Who doesn't get the itch to clear out the old as we transition to a new year? I've been sifting through stacks of magazines, clothes, kids' outgrown clothing, playroom art supplies. In addition to making multiple trips to the St. Vincent de Paul Society drop off center, I've been taking a critical look at what's in my studio and my 30 x 10 foot storage space. Why am I paying rent on all this stuff? Because, at some point, exhausted from my most recent project, I put the remaining ceramic, glass, stone or ceramic tile in bins, shelved it, and planned to return another day. Surely I would use it in my next project or commission, right? I've been contemplating for a few years now, and I've decided to start the "Quello Che Rimane" project. That Which Remains. The leftovers. The dregs. The dusty bins of opus romano from the DFW Airport Terminal. The unglazed porcelain salvaged from Lone Star Ceramic's warehouse in Farmer's Branch before it went out of business. The tortillas of Mexican smalti I just had to carry home from Kolorines in Cuernvaca. In addition to too many materials, I also have a shamelessly large pile of substrate-like material: expensive Aerolam panels from the Four Evangelists Baptistery project. Wedi board strips cut from the Chic from Barcelona restaurant panels. A giant monolith of styrofoam I would have sliced up long ago if it weren't so damned messy to deal with. Here are the three goals: 1. Clean out unused materials; 2. Use existing substrates, trying not to purchase more in order to complete these projects; 3. Find new inspiration for my work in utilizing "what remains." Oh, and a side bonus: having a body of finished work to show and sell. Wish me luck. And let me know if you have an substrate-like object you would like embellished. I have the supplies!
Studio Stories
Current projects and musings. Thanks for reading!