Kourtney Stone

The issue as I see it...

2011-12-14T10:39:00.000-08:00

Dear All Political Candidates, Lobbying Groups, and Anyone else who has an opinion,

Just because you believe something, that does not mean it needs to be made into a law. The solution is really much simpler than writing legislation. Just don't do what you don't believe in. If you don't agree with abortion, then don't get one. If you don't believe a person shouldn't marry some one of the same sex, then don't marry such a person. Some one might think like Mitt Romney says, "I believe a marriage should be between a man and a woman." Well that's one thing. I won't give you a cookie for it, but you can think that if you like. I'm going to think what I like. For example, I think you shouldn't be allowed within 50 feet of a camera that will allow you to spout your bigoted views and share them with others, but I'm not going to make that a law because you too have freedom of speech. Don't stamp out personal rights and impede the liberty of others to govern themselves as they see fit. You don't have that right. kthx.

PS Stop idolizing the soldiers and veterans who fought and continue to fight as you say "so bravely for our freedom" if all you're going to do is write laws that limit our freedom, yes, that freedom, the one you are worshipping them for fighting to protect.

Almost Famous

2010-10-28T13:27:00.000-07:00

Okay, not really almost famous, but it feels like it. I posted my first video to youtube, and it's already been viewed a few times. haha. Check it out

"Making a Maquette- Clay Figure Sculpture"

I'm in love with my past

2010-09-23T08:48:00.001-07:00

I don't write poetry EVER. However, this was an assignment for a class, and I actually like it. I'm in love with where I'm from, who I'm from, and what I've done.

Where I’m From

I’m from the middle.
I’m from the dirt in the garden, red from the clay,
Clothes on the line and hiking to the dam.
I’m from Sunflower perfume and English Leather cologne
during bedtime prayers.
I’m from glue on my fingers and making astronaut cats.
I’m from anything for family,
Spring peepers and blankets by the water,
Late nights on the bleachers.
I'm from bunk beds, diners, and drives,
Caking Fells Naptha on my poison ivy,
Secrets in the crawlspace.
I’m from the muddy water from the river on the Zimmermans’ farm,
The Lord’s prayer and God bless America.
I’m from a very human body,
Chicken pot pie and pork and sauerkraut.
I’m from imperfect relationships, strained relationships,
My siblings are friends, and my friends are siblings,
From the middle.
I’m from Dad’s logic and Mom’s thought.
I’m from a good shot,
Something strong.
I’m from busy hands,
A family with tough hands
And unconditional love.
We have sturdy legs, too.
I’m from the smell of gunpowder and gun oil
And doughnuts in the snow.
I’m from the mass of darkness in my mind.
I’m from the 80-100 rule and many late nights
And clay dust that cracks my skin and covers my clothes.
I’m from lightning bugs and shooting stars and dandelions.
I’m from small schools on hills.
I’m in between the farms and Charm City,
Promise rings and bigger dreams
In a little pond.
I’m from empowerment for everyone,
The pink lollipop lilies in my garden
with pistil and stamen,
My pride as a woman.
I’m from love and loneliness.
I’m from the clay under my nails,
From thinking for myself,
And a strong muscle in my chest.
I’m from the middle.

I'm in love with my past

2010-09-23T08:48:00.000-07:00

I'd Follow the Black Rabbit

2010-08-30T12:45:00.000-07:00

In July I attended a workshop at Baltimore Clayworks called Into the Wilderness with Beth Cavener Stichter. This was probably the best thing I did all summer. It's not often I blog about things other than my own art, so heads up, she's good.

This three day workshop included a demonstration of Beth's building process, which she has spent a great deal of time developing and is very specific to her style and materials.

The first day was spent entirely on maquettes and armatures. I always knew sketching and maquettes are important to the artistic process and the development of ideas, but I never spent much time with anyone working on these things. Beth builds multiple maquettes with an oil based clay and bamboo skewer armatures. This gives her the ability to move the armatures many times, leave them out for observation without worrying about drying, and the skewers act like a skeleton maintaining realistic looking joints. The maquette is all about the gesture and roughing out the form.

This is an improvement for me, as I hadn't imagined oil based clay, and my maquettes are often little gestures that always are broken somehow just a few weeks into building. The skewer skeleton is genius.

Her armatures are a work of engineering genius. I've attempted to use piping for armatures before, but it wasn't appropriate for the way I build. Beth builds solid, packing clay around the pipes and using a 2x4 for shaping. People have suggested building solid to me before, but it never made sense. Building solid figures creates a much more realistic muscular structure that I couldn't get to translate in coil building. I guess I just needed some one to show me how to do it because I couldn't visualize how building solid then hollowing and compressing would work in my head.

The next day Beth continued her building demonstration and gave an in depth lecture with a power point that illustrated her entire process complete through firing (which is something we couldn't do in a 3 day workshop). I've already adopted some of her firing tips for my own work. I had to take off the legs of one of my pieces to make it fit in the kiln, and I used her techniques for including registers on the pieces and supporting the reconnection points to prevent warping during firing.

The last day was essentially a big q&a session with Beth. We talked about everything form the concepts behind her work to the many epoxies she uses (and why). We also covered her surface techniques. Beth often paints her sculptures, which if you've been following my posts, is something I'm experimenting with. Her painting process was so much more involved than mine, but I learned I should probably use a primer and should probably try thinning the paint and using some smaller brushes.

