Kohler Arts/Industry Residency

Although I've had the opportunity to participate in several art residencies, I wanted to highlight the uniqueness of Kohler because it challenged me in very different ways.  Consequently, my work and focus shifted as well.  Mold making and slip casting is how forms are created in the factory. Artists works right on the production floor and have access to the factory facilities. I began with my familiar 'pillar' forms, and unable to do any sculpting, I kept the surfaces flat and concentrated on the glaze designs.  But as soon as I arrived, the sheer volume of products in varying shapes was captivating to me- particularly the toilet tank lids.  I used their molds to create an altered variation, made new molds, and used these tank lids to create sculptural tile groupings.  The other big inspiration I focused on happened back in New Mexico when a building that I loved was going to be demolished- the old Roswell Motor Supply.  A group of us stepped in, stopped the demo, bought the building...and had to figure out what to do with it and all of the old automotive parts that were still housed there- primarily oil an air filters.  I came to love the shapes and sizes of all these filters and took some of them with me to the Kohler Residency.  I deconstructed an air filter and reassembled it into this fan shape, made a plaster mold, and began slip casting them using colored porcelain.  Whodda thunk such an inspirational drive would come out of auto parts!?