Week 3 - Inspired + Recharged
Today, my residency concluded and I spent the journey home reflecting on the past two weeks. I’m proud of the work I did and feel that I grew as an artist and person. I made some really special connections on this trip, and I feel refreshed, recharged, and inspired. I’m very excited for this semester and ready to get back to work in the IUS studio.
I intend to start a working log of all the wild clay I collect and process from this point on. I also plan to do some research on the geological map of this area and the Ohio river valley. Here’s a great nap I was shown that shows the amazingly diverse geology around Azule.
I collected some wild clay from the backyard of my father’s house in Greer, SC. It’s too crumbly to work with but a beautiful rich red — I hope to add some ball clay (or something of the like — so excited to learn some glaze/clay chem this semester!!) to increase its plasticity and run some rests back in the studio.
I finally got into my painting groove at the end of the week—the palette of the surroundings nature inspired some really fun color exploration in this large painting of tafoni weathering at red river gorge.
I also had the privilege to visit Josh Copus’s incredible studio and kiln complex. His studio and kiln complex made my jaw drop. He’s got a massive noborigama/3-chamber climbing kiln, anagama/tube kiln, and tunnel kiln, as well as a large deposit of wild clay that he processes in his clay/glaze lab. His property is gorgeous; firing with him some day would be a dream. He was generous to give me an extensive tour of his awesome space and of the old jailhouse in downtown Marshall that he renovated into a beautiful hotel and restaurant. I was speechless at the destruction wreaked by hurricane Helene. Despite the incomprehensible loss, it’s amazing the progress the community has made in the past few months, having had to rebuild from nearly nothing.
I am indescribably grateful for my time at Azule these past two weeks. It was exactly what I needed: time to reset before the busy few months ahead. I’m ready for a productive and fruitful last semester!