I wish I could write down everything I learned, but my time and attention span are waning. Big lessons I learned from Beth: she doesn't sculpt anything or put anything that's not necessary, she works a lot like I do for a conceptual standpoint, maquettes maquette maquettes, support support support, and sculpt with shadow. I also need to practice my mark making. Beth's gestural mark making is one of the most seductive thing about her pieces.

She also has me thinking a lot about my use of the figure. There are certain things a figure can and cannot do. There will always be a certain psychological alienation of the viewer from my figures because when do we ever see a naked person in the middle of a room. She uses animals because they are familiar and can be anthropomorphized, but different enough that the viewer can identify psychologically without being entirely vulnerable.

I'm still working out a lot of the information I got from the workshop, and I'm completely frustrated that grad school has started thus limiting my time to have my hands in clay. But mostly I'm excited to give some of Beth's techniques a try and get really big with my my lady figures.

For those of you choosing not to go to Beth's website (although you really should) here is a taste of some of her work:

Rebel Forces

2010-08-30T12:08:00.000-07:00

Here's an update on the last piece finished for my senior exhibition. She's called "It's not sexist, it just looks better."

What inspired this piece was a comment my old figure sculpture professor made. He was explaining to us that when sculpting the female figure, we should make the head smaller than is proportional. As part of his explanation I directly remember him saying, "It's not sexist, it just looks better."

Let that one sink in for a moment.

I decided with this piece to leap from the half life-size scale I had been working with into a life-size scale. This was also my first attempt with painting my figures instead of glazing. I see technical flaws galore, but for a first attempt, I'm happy with how she came out. I'm really exciting about the paint, because it allows my mark making to come through in a way glaze and terra-sigillatta don't.
With this piece I also decided to play with proportions. I am fascinated with how manipulating or mutating the body affects the viewer. For me it often creates an unsettling, visceral response I can feel in my body. So I exaggerated the head, hips, and spine. Her position is slightly defensive, but her gaze is aggressive. The hand on the chin is a nod to Rodin; if I'm screwing with male sculptor's perceptions of female sculptures, I almost have to acknowledge Rodin and his posse.

From here on out my sculptures are just going to get bigger.

Senior Exhibition

2010-08-30T11:35:00.000-07:00

Oh this post is embarrassingly overdue. But in my defense, life has been nonstop since graduation (I had this silly delusion that it would slow down at least for a moment). A lot of great things have happened: first sale of a figure, first gallery show at the Meltem Birey Gallery in Philly...first day of grad school today! Yes, I'm working on my Masters of Art in Teaching at MICA now. In the next month or so I will have images of new work to post from my MAT thesis "Before, Behind, Between, Above, Below"

My senior exhibition was titled "What is Woman?" located in MICA's Decker Gallery consisted of four figures dealing with various aspects of gender construction. It seemed like a tremendous success to me, and I got some great feedback.

This is the artist statement I had posted at the show:

The figure is a natural form of expression for my thoughts. Ideas manifest themselves as bodily gestures. The female nude is a deeply rooted representation in the history of art, which establishes a cultural context within which I must work, while providing a springboard from which I can develop the concepts of my art. When creating my work I also consider that human experience begins in the consciousness of the self and body in relation to objects and space. The gesture of the figures is an element the audience can feel, relate to, and ponder.

My work is concerned with issues of feminism in Western society, particularly sexual power structures and gender binaries. Gender is a misconceived notion by society at large. What is Woman? Through whose eyes are we seeing our gender, our world, and ourselves? How should we define gender? My figures aren’t answers to any questions, but they are the results of examining how we interact with, respond to, and act within those socially erected structures.

Education is power, so I read everything from Simone de Beauvior to daily blogs to learn about feminist issues. I also spend time observing and gathering information about gender and sexuality from contemporary culture, including movies, music, the media, and politics, as well as the people in my daily life; peers, teachers, students, and my family. Drawing heavily from this research and autobiographical experiences, my work is often critical, sometimes humorous, but most importantly empowering.

Expectations, 2009

Hey Baby, 2009-2010

Pistil and Stamen, 2009-2010

It's not sexist, it just looks better, 2010

Here's a look at my beautifully designed showcards and business cards courtesy of my great friend and brilliant designer Andy Mangold

It's a Woman!

2010-05-03T20:52:00.000-07:00

We're so thrilled! (can't you tell?)

We're in the final weeks of my undergraduate career. I can smell that diploma. I may be looking a little batty (I blame it on sleep deprivation), but it's actually been quite the thrilling ride in these last couple weeks, including the sale of one of my figures! It's like I can actually be this artist thing.

I know there's been a dearth of posts this semester, but don't stray too far. Shortly, I will have slides of my final body of work and all my professional development stuff.

Shape Shifters

2009-12-24T18:48:00.000-08:00

Another part of my previously mentioned Cut and Paste studio was rethinking found ceramics.

It was a good exercise in creative thinking, but I can't say it is really inspiring me to run in new directions with it. As an object maker and object lover though, I do appreciate these little things for taking up space in intriguing ways.

This funny composition below is the result of a class kiln forming experiment, which involved a lot of kaolin, kiln wash, and glaze.

