2010 Letter to Jules, Part 1
Dear Jules, I trust this letter finds you well. Over the winter I agreed to participate in an outdoor exhibition in Cashiers, NC, and decided to send down two pieces from my 2004 "Rock" series: "Facetted Rock" and "Plate Rock". Of course, we (Brian, Jason and I) had to go retrieve them from the meadows, and clean them up for the show. "Facetted Rock" was a bit over-width, so special permits had to be obtained and a top tie-down strut had to be created so that the piece would travel securely without damage. (photo 1) At times I find myself putting on my curator"s hat and evaluating our property as one overall work. This process often leads to some "weeding". So while we were in the mode of moving pieces, I identified four earlier, large sculptures which, though they had been exhibited elsewhere (like NYC) and were "old friends", really needed to go. This exercise is emotionally a bit rugged and a lot of physical work, but it makes room for new works and renders a better overall read. You may recall that I left in a flurry last fall having just tiled and partially grouted "Oop-pop-a- da". Well, now we could complete the grouting work and surface clean up. Assuming that I will find a good home for the piece, I designed and built transportation struts so that the work can be secured to the bed of a tractor trailer and moved safely. Working with both cranes we got the sculpture out of the studio (photo 2) and down the hill to its current site. (photo 3) I am delighted by the results. I also wanted to site "Clean Sweep" which we had completed at the end of last season. You may remember that this piece"s cantilevering effect is accomplished by an underground concrete element at each end. (photo 4) When I had originally conceived this piece, I saw it floating over a clean, monolithic, flat surface. But I had no such spots in our Vermont meadows, so I had to balance the practical considerations of grounds maintenance with my vision. We decided that the area directly under the piece needed to be graveled for mowing but that a simple rectangle would draw less attention to the area and allow the sweep of the piece itself to read more strongly. (photo 5) |
In this new section: "Letters to Jules", I share my thoughts through discussion and evaluation of my artistic endeavors each fabrication season. I hope that by their words and images they give you further insight into my working process and concerns. Typically, I spend from late May through October at my VT studio where I fabricate large scale works with the help of assistants. From November to May in Austin TX, I explore different materials, write proposals and develop concepts and models for future pieces. I welcome your input, comments, and communications. all entries...
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