Posted in My Sculptures, tagged found materials, Natural materials, Pollution Cocktail, Sculpture on April 15, 2014| Leave a Comment »
Pollution Cocktail by Mary P. Williams
Instead of a cold refreshing glass of ….. ? ….. let me pour you a warm glass of pollution cocktail. It consists of a discarded plastic bucket filled with a vile, chemical-smelling mixture of old, burned items. The cocktail is garnished with a spear of Aloe and a chunk of coal and is wrapped in sugarcane leaves and moldy palm fronds. All these items were found on one square yard of earth by the side of a road.
Posted in Sculpture, Silicon Valley Open Studios, tagged Collage, Julie Nelson-Gal, Printmaking, Sculpture, Silicon Valley Open Studios on May 10, 2012| Leave a Comment »
Julie Nelson-Gal with Mandala
Collage! Printmaking! Sculpture!
Julie Nelson-Gal 3-D works
Julie has it all displayed on her studio walls.
Julie Nelson-Gal with her Joseph Cornell Curtain
Separating the adjoining studio from hers is a curtain/banner of Joseph Cornell working in his studio. Her work references his.
Julie Nelson-Gal Sculpture
The beautiful. delicate sculpture incorporates the hair of a friend, feathers, and found objects.
Julie Nelson-Gal Collage
Julie Nelson-Gal Collage
Collage and printmaking are combined.
The artist statement Julie has on her website ( www.julienelsongal.com ) talks of her lifelong interest in photography.
Human habits, memories, and how objects communicate their former functions inform her work. Of course, the objects must also have aesthetic potential to be included in her combined collage/printmaking work. A keen intelligence is at work here!
Posted in My Sculptures UTPA MFA, Sculpture, UTPA MFA, tagged 3-D Palms, Mixed Media, Palms, Sculpture, UTPA MFA on March 1, 2012| 1 Comment »
Palms in the wind! Palms with icicles!
Here is the corner of my studio dedicated to the idea of palms … great colors and very sharp spines up and down the stem.
Gingerly is the way to handle the fronds. In the wind they spiral down to clonk you on the head … when they are covered with ice they fall from 30 feet up and impale flowers, dogs, and people. Wear a hat!
In the last four years that I have been in the Rio Grande Valley two years had a couple days of icy weather. We cover all the flowers and shrubs with plastic and cross our fingers. As dawn rises the palms are coated in ice and shine and sparkle. As the sun comes up the ice coating begins to slide off the palms as they are 40 feet in the air and then watch out!! A sliver of ice could be six inches long and sharp as a knife … it simulates the edges of the palm frond. How exhilarating to watch them descend as you hop around to avoid a hit!
Posted in Sculpture, tagged art philosophy, crafts, Sculpture, woodworking on January 6, 2012| Leave a Comment »
Off in the morning to see a woodworking craft show in Weslaco, Texas.
Bill Killough
Here is Bill Killough with his intricate little house … of course we all see it as a “hobbit house” after being inundated with “Lord of the Rings” and Disney. The interior spiral staircase is a marvel … I am charmed!
Craft is defined as “skill in making things by hand” or “an occupation requiring manual dexterity or artistic skill.” As I turn his carvings in my hands I wonder … what is the difference between art and craft? His attention to detail and perception of space is excellent. Art, per Wikipedia, is “the product or process of deliberately arranging items (often of symbolic significance) in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect.”
The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy says “The definition of art is controversial in contemporary philosophy … (a branch of philosophy known as aesthetics).” Holding the “hobbit house” and feeling the wood, the way the knife has gouged its way in feathered strokes, it appears to me that there is minimal difference between “art” and “craft” … Bill has his own aesthetic.
Bill Killough "Hobbit House"
Looking carefully at his face and his carvings, you can see his Philosophy of Life!
Posted in Artist Interviews, Sculpture, UTPA MFA, tagged Erum Javed, Sculpture, UTPA MFA on December 2, 2011| Leave a Comment »
Erum arrived from Pakistan in 1993. Her masters graduate show reflects her culture in many ways.
Erum Javed, bowl
Erum Javed, bowl interior
The delicate, white, bowls are inscribed with her native language.
Erum Javed, bowl with collar
Several sculptures incorporate egg-shaped forms wrapped in crocheted filaments.
Erum Javed
Here, in the photo of Erum, she has a collar around her neck. It is constructed from silver thread as are the “collars” around the sculptures. Note the silvery dress which was made from stiff material which holds its form … the dress seems to be a sculpture in the same vein as her porcelain bowls. Bravo!