Lacing Up

2009-12-24T17:45:00.000-08:00

My final for my Cut and Paste ceramics studio with David East came from an impulse to understand spiritual places like the Standing Stones of Machrie Moor in Scotland or the Plain of Jars in Laos. What makes a place spiritual?

I ended up concluding it is a combination of history, mystery, as well as the designation of whomever happens to be in the space. In the two mentioned places, there is also the recurrence of circles, which have an undeniable spiritual importance to people.

My impulse then led me to the idea of sanctuary and how we create places and barriers that provide the goals of sanctuary (often peace, rest, and isolation) for us. I've been experiencing a particularly difficult time this year, which has included having my places of peace invaded, making a safe sanctuary an idea of particular concern. Places are what we make them, and our ideas about them are applied.

The idea of sanctuary includes putting up certain barriers. That isolation can be good and bad, depending on the situation. This idea lends itself quite well to some of my infant explorations of self-mutilation or self-inflicted injury, as well as the figure and architecture/space. So here we have a figure, sewing herself into a tent of lace.

I got a well-deserved tough critique on this one. However, I'm definitely intrigued by the ideas within this peace, and I am teasing some of them out as potential bases for my thesis work this upcoming semester or even for my graduate thesis, which is looming in the near future.

omg SEX!

2009-12-24T16:04:00.000-08:00

omg SEX! It's a dirty word, and that's part of the problem; silly taboos on widespread experiences.

These two figures are the most recent productions for my thesis. Here I am attempting to tackle the role of sexuality in gender construction. It has turned into a challenge to define sexuality and understand how it is constructed. Basically so far I've decided, sexuality is a created response to an object of attraction. Nature chooses the object of attraction; society teaches us our response. That response is an enormous part of how we navigate gender. It would make sense then that gender as we currently define it, being either a man or woman, is too narrow.

For me, sexuality is a very calculated projection, with both passive and aggressive qualities. Basically, sexuality is very much about power; who has power, who wants power what gives power, and how that power is acted out. Now it is also about concepts of desire, but if everyone wants to be desired, then there is power in who decides what(or who) is desirable.

These figures are particular demonstrations about my experience with sexuality and about women's sexuality in Western society. They also bring up issues about children's sexuality and how we educate them, which is another beast I have not yet begun to tackle.

These ideas are much more complicated than that, I know, and really I could go on about them for a while. However, I'm very clearly still working through them, so I won't. Dialogue is absolutely appreciated though.

Just a note- the female figure is half life-sized. The child is the same size, but of course that means a different scale.

I received a thought provoking critique from my thesis class, and I, of course, couldn't leave them alone afterwards, so each figure has been tweaked since the photos. I know most artists prefer critiques of finished work, but at this point in my career, green critiques seem much more helpful because I can change things or work out problems without having to rebuild the figure entirely. Now these ladies are tented for the winter break, ready to be fired upon our return for the spring semester.

On the technical side, I've had some problems with slumping, and I've decided I'm not entirely satisfied with the glaze I've been using. I'm going to be experimenting with bisquing high, glazing low, and some new glaze recipes with these figures.

New year, new adventures, hopefully better results and better luck.

The Merriest Part of Christmas

2009-12-24T15:58:00.000-08:00

The merriest part of Christmas is usually the flood of reminders about the love and support I am so lucky to be surrounded by.

These works of art were made by the children I babysit, and are now two of the best cards I have ever received.

Take Two

2009-12-09T17:17:00.000-08:00

I hate photographing my work. I'm still learning how to do it, and I imagine once I figure it out, it won't be such a chore. Any of you fellow artists know what I mean? In any case, I redid the photographs of Expectation, and I'd say with some success.

A little shout out to Andy Mangold, a tremendous artist and friend, for providing access to Photoshop and giving me some lessons on working with these raw images. You learn something new every day.

D.D.

2009-12-09T17:10:00.000-08:00

As a birthday gift for my dad, I decided to preserve an artifact from some of the best memories with him. I took press molds off some Dunkin Donuts cups. I made these beauties out of stoneware, decorated with red iron oxide and celadon, and put them in the wood fire. I'm pretty thrilled with the results and I'm pretty sure my dad liked them too.

On Fire

2009-12-09T16:52:00.000-08:00

This past November MICA Ceramics held our annual woodfire at Baltimore Clayworks, and I was able to buy a shelf and actually fill it. I don't do pottery very often, and most of what I do ends up being gifts or this year a lot ended up in MICA's Art Market (happening now, by the way). It's nice to switch it up in the studio sometimes, but I apparently can't resist making pottery sculptural. The mason jars and double bowls are fun to make.

You'll notice there's a mix of both wood and salt fired pieces. It's all quite new to me still, as I've only participated in 3 woodfires to date. I like both results, and I don't know that I could pick a favorite. The wood pieces have a rich color. The salt pieces come out with a really juicy surface. I glazed nearly exclusively with my blue-green celadon. I can't help myself sometimes; I love celadon, and I love it even more in the woodfire.

Our woodfire was an overall success. We had a good, even firing and a lot of fun in the process. Spending all night by a big hot kiln, throwing wood and salt in, builds a wonderful sense of community.

(The bottom two are planters. I recently started keeping plants, and I'm so excited I decided to go all out and make some beautiful pots for them. None have died in the three months I've been cultivating my "garden," and the fact they they are mostly types of cacti has absolutely everything to do with my success.)

