Avian Language

The WINDOWS!

2011-12-29T12:01:00.000-08:00

The expanse of windows at Boston Sculptors Gallery has real eye appeal. Donna Dodson and I discussed the space as an opportunity and she suggested I use the windows to invite viewers into the back gallery where my work will be shown Jan 4 - Feb 5 2012. The plan was small individual works, but my scale shifted as the work progressed. This final result is a more cohesive work across the length of the windows.
My inspiration was the rising of a full moon on a pitch black night. The language of embroidered trees, luminous stones and the great gardens at Ryōan-ji were on my mind as fabricated and painted this work.
Although these works are exhibited in windows, they also show well as wall works. Similar designs can be custom fit to suit a wide variety of spaces.

Small Talk

2011-12-29T12:00:00.000-08:00

SMALL TALK
wood, ceramic "birds"
2012 22 x 24 x 48"h

We all know the party. Strolling and trolling for a conversation that is more than bird chatter. Deeper conversation is hard to find.

Summer Heat

2011-12-29T09:52:00.000-08:00

wood, ceramic "birds"
2011 32 x 48 x 98"h

A complete romp. Out of sorts and beyond control. The pure joy of days together.
Switzerland, Italy, Provincetown, New York. Skipping goofy and handholding.

Recovery

2011-12-29T09:46:00.000-08:00

wood, paper, ceramic "birds"
2011 22 x 24 x 16"h

Tugged and held, swung and propelled, RECOVERY is a complex story stopped and considered. Some moments freeze before they move on.

Stilled

2011-12-29T09:29:00.000-08:00

wood, fiberglass, ceramic "birds"
2011 40 x 36 x 60"h

Ice brings a stillness to the forest that birds respect. This work is a contemplation of a rather ordinary seasonal event that never ceases to astound me. Ice on puddles and ponds shifts my life. Bird life has a profound reaction, and so do I.

Yearning

2011-12-29T09:20:00.000-08:00

wood, paper, ceramic "bird"
2011 23 x 26 x 16 "h

Burdened by the weight of a life well constructed,
there are deep pangs to be elsewhere and live more vividly.

Promises Reconsidered

2011-12-29T09:00:00.000-08:00

wood, ceramic
2011 24 x 30 x 86"h

This is a fact. There is life within the dust of loss. I cannot give up on hope, although the evidence is that commitment is impossible. Promises are hard work, but I am reconsidering my future with optimism.

This image is revisited. I am still probing its relevance. This particular piece is oak. It is populated by three birds - each presented in different settings. One is skull-bound but looking out. Two are closer, one completely free to leave, the other snug within the wood void, but they seem drawn and held together.

This conversation is lovely but the meaning is incomplete.

Circular Conversation

2011-12-29T08:54:00.000-08:00

wood, ceramic "birds"
2012n24 x 26 x46"h

Stuck in a roundabout where none really listens.
Like a gaggle of birds making clatter.
An emotional dance.
I slip out.

Windswept

2011-12-29T08:30:00.000-08:00

WINDSWEPT
wood & ceramic "birds"
2010 32 x 48 x 89"h

This sculpture is one of the oldest in this show. I chose to include it because of the extensive shaping and carving of the wood. The persistent resistance of small birds to larger forces was my goal for the image. The twist of tree, branch and the richness of color are important both authentic and manipulated.