#004 Thursday, January 13, 2022
Well here I am again thinking about a possible artist in residency. Why do I like them so much? Heading off into the unknown with only a suitcase of the basic tools, a few materials and an open mind. What will we find? I believe finding is also connected to sharing. What new materials will present themselves? I can suppose that the high tide line will reveal some level of water worn flotsam and jetsam. Yet, what will the people have in their junk drawers and garages? I’m interested in the durable discards and industrial multiples of our society, there is a wealth of available materials. The key to accessing this treasure trove is through community individuals directing me to a secluded bay, a pile of discarded fishnets, or the town dump re-use station. My work is primarily anthropomorphic in nature. People, places, and available materials dictate my style of work especially when away from my home studio. I work in a handheld intimate scale or life-size as I stand 6’ 3”. The work captures a sense of place. Is it urban, poly chromed, glass, steel, manufactured or waterworn, bone, stone and tribal? The idea of a rural, rustic, weatherworn fishing community sounds exciting. Living five hours from the NC coast in the Southern Appalachians I’ve lost my contacts for fishing floats and beach debris. In my day-to-day life I wear many hats and I look forward to changing hats as I travel to residencies away from home. Being transported into a new world of granite boulders, the ocean, swamps, small schools, big schools, and community centers all appeal to me. My initial schooling was in science and a naturalist, which evolved into an educator and an artist. As a teacher/artist in the classroom I teach a mix of biology and art. My teaching style is project-based learning. I combine science and art class together to reach all students. For example, we might be making bottle cap snakes and drawing frogs, and at the same time learning about life cycles and habitat. The same project approach applies to residencies as well. During a residency I welcome teaching opportunities, open studio tours and will provide demonstrations.
~ Mr. Jeff