Trial by Peers

2009-11-10T18:13:00.000-08:00

It's been a busy time of year, but I'm happy to be posting once more because I've got another piece in a show. Remember my previous post "Expecting the Expecting"? I pushed it through the kilns and finished it in time to enter it in MICA's Juried Undergraduate Exhibition. She was selected and currently is on display through November 15th.

Here's hopin' the rest of my applications turn out so well...

Here are some slides of the same figure. They show the surface much better.

Pink Tank

2009-11-10T18:09:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to show off the newest addition to my toolbox. All geared up and as protected from the ceramics studio as it can be, short of wrapping it in saran wrap of course. I'm just tickled pink with it.

Do Your Research

2009-11-10T17:17:00.000-08:00

I'm currently taking a ceramics studio with the endlessly talented ceramist David East called Cut and Paste. One of our class assignments was to put together a show that responds to MICA's Mount Royal Station Building. We all did research and came up with sketches for the space. We ended up with a few collaborations and all unique pieces.

My piece titled Who's Here? Who's Not? deals with Baltimore's population history and "white flight." Mount Royal was a stop for B&O's luxury train line originally called Royal Blue. While the name changed several times throughout the years, the line still maintained a high class image. In the years the building functioned as a train station, the wealthy neighborhoods surrounding it that were originally white became integrated with immigrant and black residents. Many white families moved from the city in the the suburbs at rapid paces.

I overlaid a map of Baltimore from the time Mount Royal Station opened with a map of Baltimore land use at the time it stopped functioning as a train station. This is about as installation as I've gone with ceramics. I think I like it.

Or, as Patti might say, I've tidied up my point of view. I've got a new attitude!

Pink Isn't Just Pretty

2009-10-10T21:43:00.000-07:00

I know I generally stick to posting about my art on here, but there are other things that are just as important to me. As any of my friends and family or anyone who's seen me walking down the street knows, I love the color pink. This adoration for the color is one of my more eccentric characteristics. Pink isn't just a shallow, girly fluke in my personality, however, because pink has a message. Breast cancer awareness and research is probably my favorite cause. On the bulletin board above my desk, I have created a little "girl power" space that displays some of the women I admire and some of the ways I can help support the cause. It helps remind me everyday how lucky we are to be women today. The most valuable part of the current breast cancer awareness campaigns is the message for women to empower themselves. Expose the Truth.

This is the newest addition to my wall, provided by Alex Gracey. It's a Pittsburgh Steelers Terrible Towel, but this one's got some glam as part of the NFL's contribution to the cause.

For all your futures, men and women, educate yourself about breast cancer. Learn how to check for it, learn how it happens, how it's being treated, who it's affecting, and learn what's the latest news. Then educate your friends, partners, family. It's the first and most important step to eliminating breast cancer. Let's rock this bitch.

B.A.M.F.

2009-10-10T21:21:00.000-07:00

I am currently a part of a departmental show, B.A.M.F. It's a review of work done by this year's ceramics seniors at MICA. It is an impressive spread, if I do say so myself, filled with quality work in a variety of approaches.

For me, it is certainly a privilege to be among a great group of artists. It may be arrogant, but I take pride in knowing I can hold my own among them, especially because I still have moments of feeling like a novice in the studio.
Being several months out from the work, it is nice to see where I'm coming from, but it is so much more relevant for me to focus on where I am going that I almost didn't like to put the figure up! But then again, I always have had a love-hate relationship with my art; I love it when I'm doing it, but I hate it as soon as it's done because I can do better. It's the 80-100 rule.

Expecting the Expecting

2009-10-01T19:38:00.000-07:00

It's been a long while since I last updated, and now I am over my head in senior thesis. Besides being in awe of how quickly this year is going, I've also been buried in my studio. Here are some images of my latest creation, in the green of course.

My thesis is trying to answer, "what is woman?" through figure sculpture. The gender binary is inherently misconceived, but we must understand what is wrong and how it came to be before we can hope to correct the situation. I am exploring how gender is structured in Western/American culture, and the ways women, particularly myself, respond to or act within those structures. Phew.
Once fired, the figures will be white and have wax, but I'm adding ceramic decals to this series for sort of a layered tattoo/collage look. Just another level of meaning to throw in the mix.
On the side, I'm doing homework for all my other classes and more of my trademark double bowls and mason jars to sell and give.

Intern Kourtney

2009-09-05T19:37:00.000-07:00

This summer I had an internship at Baltimore Clayworks (I logged 160 hours, plus a job at Canton Carwash, which is what kept me from posting!). The experience was excellent. I met a lot of quality people, picked up a lot of teaching tips, and got to play with children and clay. Basically, an internship experience couldn't have turned out any better for me.
I decided to blog about my experience, project descriptions, photos, and all, so check it out!: http://internkourtney.blogspot.com/

Digital Portfolio

2009-05-14T19:01:00.000-07:00

Another part of Junior Seminar was to put together an annotated digital portfolio. It's not a big deal for you to see, and if you've been following my posts, there are a lot of pieces you've already seen. I just want to have it in a place to which I know I will always have access.

