Tuesday, June 30, 2009
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Hand Painted Book Covers, Ceramics and Other Projects
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Cherimoya Chronicles
Hand Painted Book Covers
I paint one-of-a-kind book jackets on a range of subjects, specific artists, cultural topics, photographers and authors. The selected books are a reference to art history and the art of literature and libraries. I choose an image to paint for a cover illustration based on qualities such as poignancy and visual graphics. If the book is not illustrated, I find an image that is complementary to its contents. I may also choose to paint my version of the original illustration. The cover text is included in the painting (title, author and publisher) on a hand-cut paper jacket, using a heavy weight glossy paper and acrylic paints. This process gives the book a new essence, and restores it to better shape (I try to find used books). It also makes it a functional sculpture/painting.
Hand Painted Ceramics
I am primarily a painter using ceramics as my “canvas”. I started teaching myself ceramics as a way of exploring making paintings as functional, sculptural pieces. I love putting my personal touch on the age-old artisanal craft of shaping basic forms from slabs, molds and templates. I make them as smooth as I can where pieces join and leave them slightly natural on the edges. I like to experiment with the different clay bodies, as I don’t have one favorite kind! Some are smoother and whiter, others are dark and sandy. Painting on the different surfaces results in another layer as does the glazing. I am attracted to the more opaque matte glazes, and I have different ways to keep from completely obscuring the painted areas. I work in a community workshop in the company of many people who have been making ceramics for decades. Though I pick up certain tricks of the trade from my fellow ceramicists, I enjoy the challenge of finding my own path to making a cup, bowl, plate, pitcher or vase.
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