Erum Javed drawing
Posted in Performing Arts, Sculpture, UTPA MFA, tagged Marriage as suppression of woman, Performing Arts, Sculpture, UTPA MFA on November 21, 2011| Leave a Comment »
In the sculpture class we were told to collaborate in a performance. Our concept was built around young women rejecting marriage with the idea that marriage is restrictive and kills any chance to succeed in a career. Jill wanted to be the bride.
Digging the Grave
D.L. dug a shallow grave in hard! hard! Texas soil. We rushed around to organize a cake, champagne, a bride/groom statuette for the top of the cake … got dressed … shined the truck lights on the night-time scene, rounded up the audience and were OFF!
It was a truly inspiring performance !
Drinking Champagne
After drinking champagne Jill plopped herself into the grave and Manuel, the bridegroom, began to shovel dirt over her gauzy, white, wedding dress.
The Groom Buries the Bride
As he stood there looking sad… a new development! The audience began to throw dirt on Jill with abandon. So much so that her mask was covered and dirt drifted into her eyes.
Audience Participation
So … up she jumped and the performance was over …
Posted in Art@Clarks Co-op, Artist Interviews, Sculpture, Texas Artists, tagged Clay Sculpture, Sculpture, Texas Artists, Wendy Gilbert on November 7, 2011| Leave a Comment »
Wendy Gilbert
In the Art@Clarks gallery are several whimsical clay sculptures created by Wendy Gilbert.
Wendy Gilbert Sculpture
When I asked her “What do you think is a successful piece of art ?” she answered “I think it is successful if I enjoyed the creation of it. I am focused on the process … from idea … to sketch … to a finished piece. The question is “does the finished piece match my initial vision?”
Wendy Gilbert Sculpture
When asked “What is a successful artist?” She replied, “A successful artist is someone who can take an internal idea and externalize it. I am trying to create a narrative and communicate with my viewer. I do multiple pieces, a series, trying to reach this goal.”
Wendy Gilbert Sculpture
Posted in Artist Interviews, Sculpture, UTPA MFA, tagged Altered Books, Erika Balogh, Found Object Sculpture, Sculpture, UTPA MFA on November 2, 2011| Leave a Comment »
Erika Balogh
Erika is a graduate student with a comprehensive understanding of social issues. She, and her husband, grew up in Hungary. The topic her art revolves around is Socialism and Capitalism. Having experienced both systems she has a unique grasp of the concepts.
Erika Balogh "Altered Book"
The “altered book” above conveys its message by having the viewer look at the selected passages which are still readable …in addition there is the foot on top of one half of the pages … a bit mysterious but it engages the viewer. Sitting next to the book is a shoe with fanciful decorations. This is Erika’s response to an assignment in 3D class to make an object which will reflect a renaissance woman.
Erika "3-D Robot"
The robot, made from discarded shoe boxes, toy boxes, and food containers is a bow to Erika’s teenage son. It is freestanding, as tall as she is, and made from “indigenous” material. Every bit of it is indigenous to the room of a teenage male!
Posted in Artist Interviews, Sculpture, UTPA MFA, tagged Artist Interviews, Green Sculpture, Sculpture, Styrofoam Sculpture, UTPA MFA on October 10, 2011| Leave a Comment »
Alex Coronado
The studio of Alex Coronado houses many sculptures. They range from recycled styrofoam, cleverly crafted together, to massive stone sculptures. He has lots of maquettes (small scale models) lined up to look at … a way of exploring a concept before executing a large scale model. One of them, which is 8 feet tall, deals with Green issues and use of recycled materials. I will certainly bring him all styrofoam objects which come my way … what he does with them has changed my mind about that material. Apparently, if heat is applied (using a heat gun), the tiny balls which styrofoam is made up of expand … change shape … Lots of possibilities!
Posted in Artist Interviews, Sculpture, UTPA MFA, tagged Jill Carpenter, Sculpture, UTPA MFA on October 3, 2011| 2 Comments »
Jill bikes around, stopping at coffee shops and other public places where her interest is people and their preoccupations and gestures. She records what she observes … then re-positions them in new scenes and environments … in oil … on canvas … a reinterpretation of the meaning of their behavior. This could produce some wild paintings!
Self Portrait with Dog
Go Jill!
Close-up of One of Jill’s Sculptures:
Jill Carpenter Sculpture
Jill shares her studio with Rena Vela. Here is their studio door:
Studio Door
Mary P Williams 