Kourtney Stone
Digital Portfolio

What is Woman?, Rives, Ink, Charcoal, 42 in. x 29.5 in., Fall 2007
Even before my introduction to Simone de Beauvior, I was contemplating the cultural labels that define our lives and identities. How do you define woman, women, and Woman? What makes you a woman? What does it mean to be Woman? It's not the breasts; she has none. It's not the genitalia; hers are obscured. It's not the reproductive organs; hers are gone. It's not her hair; she has none. She is Woman.

(Untitled), approx. 2 in. x 3.5 in., o.b.® tampon box, rubber, string, Fall 2007
Changing the material will change the function of an object. Tampons are a discrete, less messy way to contain our human nature. Why stop there? Plug her up, and make it stop completely.

Sisterhood, screenprinted fabric, Spring 2008
Because sometimes art should be funny. Women unite.

If You Can’t Beat Them, approx. 6 feet tall, Japanese Maple, glass, Fall 2007

If You Can’t Beat Them (detail), approx. 6 feet tall, Japanese Maple, glass, Fall 2007
For as far as we think we have come with equal rights, there are still many glass ceilings and obstacles imbedded in society. Instead of knocking them down, and changing how it works, we've changed how we work. We've grown around them.

Untitled (Cast of the Negative Space of the Body), approx. 19 in. x 17 in. x 23 in., plaster, Fall 2007
The body is the origin of physical experience. Through the experience of an object we become aware of the space around us and our personal sphere of motion. This object captures the space around a person sitting in a stool.

Victoria’s Secret, porcelain, glaze, luster, 13 inches tall, Fall 2008
Porcelain is a material deeply rooted in history. It is a symbol of wealth and luxury. Lavishly decorated, Victorian porcelain pitchers were a status of wealth related to women's hygiene cosmetics. Today, women use brand name cosmetics and hygiene products as status symbols, such as Lancôme, Estée Lauder, Clinique, Victoria's Secret, and Eve. I created a body of objects that recontextualize today's products to the scale and material of Victorian pitchers. At first I honored the commercial form, replicating it to scale. I then proceeded to abstract it as a way to honor the sexualization of the packaging of these products and the products themselves. Victoria's Secret, Eve, Eve II, Eve III, are selected from this body of work.

Eve, Porcelain, glaze, luster, 13 inches tall, Fall 2008

Eve II, Porcelain, glaze, luster, 13 inches tall, Fall 2008

Eve III, Porcelain, glaze, luster, 13 inches tall, Fall 2008

From the Inside Out (multiple views), Stoneware, underglaze, terra sigillata, glaze, luster, approx. 13 in. x 14 in., Fall 2008
My work often comes from the source of which I am most expert, my own life. A close mother figure in my life developed lung cancer. I created this sculpture as a tribute to the strength and peace of mind with which she faced this experience. I also created it as a way to cope with the discovery of corruption taking the body from the inside out, with no one knowing.

Homegrown (Why Can't I?) (multiple views), Stoneware, slip, glaze, decal, twine, approx. 8 in. x 9 in., Fall 2008
For all the simple pleasures of a rural upbringing, there is little conversation about simple human nature. In rural towns, sexuality is barely spoken of in whispers, so to a young girl curious about her blossoming sexuality, there is little help or information to be found. Through her environment, her legs are tied together, not to be spread, and she is never told why.

Artist Statement:

I deal with feminist and sometimes personal ideas. Issues of feminism in today’s society, such as the ways women are viewed especially in relation to forces such as marketing and consumerism, and the ways women view themselves, are some of the ideas I use. I draw heavily from research and autobiographical experiences. My work is sometimes humorous, often critical, but it is important that the work tries to be empowering also.

The figure is a natural form of expression for my thoughts. Ideas manifest themselves as gestures. The female nude itself is a universally recognizable image with a deep history in art. Body language is a universal vehicle for communication of ideas, unlike speech or writing. In relation to the kinesthetic awarenesses in a phenomenological-based experience, the gesture of the human body becomes another element the audience can feel, relate to, and ponder. The gestures of my figures are symbolic, which creates room for interpretation by others, because I cannot ignore their points of view.

Through the philosophy of phenomenology, which essentially says that all human experience extends from the consciousness of the self and body, I became aware of my love for objects and the intrusion of their volumes into our space. Ceramics is traditionally rooted in the art object. My art objects are about phenomenology and the gaze. How does one respond to this little person is his or her space? Is it a figurine or a person? If each object has "its own reality" how does it feel to be looking in on that reality? What if the little figurine is staring right back at you? What if it's not, are you invading its space? Perhaps her size is that of a figurine, but is her reality congruent?

Cheeseball

2009-05-14T18:44:00.000-07:00

Another project for the semester was to create a "Visual Verbal Journey" for my Junior Seminar class. Now, I'm still not sure what exactly my eccentric prof wanted, but this is what I came up with. It is essentially a series of correlations and thoughts stemming from an exploration of my own artwork. As much as I dragged my feet with this, and as rough around the edges as it feels, it was wildly helpful to interact with my art like this. I learned a lot about my work and myself.

We had to upload all of this on a PMWiki site, but I don't think you all have access to it, so here's a look at what I did.

Kourtney Stone
Visual Verbal Journey

Logically the place to start talking is with the basic building blocks of my work.

