Art in a Box Great Trans - American Art Campaign

Hello everyone, I just wanted to tell y'all about Art in a Box's new campaign to have subscribers from all 50 states. If you or someone you know reside in one of the states without subscribers(see map below) you should really consider signing up or giving a subscription to someone. It's really inexpensive and fun and you could receive some of my art in one of the boxes.

Here are to two latest pieces that I dropped off. They consist of one large-ish head and one small head.

Here is the map of the states that have subscribers:
This is what they have to say about the map above:
"Check out the current Art in a Box Great Trans-American Art Campaign Stats!
Join us on the campaign to send Bay Area art to every state in the good ol’ USA. We are constantly updating our map…Green shaded states currently have subscribers to Art in a Box. Check back on our progress. Is your state representing? We need love from NEVADA, WYOMING, and more! Come on, let’s do this! Did we mention that every NEW subscriber in a state that is not colored green will get a special surprise in his/her box? Help spread art throughout the USA! Subscribe Today!"

Here is the link to Art in a Box.

or

skip right to their subscription page here.

A couple of pictures from the show

So these are just some preliminary pictures from the gallery. Look for some higher quality shots on my website soon. There are still two Saturdays in the month to go and see the show if you haven't already. You can find the details in an earlier post.

Another Dam Sculpture Completed!

Similar to the last dam sculpture however there are a couple of differences. Most notably I did not include the car and there is water below as well as above the dam. Overall I think that the perspective is perhaps slightly improved.
Anyhow that's what I've been working on.

Another Disappearing Bikini

I apologize for the sideways orientation.

Video for your further amazement!

I apologize for the poor quality of the video, however I think you will enjoy this. Stand dumbfounded as you behold the magic disappearing bikini.

Eureka! It works!

So something I've had in the works for some time now is finally done(though not perfected yet). I have been interested in creating a heat sensitive ceramic vessel where clothing disappears when hot liquid is introduced. Recently Karl McDade was kind enough to invite me to be in a Gravy Boat Show at Diablo Valley College which gave me the perfect opportunity to test out my new concept. This is the gravy boat that I made:




Just add hot liquid and....





Unfortunately this is as transparent as it gets for now. Still rather novel if you ask me. However I intend to find a more transparent base that would give a true clear as opposed to this yellowish color. So stay tuned.
For more information on the gravy boat show visit Diablo Valley College's website here. The show runs 11/1 - 11/23 and I believe there is a closing party. The work will be sold silent auction style with a buy it now option. Also I believe you can "buy it now" over the internet if you are so inclined here(not up yet, check back).

Ceramic Dam #5

(click on images to see larger)

So I just sold this piece. It's something I have been thinking about and working on for a while now so it's pretty gratifying to have some positive feedback. Here is a small version I made when I was working out the perspective:



Here is the piece in it's greenware state:



And here she is all done:



Here's a shot from above showing the perspective:



I plan on making more like this. Stay tuned......

New Ceramic Heads for Professor Squirrel Shop

So if you haven't already heard the fantastic Compound Gallery has moved to a new and improved location. (Address and Hours-1167 65th st., Oakland, CA 94608. Hours: Thursday-Sunday 12-6.) It's only about a block away from the old one. Here is a brief description from their website:
"The COMPOUND Studios & Gallery is an artist run space that was established in 2008. In 2010, The Compound Gallery & Studios moved to a new location in Oakland, CA. The new building allows for a fuller realization of what The Compound is…an art institution without the institution…an art school, without the school. Located in the Golden Gate Gallery district of North Oakland, the new building boasts nearly 8,000 square feet and was chosen because of its location, amazing natural light, and architectural grandeur."
Needless to say it's pretty sweet. Matt and Lena have done an amazing job yet again.
Within the building just off the main gallery is their retail space- Professor Squirrel Shop. Run by the Professor as well as assistants Kerri Lee Johnson and Lena Verderano Reynoso. It looks incredible and their taste is exquisite. This is where you will find my heads. Stop by sometime....

A sucessful show and Jordan has a Blog!

Hey thanks to everyone who came out to the art opening on Saturday. For those of you who didn't: you missed out. The turnout was great and it was wonderful seeing so many people I hadn't seen in a long time. The show will be up for a month so it's not too late to see it if you're around.
Also

My friend and colleague Jordan Mello has a newish blog:
http://mosstowne.blogspot.com/
Check it out.
He has just added some of his ceramic sculpture.

This Long Road

So I'm going to be in a show next month with my good friends Crystal Morey and Derek Weisberg. It's at the Compound Gallery where I have been selling heads for quite a while now(see earlier posts). Here are the details about the show:

This Long Road is a show of individual works as well as collaborative pieces, made by Ben Belknap, Derek Weisberg, and Crystal Morey. All three artists were schoolmates at the California College of Arts and Crafts where a relationship began rooted in the love of figurative sculpture. Each artist has their own interpretation and style of the body as well as emotional content behind the work. In “This Long Road’ the artists will each represent their own work, and then explore the wonder, innovation, and trials of working together on a larger project.
Opening: Saturday September 12
Closing: Sunday September 27th

Ceramic Beer Bottles

These are some really awesome ceramic bottles that my friend Mikael Kirkman has been making that I have been helping with. We are planning an art show where we are going to have different artists glaze the outside of the bottles. Afterwards we are going to brew beer in them and display them at the Guerrilla cafe in Berkeley.

Also we're working on a couple glazes that we are going to try to market to some different brewers. We'll see. The ash glaze (the drippy one, for you non-ceramic types) is especially cool and old-timey looking. Anyhow contact me if yer interested in decorating a bottle and stay tuned as I'll have more pictures as we make more.

restock of ceramic heads at the Compound Gallery

See older post for details on the Compound Gallery.
(Thank you Matt and Lena.)

Mountains - fresh

So just got these from Derek Weisberg, who was kind enough to fire them for me.
The big one had been sitting around for a couple of months waiting for the first available cone five firing.
They turned out pretty sweet, I just need to figure out how to display them and with what other elements.

Another Ceramic Head

New ceramic heads fresh from the kiln

I'll post several over the next few days.
Stay tuned.

Yet another Ceramic Head

Ceramic Head

New Ceramic Lady

As you may have noticed I tend to make sculptures of men. This is because I am not too good at depicting ladies. In recent months I have slowly been working on improving in this department and the sculpture which you see is my most successful to date. It will likely be included in a larger sculpture, perhaps with a landscape, at some future date.

Recent Head

Craft fair tomorrow at CCAC in Oakland

Hey I'm going to have some heads and some other work at the CCA craft fair.
Please come out and sample my wares.
It's located at the intersection of Broadway and College and runs from 10-2.