Building Community
The scene at my son Josh’s BFC Thesis show at UNC Asheville this past weekend was a photographer’s dream, with various shaped ceramic pots casting shadows in the warm reflective glow of Josh’s 12 foot tall and 20 foot wide brick wall installation. There was a steady flow of people milling about throughout the 6-10 p.m. exhibit show, titled Building Community.
The bricks were made by Josh and then fired at varying temperatures, creating a rainbow-colored effect. The ones in the wall installation were stamped with the word “individual,” representing the strength and potential they have when joined together as a whole. Bricks with the word “community” stamped on them were signed by Josh and available for people to take home. Still others stamped with the names of those who have had an influence in Josh’s art were stacked in arrangements that held exhibit pieces.
A vacuum cleaner (on shag setting) stood high on a brick stand, looking whimsical and just slightly out of place if you didn’t read the words that accompanied it: “Art doesn’t happen in a vacuum.” Two square plots of clay were displayed. One was growing lush kelly green grass on it and had a ceramic piece shaped like a house off to the side. “Can you mow it with scissors?” I asked my friend Amy.
Eventually Josh’s collage journals displayed on a shelf got spread out on the floor. People leafed through them while munching on cilantro shrimp salad, feta roll-ups, guacamole dip, and more.
I got to shake Neil Woody’s hand and meet his wife Peggy. Neil is the tobacco farmer whose field Josh excavated wild clay from. He seemed to enjoy being a part of the process and seeing what Josh created from that “old dirt” he couldn’t grow anything on.
There was a contingency from Floyd who also attended. Family friend, Karl, sold pieces out of what we called “Karl’s Cabinet.” The idea was to counter the “no touch” art gallery policy and to have some pieces available that could be handled, purchased and taken home without waiting for the week long show to be over.
There were even tricks involving fire for the performance part of the evening. Using a long two-pronged pole (the machine), Josh pulled out a total of 8 pinch bowls from the fired-up kiln that was just outside the gallery door. The bowls came out red hot and translucent and when placed on a board they burst into flames. As one bowl cooled down another arrived, making for a colorful and lively display. The finished piece was purchased by a collector who told my husband that he valued it particularly because he witnessed Josh create it.
After the bowls cooled down, the crowd, who were bundled up in winter coats, hats, and scarves, watched as Josh and another potter poured hot liquid glass into one of the bowls. They expressed their enthusiasm with oohs and ahhs and sometimes applause. The name Josh Circus, coined by Josh’s friend’s little boy who couldn’t pronounce his real name, Josh Copus, never seemed more appropriate. Don’t they need a permit to do this, I was thinking?
Then it was off to the after show dance party at the Flood Warehouse Gallery (across from Josh’s Clay Space studio) to unwind and to celebrate Josh’s hard work and the successful evening. (That’s Josh in the forefront swing dancing.)
Post note: You can read more about Josh and his art HERE.
December 10th, 2006 8:27 pm
He’s a multimedia, artistic genius. It’s obvious where he got it from.
I find myself wishing I could have been there. You’re right: the photographic opportunities were stunning.
December 10th, 2006 10:47 pm
looks like a great show and a great time! are you still there or back in floyd? we’re heading down to nc for christmas.
December 10th, 2006 10:53 pm
We just got back this evening. More to come…
December 11th, 2006 6:45 am
Hi Colleen
You have a very talented son
December 11th, 2006 7:28 am
Congratulations on raising such a unique and creative child. It is fun reaping the rewards after all these years I am sure.
December 11th, 2006 7:33 am
Enjoyed the tour and thanks for taking us along. And of course you just had to go to the dance…! 🙂
December 11th, 2006 8:45 am
What an amazing nephew I have. I wish I could have been there. I am so proud, I can imagine how you feel!!!!!!xoxo
December 11th, 2006 10:48 am
Whoa! He’s not only talented – he’s cute – and he can dance? My idea of the perfect man! Why didn’t he come along when I was 20?
December 11th, 2006 11:08 am
Wow, looks like a great night. The pinch bowl flashing into flame would be pretty eye catching. All the individual brick were sold too?
December 11th, 2006 11:27 am
~~ The pictures are wonderful ~~ looks like everyone there had a fabulous time..Great pottery!! You are so fortunate to have such a Creative Guru as a son!!
Lauri
December 11th, 2006 11:28 am
The bricks people took home were the “community” ones. They were free but some people gave donations for them.
December 11th, 2006 12:50 pm
So incredibly creative and BEAUTIFUL. Wonderful and special in every way Colleen…I love the “happenings” part of this evening, too! So very inventive—the entire show! What are those ‘individual’ bricks selling for? I just love the idea of this…! Beautiful show Colleen. You must be so very proud of him.
But like I have said before, the ‘apple doesn’t fall far from the tree’!
December 11th, 2006 2:22 pm
wow! just beautiful. beautiful.
December 11th, 2006 5:44 pm
Your son is so creative. I love the brick display.
December 11th, 2006 8:34 pm
Josh is just so cool! That looks like a wonderful night…you took the perfect pictures to give us a real feel of being there.
He just seems to really have it together!
December 11th, 2006 10:25 pm
What beautiful work! So smooth looking and each one different. I hope he did well there. he’ll probably get a lot of business from that show and consignments too.
December 12th, 2006 3:55 am
What a terrific show! Thanks for taking us there, and congratulations to Josh! Simply fantastic work/play.
December 12th, 2006 6:24 am
A potter named Mark tells his student, Jim, “You should try working with this white clay called porcelain.
Not only does it throw well, but it softens your hands while you make the dishes.”
December 12th, 2006 7:25 am
This is truly spectacular, Colleen. David and I are looking forward to his presentation later this month. What a gifted individual he is!!
December 12th, 2006 10:54 am
That sure looks like a good time!
December 12th, 2006 4:22 pm
Good show! Congratulations, Josh!
June 22nd, 2010 9:31 pm
[…] More playing Wordless Wednesday HERE. Another box of grass HERE. […]
February 26th, 2015 10:31 am
[…] this past fall while working on my BFA thesis exhibition, I became interested in exploring methods of using wood-fired ceramics to visually explain the […]
June 28th, 2015 11:45 pm
[…] been documenting Josh’s life as an artist – his BFA show that led to a Wingate Scholarship, his wild clay excavations, ceramic exhibits, kiln building […]