Object-lover.
There is something enchanting about physical matter in space. It has an undeniable reality to our most basic of senses- touch. In my teaching classes we have read studies providing evidence that all human learning begins through touch. Children first understand their world by touch, like the pressure on the crayon creating a mark or the feeling of a flick versus a glide. In my Introduction to Sculpture class, Professor Sarah Dougherty introduced me to the concept of Phenomenology. In it's simplest form, phenomenology can be understood as a philosophy based on the idea that all human experiences is based on the consciousness extending from the first person point of view, the self. The experience is based on what philosopher Husserl called "intentionality", or the direction one brings to the experience (through elements such as emotion, memory, action, and bodily awareness). Further forms of experience include reflection and analysis. So phenomenology deals with the ideas that experience comes from awareness on various levels, which include temporal, attention, self-awareness, embodied action, and other activity. The ideas about one's kinesthetic awareness and experiencing objects in relationship to one's body were particularly resonant with me. This lesson convinced me I was too enraptured by physical things to be a sculpture major. The field of sculpture was too open; too many ideas can be called sculpture. I want objects, matter, volume invading my space.

(Kourtney Stone, Fall 2007. This piece is a response to our study of phenomenology. These are plaster casts of the negative space of the body.)

Material.
My material is primarily clay: water and dirt. If I want it to be permanent I add heat to the process. It is often covered by glass. My decision to use clay is a result of my desire for control. This is a material that will take any form. It will respond immediately to my touch. Creating from clay comes to me much like Chantal Ackerman’s process. Ackerman says;
"I really don't choose; it's coming; it's imposing itself to me and it's what I have to do; i.e., it chooses me! It's a thing that appears to my mind and I don't ask questions about it…if it appears then I have to do! Each of my has its own reality; its own sense of excitement. And, when you don't know (in theory) exactly where you will go with a 'tight' script, then the situation is open to innumerable possibilities and there's an exciting sense of 'danger' in that 'things can fall apart'; "the feeling of 'being on the edge' as one proceeds. The film can go one way or the other, which is very exciting and there is much collaborating with the actor."
Clay chose me. I don’t see the possibilities for my ideas in other materials the way I do with clay. It’s not that I don’t know these other possibilities in materials exist, but that I naturally see the possibilities in clay. Each figure comes to me, and “has its own reality.”

What I Do With It.

(Kourtney Stone, Homegrown, Stoneware, slip, glaze, decal, twine, approx. 8 in. x 9 in., Fall 2008)

Figure sculpture, one could even be as specific as saying the female nude in sculpture, is one of the oldest categories of art. We have common examples of figure sculpture artifacts from the Paleolithic era, like Venus of Willendorf.

(c. 24,000-22,000 BCE, limestone, 4 3/8 inches high, (Naturhistorisches Museum, Vienna))

My research, however, often begins with the classical Greek and Roman sculptures. Like these ancient sculptors, every artist engages in a pursuit of perfection. Greek and Roman artists went so far as to canonize ideal proportions. Today, not every artist seeks perfection in the same way, but every person has a vision of the ideal artwork in their mind which they are trying to achieve. The idea of perfecting the human figure in Greek and Roman sculpture speaks to me in today's culture in terms of standards for women. We hear a lot about how the images of women in pop culture influence us to believe the most beautiful proportions for women are also the most unhealthy for the majority of women. Regardless we are still fed these images relentlessly.

(Aphrodite of Cnidus (Knidos) by Praxiteles (c.350 BC))

Christyl Boger is a contemporary ceramicist who works with figure sculpture. She is likewise influenced by classical sculpture. She references classical sculpture in her work, which makes it feel like a familiar form to her audience, much like a figurine. It also contextualizes her art work as iconic. Boger uses sculpted objects and deliberate surface treatments, such as decals, placement of glaze and lusters, to bring her work into the present and speak of current ideas.

(Girl With Dolphin, porcelain, glaze, luster, 27 in. x 22 in. x 22 in., 2007)
For example, in Girl with Dolphin Boger presents a commentary on the concept of 'ideal beauty' and relationships using the Greek goddess of love. The appearance of porcelain suggests monetary value, and, as is characteristic of Boger’s work, pushes it into the realm of figurines. These notions allow the viewer to objectify the figure. The figure is surrounded by things from the sea, like the dolphin and the shell. These items, particularly the dolphin, are closely associated with Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of beauty, love, and lust. According to some Greek myths, dolphins were sacred creatures to Aphrodite. The depiction of the dolphin as an inflatable form, makes the goddess seem cheap and tacky. Boger says her use of gold tipped fingers and toes implies “both a Midas’ touch and a courtesan’s proposition .” The figure’s posture wavers between a concealing gesture of modesty or open self-display.

The monotone figure sculpture with judicious use of color is reminiscent of Anne Wenzel's ceramics. Wenzel's 2003 series of ceramic girls (examples below) uses exclusively terra sigillatta and luster. Terra sigillata is a surface technique where the artist burnishes and buffs a slip made of very fine clay particles, which give the surface a moist looking appearance. This process can be time-consuming and often requires several layers. Wenzel, however, applies multiple thick layers, making the terra sigillata crack and peel off. Terra sigillata always seemd to be a rather intimate process, requiring the artist to be close and delicate with the work almost like caressing it. Seeing the layers of it peel off the surface of Wenzel's figures felt like Wenzel overdid her caress, much like rubbing one's skin too much creates a rub burn. It adds to the somewhat grotesque feeling of these beautiful girls, figurines, with dark forms wrapping around them.

