Food for Thought
This series of work is the result of my fascination with the whimsical qualities of natural, in this case, vegetable, forms. I am not interested in re-creating the exact likeness of the vegetables, but rather in appropriating their unique shapes and qualities as a springboard for creating visually unique art objects that allude to vessel function. The idea is not new. Cavemen found gourd forms useful for containing food and drink. And why not; when these shapes are Nature’s own way of providing containers for seed to perpetuate itself.
The particular vegetables used in the series were found by haunting the local grocery stores, wholesale markets (in Los Angeles) and various gardens, patches, and fields. Each shape was chosen for its some unique quality, gesture and presence that I find interesting. Original molds are made by me from the actual vegetables. The resulting forms, along with thrown and hand built elements, are used to produce the individual pieces. The free-flowing, hand painted decoration in vibrant colored glazes and metallic gold luster, is reminiscent of Oriental, Egyptian, and Southwestern patterns and designs.
I feel that the challenge of the Artist is to take the common and mundane and, thru creative vision and process, breathe new life into them. I hope that exposure to this work prompts a more sensitive look at the world around us. Such things as vegetables are not just food, but food for thought, use, and enjoyment.
