Clouds & Crowns

 

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Clouds & Crowns (and Pretzels) are the result of a six-week artist residency at the Oberpflazer Kunstlerhaus in Schwandorf, Germany during the summer of 2013. I am indebted to director Heiner Riepl for his long friendship and gracious invitation, and to German artists Renata Mayer and Hans Mayer (no relation) for the gifts of clay and firing respectively. In presenting the images, I have included multiple views of the ceramic "Wolken Burge," or "Ground Clouds" as we came to call them. Like the Meteorites and Stones, the Clouds have no right-side-up. There is no "bottom" and pieces can be placed in any posture. 

Because time was short, I chose to spray paint the clouds, after they were fired once to 1100 degrees celcius. Colors are influenced by the warm, buttery pastel colors of the local architecture and scenery. News of a accidental explosion prompted the explosion cloud pieces and drawings. Many photographs and cloud drawings were made during the residency as image and color studies for the ceramic pieces. I include a few here along with other random images relevant to the locale and work. The Crowns were a second series of works, which were left unfired and collectively became an outdoor installation "Kings' Ruin," to deteriorate and disolve over time in the 

environment. The pretzels were a sideline made as gifts for the many friends and colleagues we were fortunate to be with.