Material is often metaphor in my work. The matter of which an object is made can be a powerful vehicle to change the meaning of an object or to give the object a certain status. For example, the twine in my figure above references utilitarian function. In connection with the checkerboard pattern, I hoped it would evoke thoughts about country settings and rural communities. Many ceramicists use porcelain as Christyl Boger did to give objects certain value, particularly within historical contexts (porcelain is a highly valued material; it was reserved for royalty, traded across continents, and many ceramicists tried to imitate it).

(unknown artist/origin, but the meaning/function of soda cans changes when made out of porcelain, then decorated after traditional china pottery designs)

Iris Eichenberg uses material to give her somewhat abstract sculptures specific meaning. In the work below entitled Family, there are branches coming from the wall with several knit forms hanging from them. The branch allows us to think of several ideas. The branch, which is actually a tree branch suggests something from nature. The objects hanging from it are natural, like blossoms or fruit. It also suggests life. The title implies this may represent a family heritage or hierarchy. However, I incessantly approach art and the world using feminist theory, so I take it further. The objects hanging from it are ovular shapes, knit from pink fiber, connected by a string that hangs them from the branch. Traditionally textiles are considered a "feminine" art. These forms have a domestic feel to them, like mittens on a string. These shapes also are reminiscent of female reproductive organs. This sculpture, because of the materials, speaks to the social view of Woman's reproductive role.

For me, this all relates back to phenomenology and the gaze. How does one respond to this little person is his or her space? Is it a figurine or a person? If each object has "its own reality" how does it feel to be looking in on that reality? What if this little figurine is staring right back at you? What if it's not, are you invading its space? The figure posted above is pondering this twine lacing her legs together. Her size is that of a figurine, but is her reality congruent?
The female nude, as demonstrated with the brief history given above, is a universally recognizable image. Body language is a universal vehicle for communication of ideas, unlike speech or writing. In relation to the kinesthetic awarenesses in a phenomenological-based experience, the gesture of the human body becomes another element the audience can feel, relate to, and ponder.

My current body of work is using half life-sized figures illustrating contemporary examples of Jean-Paul Sartre's theory of "bad faith." Sartre was de Beauvior's companion and she often borrows his theories for use in her own writings, including bad faith.

Possibilities.
What am I trying to do with the figure? What is it about the figure? Gesture. When it comes down to it, I use the figure because of the communicative value of gesture and body language. I tend to get caught up in the historical and personal association and expectations of the human body when working with the figure. It's inescapable for me but more importantly the audience. The human form, specifically the female figure, is a natural vehicle of expression for my thoughts. I have an idea and it comes out as a gesture. Adrian Arleo gave language to my thoughts:

"My overall conceptual concern, in creating pieces that deal with the figure, does not stem from a fascination with the construction and problem-solving process. Nor is it just the beauty of the human form that holds me. What continues to absorb me is how, by rendering the physical body, one can convey, or at least suggest, a remarkable array of non-physical, internal, ephemeral, spiritual, emotional or psychological experiences. I use the human form to get at the human being and human nature, not at the body as an end in itself."

The next step is isolating the gesture.

I recently began a body of work that is meant to do so and it is dealing with the vessel. I am taking advantage of the connotations of the vessel as a container, and vessel as body. I take cast vessels and alter them into abstracted poses.

(Stephanie Lanter Double Bib)

(Stephanie Lanter Big Nuk)
I have been looking at Stephanie Lanter's work, and I am also incorporating fibers elements into the gestures. The fibers help to conceal, reveal, and emphasize form. These pieces are also no more than 10 inches tall. The scale in combination with the fibers propel my work into the domestic/figurine realm. I don't yet understand how these pieces are functioning or even how I necessarily relate to them.

My next thoughts tend to be about increasing the scale, because with my figure sculptures I have pushed them out of the figurine scale. The small scale my vessels/gestures are in now makes them feel like figurines again.
Another possibility may include incorporating the fibers from the start directly into my ceramics by firing slip-soaked fibers onto my greenware.

Sources.

source –noun 1. any thing or place from which something comes, arises, or is obtained; origin: Which foods are sources of calcium? 2. the beginning or place of origin of a stream or river. 3. a book, statement, person, etc., supplying information. 4. the person or business making interest or dividend payments. 5. a manufacturer or supplier. 6. Archaic. a natural spring or fountain.

re⋅source –noun 1. a source of supply, support, or aid, esp. one that can be readily drawn upon when needed. 2. resources, the collective wealth of a country or its means of producing wealth 3. Usually, resources. money, or any property that can be converted into money; assets. 4. Often, resources. an available means afforded by the mind or one's personal capabilities: to have resource against loneliness. 5. an action or measure to which one may have recourse in an emergency; expedient. 6. capability in dealing with a situation or in meeting difficulties: a woman of resource. In describing my collection of images and ideas which inform my work it is more accurate to say resources instead of sources. Resources, or re-sources, implies a place of supply to which one returns. My sources are not necessarily one time use only. Like a glaze, I have a base recipe of images and ideas that constantly influence my work. The colorants are various images and research I find that relate to my current body of work. My base resources include figurative work from other artists, feminism, and autobiographical material. All of these sources have culminated in my current body of work as two components.
(Definitions from dictionary.com)

Each component deals with the figure. These figures each have their own idea, but essentially all are about gesture. I use the figure for the communicative qualities of gesture and universality of body language. In relation to the kinesthetic awarenesses in a phenomenological-based experience, the movement becomes another element the audience can feel, relate to, and ponder. The gestures of the figure are symbolic, which creates a separate reality around them.

