will be covered. Also, learn to create your own layered metal. Several samples will be completed for use in future projects.