October 1 - November 31 2019
I start a residency at Sculpture Space, in Utica - upper New York State on October 1st.
Visit this page for occasional updates.
Some of the glass works I have been working on, using the amazing glass from Bullseye in Arizona. This is my first time trying stained glass work, I am now confident in the cutting and grinding, but the lead soldering could do with some help.
The Sculpture Space lawn is already snow covered. So it's getting cold and tricky to walk on the icy foot paths. No cycling for now.
We went to the near-by town of Clinton for a bronze pour at a private foundry owned by well known local artist John von Bergen. Wonderful man and a wonderful studio and home in the woods. The casting method was green sand, which my work ones not translate to that well, but the experience was well worth it.
I have never tried working with stained glass before. The work I am doing being based on windows (Ronchamp Chapel / Futuna Chapel) seemed to be apt for the process. There is a very good glass provider based in Arizona which had an extensive range of shades including the neutral colours I was looking for. Delivery time is a week or less, my problem now is not to break too many.
Here is the gang at a pizza night hosted by Tom Montan at his place. Tom is the Sculpture Space administrator, I am looking rather dwarfish squeezed between Tom and PJ, who are both quite tall. Also pictured is Brian from San Diego (lying down), Gina from NYC and Yongsun Jang from Korea.
This is the Sculpture Space building and grounds. It is no. 12 Gates St, and is the only building on Gates st, which is very short. Our home is also the only house on Wiley st, which is also very short. They keep warning us that before we leave this will be a vista of snow. I’ll photograph this scene at the end.
Utica is full of large empty old factories, most of them made of brick. It must have been a huge manufacturing base in its hey day. The population once 120,000 has reduced by 50% now. Some of the buildings are derelict or simply boarded up like this one just a block away from where I am living. Some are however being renovated, and there are a few being converted into loft apartments. The road here gives you an idea of traffic flow in the middle of the day.
Sculpture space provides cycles which is useful as public transport is pretty sparse. Although Utica is a smallish town of 60 thousand our home base is not within walking distance to a supermarket. So I set off on Saturday morning to get a few supplies and to track own the only yoga studio within cycling distance. There was a frost this morning and it was only 4 degrees, noted that I will need to remember gloves.
After a hectic few days in New York, I have moved into the house and the studio in Utica.There is only a short walk between them which is vey handy. The house is spacious with 2 lounges, 3 bathrooms and 6 bedrooms, although it seems there will only be 5 of us. I am so far the only woman here, Gina from Arizona is delayed in the desert. Yong the other male from Korea is also late, he had a wall of his studio blow away in a recent typhoon. The bedrooms were allocated on a number basis and as I was the first here I got number 1 bedroom, which also happens to be the largest. This was commented on by the resident from the Netherlands. Although I thought this a little sexist, given I had just met him, I think he is overall well meaning, but the running short jokes, well . .
