Grad School in the Fall

So the word is officially out…and I am incredibly excited to be headed off to grad school at the University of Colorado at Boulder in August.

I am also very sad to be leaving all of the wonderful artists that I have had the opportunity to work with and get to know over the past 9 months at the Center for Maine Craft. Keep plugging and I truly hope to keep contact with any and all that are interested.

<3

Central Maine Clay Artists MUG Season

Mug season is up and going so check out local coffee shops (A-1 to Go, Bagel Mania in Augusta, Slates Bakery in Hallowell…etc.) and buy a great mug for $15. Proceeds will go to local arts edu/or whatever we can fund. I’m making things slowly and working on my next move….

While you are out and about come by the Center for Maine Craft at the new W Gardiner Travel Plaza. We’ve done our best to get great things in, so come support us.

Out of state trips coming up soon and I’ll post pictures if I ever get a chance to take them before my work walks out the door.

<3

Center For Maine Craft, Yo.

Alright so I jumped ship and moved from Kansas City back to Maine at the beginning of October with stops at Ohio State and Alfred (and the Louisville Slugger Factory) on the way home. I have recently accepted a position as assistant manager for the Maine Crafts Association’s (Haystack, anyone?!) most recent and exciting venture called the Center for Maine Craft. It is located just off 95 and 295 in West Gardiner and will be a retail and information hub for over 250 of Maine’s finest artists and craftsmen. It is a super exciting step for arts and craft in Maine and I am more than happy to lend my efforts and knowledge to it. Come check us out (Opening Nov 14 and every day of the week after that from 10am-8pm) or look it up on the web. The Maine Crafts Association is an incredible resource to Maine Artists or anyone that might want to become or be in contact with Maine Artists.

I also begin teaching at Hallowell Clayworks on Nov. 10 and will from then on have a studio! It’s about time!

Lots of Love, Vote for Obama, and Take Care,

Casey

Art & Work

So it is hard to make things when you don’t have a studio. Instead of making things I’ve been teaching others how to make things and deciding that after three years of working to make, I’d like to work on making things better for others. I’m teaching until I have enough money for a studio and for the research. For now, I own the entire Ken Burns series, “The War” and the book. ‘nough said.

BFA

Alright, I am a horrible poster and don’t keep this thing up, but I did just post some informal images of the BFA piece, so excuse my neglegence and check it out.

Love.

Back Home

I am back in Maine for a few weeks, then off to Vietnam and Cambodia for a month of history, culture, travel…and whatever else comes my way. Still have plenty of work to do on applications for study abroad and fellowships. Any hints, edits, whatever are more than appreciated. Happy Holidays.

Slides

I put the fall semester slides in the gallery. Thanks to Jeff Bruce for taking those. I’m working on being prompt with these kinds of things. Check it out!

Check it out

Also, I would recommend checking out Learning to Love You More and Hung Liu’s latest work. They are both liked in my “Other Artist Sites” at the bottom of the page.

WWII Interviews

So I added a few things here and there, including a link to a site of WWII interviews that I think is pretty rad. Love.

The Genre

Greenhalgh’s definitions of the positivist and ironic practice seem, at their best, to be barriers that have little importance in the success and development of the contemporary art scene. From his definitions, I can think of few artists that can be truly identified as one or the other. In the essence of art lies the need not only for the utilization and consideration of traditional aesthetic and material qualities, but also for the critique that will “intensify and improve human experience by questioning the role and purpose of things”. Even the most traditional potter has, through the planning and creation of their pieces addressed the question of function, innovation and purpose. Why is a question that is embedded in the most basic art theory and practice. Even in the positivist search for the sublime lies the potential for the “art of engagement” and “commentary” of the ironic. Infact, it seems that without the critique and commentary the sublime or idol of the positivists cannot exist. The distinction between the positivist and ironic approach to permanence and loyalty is fascinating though I would challenge that adhering to one panel of thought over the other compromises the range and ability of an artist to create a breadth of effective work. Loyalty to a material or to a practive binds an artist to the prexisting restrictions and cultural perceptions associated with it. Coming from an art school education, it seems that there is little place for work that does not either critique, improve upon or aim to challenge and redefine the cultural uses and perceptions of materials and practice within the art world.