Well, it's a new semester at USM and I"m excited about continuing the sculpture project I started in the spring. I did not resolve some issues and feel that the project is worth while to continue. I began by throwing simple forms on the wheel, including altered and off-centered ones. I then stacked the forms into what I began to think of as totems. It became interesting to me to cut the pots at angles (before stacking) in an effort to create visually dynamic pieces. I began to think of the totems more as "markers," standing in for people who were no longer present. I placed most of the markers is pairs and began to think of the bonds that remain even after a person has gone. The markers came to represent funerary markers similar to grave stones. I was inspire by Greek statuary placed at grave sites in order to represent and glorify the deceased. Although I wanted my pieces to have an ancient (even primitive) feel to them, I wanted them to be unique in that they are not really reminiscent of anything specific from art history. I like that the clay forms come from dirt as the earth around them becomes important to the piece. Now that you're caught up to date, stay tuned for future postings on how the project is coming along.