The first component is a series of female figures, approximately half life-size or 36” tall. These figures are directly influenced by Crystal Boger, as previously mentioned. I watch her use of gesture and the naturalistic forms of her figures. Also, she recontextualizes contemporary issues with classical forms, which is a favorite exercise of mine. She does this by combining her poses and surfaces, which reference traditional ceramic treatments with a modern design.

My current figures are about women putting up the proverbial glass ceilings for themselves. For example, a church a used to attend hired a female pastor. Women of the church were disapproving of female pastor saying things along the lines of, “It’s just weird to have a woman up there.” Another example is when Hillary Clinton ran for president and women classified her as masculine. What sort of message must this be sending to our daughters about women in power? These seemingly slight comments actually have tremendous psychological implications about the roles of women in our “progressive” society.

Alberto Giacometti

Alberto Giacometti

Alberto Giacometti
These figures from Alberto Giacometti are from around 1926 when he was still an art student studying in France. These drawings have captivated me for years. The forms of the body are broken down into planes and lines, but they still remain spatial. I’ve attempted to translate that sort of decomposition into my ceramics figures, but with no success. I haven’t figured out why Giacometti drew like that nor have I understood a way to use it outside of my own drawing.

Empowerment
I approach art and life from a feminist point of view. I study feminist theory and writing, and I use think knowledge to inform the art I make. The female body is a natural vehicle of expression for myself. My thoughts naturally physically manifest themselves as the gestures of females. I study to be a teacher because I believe knowledge is empowerment. I think I use the female body for the same reason. By giving the female body a voice I am giving it power.

Simone de Beauvior & Jean-Paul Sartre \\ My studies in feminism often lead to a reflection on my own experiences which then turns into art. Sometimes my work is funny, autobiographical, if I do it right, poignant. It’s most important that it be empowering. I am largely concerned with the way women view themselves.

My studies of Simone de Beauvior lead me to her companion Jean Paul Sarte. According to Sartre, there are three states of being. The being-in-itself is associated with the body, the physical being. The being-for-itself is the being that does not have physical existence, but it perceives the sensations of the being-in-itself. The final state is the being-for-others, which defines itself as a subject, and objectifies the other. This is an attempt to regain itself as a being when in conflict with the desires of another. The being defines itself by asserting its power over another. It views the other as enslaved and the self as free. This othering allows the being for-itself to allow or reject the meaning it or other ascribe to it. This fluid identity or non-self identity is the fundamental freedom humans have. Having freedom means decisions made are inherently intentional. This idea ties directly into Sartre’s ethical position of authenticity. The idea is that one is not identical or defined by one’s state, but one is still responsible for sustaining whatever state in which he or she may be. Directly from this idea comes the concept of bad faith. Bad faith is essentially self-deception about one’s state. It is lying to oneself about the non-self coincidence and the responsibility one has for choosing to leave it that way.

Autobiographical: My Family
Another main resource is my autobiography. My work is generally based on experience. So by default it is affected by my family and my upbringing, like in Homegrown.

The second component of my current body of work is a series of altered vessels. They are directly influenced by Butterly and Lanter, who was already mentioned. They are about 8 inches high are approximately 8 inches tall. The sources for these vessels/figures are autobiographical and other artists.

Caught Thinking, Kathy Butterly

Yo, Kathy Butterly

Mask, Kathy Butterly
Kathy Butterly was highly influential as far as the method goes. She works with altered cast forms also, and she encouraged me to start by just copying an artist I admire. It certainly gave me a start, but I am not sure how closely I want to follow in her footsteps.

Stephanie Lanter, who was previously mentioned, is my visual source for the integration of fibers with ceramics. She’s made the fibers an essential part of the clay, and uses the fibers to complement the form.

Iris Eichenberg was also previously mentioned and has been highly influential on this body of work. Her use of different material and forms to reference the bodies creates a sort of aura around her pieces, which is certainly a desirable effect for me.

Brother and Sister, Louise Bourgeois

Femme Volage, Louise Bourgeois
Louise Bourgeios is a classic influence. She mastered the use of abstract for to reference the body and convey emotion and ideas. She also uses a variety of materials to best suit her idea. I am mostly intrigued by her forms, however.

The Fire, Ed Eberle

Gathering, Ed Eberle
Ed Eberle is a source for the use of gesture. He uses abstract ceramic pieces to create a very readable and realistic gesture.

All of these artists are reactionary. Their art has a definite urgency to it. They create their art in the moment, but it’s deliberate. This idea of reaction was an easy way for me to generate forms and gestures. Because of this, the subject matter of these is also autobiographical, including ideas such as mediocrity, diversity, illness, and panic attacks.

Remembering

2009-05-14T18:36:00.000-07:00

This is a sculpture has been a long time coming, and this semester I finally had a chance to do it. I managed to make the perfect celadon glaze, and everything seemed to fall into place after that. The drapery is inscribed Remembered, Remember, Will Remember...
It's for Thomo. It's something I had to do.