This site is dedicated to my research, work and pedagogy. The site operates as an on going project. Within, I will share my experience, work and philosophy regarding many subjects, but with a focus on how I see the world and communicate it to others.
I have been extremely fortunate to have the medium of glass become an integral component of my life. I thank all my friend, family and mentors for everything that has allowed for realization of my visions as well as their continued support.
History
In 2007, I had the great fortune of recieving a Fulbright Fellowship to research glass education at the first glass school in the world, Secondary School of Glassmaking - Kamenicky Senov, Czechia.
Since this time my body of work has been influenced by my time in the Czechia as a Fulbright Fellow. Embodied within the work are the basic principles of art, both formal and philosophical. Having a strong understanding of Cubism, Constructivism and Czech aesthetic, with regard to glass, I immediately made the connections. My research revolves around a few main concerns but must not be limited to those solely. Similar to my interests in cathedrals, I am creating objects by constructing with light and utilizing primordial forms.
I undertook my current body of work while living in the Czech Republic. Having gone there with the intent of changing direction, I found great inspiration in contemporary Czech design and Gothic Art, specifically St. Vitus’s Cathedral. Upon entering these incredible monuments, I found many of my ideas about the philosophy and practice of art to be evident and embodied within the cathedrals. The underlying premise in my work is how primordial forms are used and understood with the understanding of purpose.
This was reinforced upon re-entering academia as a professor of three-dimensional arts. With this I was required to teach ceramics, glass, sculpture and three-dimensional design. This strengthened ny curosity as well as my knowledge and therefore increasing my influences broadening my aesthetic.
As I share my experience and knowledge, it is evident how incredibly significant an understanding of history and purpose is. I believe art begins with seeing and consequently artists must be aware of how we “see.” This is best achieved by accessing what I term as “the back brain,” “our old brain,” or the “collective brain.” This is also referred to as the collective consciousness. My work can be best understood with reference to the latter. By combining these, we can use the unique property of glass – interior space, thus allowing for the multiplication of space.
After embracing this idea of art as a way of “seeing,” I have gained a deeper understanding, not only of the world around us but also of human nature and my own work.
To understand the direction of my work, the viewer must accept some basic principles. First, sculpture is a very unique endeavor. It not only includes height, width and depth – understood as space, but also the more defining element of time. Time here becomes the “fourth dimension.” I describe these elements as “assets.” An additional asset for the artist working with glass is light and for my work the interior space, termed as the “fifth dimension.”
All of these elements or assets are extremely significant in my research. They do not operate independently. Rather, they work cooperatively and cannot exist without the other. As a sculptor working in the classroom environment, it is my charge to understand and harness these properties to enable the work to be conceived. With this in mind, consider the idea of “Imagineering.” Due to the nature of the material I must have an awareness that allows for the manipulation of light, which in turn constitutes a multiplication of space.
"The man who speaks with primordial images speaks with a thousand tongues … This is the secret of effective art."
C.G. Jung, Man and His Symbols