Forms and Techniques

Forms and Techniques is more of an experimental series in which I challenged myself with some dimensional boundaries. I was working with scrap materials I had on hand from past projects, the primary material was Cor-Ten sheet steel sixteen inches wide by seventy two inches long, and several sheets four inches by seventy two inches.

         Working with in boundaries lent itself to this series as I developed ideas that did not come from inspiration but rather from diversity in the forms I could draw from the primary materials with the intention for minimal material waste. I employed a specific technical vocabulary from old techniques to new techniques for me.  Techniques such as torch hammering, weld splatter, dissection, reversal, reassemble, glass enameling, and stitching.  Fourteen sculptures where created in this series which can be broken down into a sub series of seven pairs each pair being aesthetically similar and techniquely the same, creating the mini series allowed me to explore my creativity in new dimensions and display, from small wall pieces to large outdoor forms.

Experimentation also took place with enameling. Enameling is traditionally found on small objects or jewelry. In the past I have enameled on steel, but techniquely the enamel has a hard time bonding to ferrous metals, though I created and studied different glass mixtures to allow the enameling process to take place on the Cor ten steel. I attribute this to the quantity of enamel and to the shapes that would be holding the enamels. Enameling was not the only new aesthetic. I also intertwined stitching into some of the sculptures.

The thought of stitching came about after thinking and researching artist Lee Bontecou and her sculptures, where she created these beautifully dark industrial wall pieces where she would stitch in material with red threads. I find the effect parallel to humanity, due to lives and other ideas in this world having attributes of being stitched together.