A body of my work will feature in 'Evolve 2018', alongside artists Cassandra Straubing and Kathryn Wightman. This three person show, put together through Bullseye Projects in Portland, OR will coincide with E-Merge, a juried biennale award exhibition celebrating work made in Bullseye glass. Evolve is a companion exhibit that celebrates former Emerge finalists who have continued to create works that expand the medium.
I've been working on some preliminary studies for a much larger piece which I hope to complete by the end of summer. The simple arrangement of 16 carved black glass tiles (see above) took inspiration from a carved marble façade in the interior of St Mary's Chapel in Sudley, England. The embellishment is a very small component of the alter area, the chapel being famous for its altar-tomb of Catherine Parr, the 6th and last wife of King Henry VIII. Here, the details of foliage are left with a black satin surface. Only the high points in the design are polished in order to give contrast and a noticeable line quality in the texture of the relief.
History aside, I was drawn to the intimate detailing in this wall motif, which is very much understated in its positioning inside the chapel. It led me to compose the installation sketch seen below. I have taken the focal elements in the wall design and have broken them into individual units that are comprised of diamonds, circles and rectilinear formations. The chapel façade is replicated, yet looks to dilute and fragment as it expands outwards.
Preliminary sketch for new installation to make a debut with Todd Merrill Studio in the Fall, 2018