the written piece Process and Evolution, (nest # 18)

Artist's Statement: Process & Evolution, 2011
Karen

S Kelly-Philbrick
Owner-Operator at Kil'n Time Pottery, studied BS MHHS, BA FINE ARTS at UMA Lives in Belgrade, Maine, married to Paul Philbrick.

Process and Evolution is about the generations before us that teach us how to be strong, independent individuals.

If we put into practice the lessons learned from our forefathers (and mothers) we are (or should be) able to counter any obstacle put forth in our way towards health, wealth, and happiness. By overcoming these obstacles such as in my tree we can grow to become the persons we were meant to be if we make the correct (for us) choices in the obstacle called life, as the roots and branches stretch towards the light from which they receive their nourishment, so too, do we grow towards life fulfillment when we put into practice the lessons from which we were taught.

Process and Evolution was created through the uses of a technique involving water balloons and plaster. To that I added copper wire and a wire form, as well as other plaster pieces and a wooden base covered in plaster to represent how the lessons taught can help overcome the obstacles put forth from the society in which we grow. The wire (branches) represents our unending ability to wrap our way into and around the processes of life. The copper wheel is the technology that we face on a daily basis and, how we use that technology to enhance our own lifestyles is the key to such health, wealth and happiness. How we grow around such obstacles is the key to success and/or failure.

Sculptural and functional Pottery & Art to appease all. If you can't find what you like tell me and I will do my best and if I can't I may be able to send you to someone who can!

Aryeh M. Wismer damn karen, thats pretty cool
Karen S Kelly-Philbrick im in the studio around 2-5 ish today and tomorrow 10-4 ish....come on down n see it!!
thanx!!
Aryeh M. Wismer sure! I could probably drop by tomorrow if you want to take a walk and chill for a bit, maybe around 12, 1?
Karen S Kelly-Philbrick sounds good! you can give me feed back too i hope!
Carve, carve, scrape, scrape, sand, sand, wrap, wrap, sand, sand, sand, sand... done yet??? Nope!

Andrew Karl Siegfried Still hard at work I see, God bless you. Looks good!
Karen S Kelly-Philbrick thanx- its fun being back in the swing of things again!

Andrea O'Brien Emch, Sarah E. Riddle and 2 others like this.

Christine Godfrey Yay! You have studio pictures!!! Paul said you guys wouldn't be in tomorrow...bummer. :( It’s looking good!
Karen S Kelly-Philbrick I might stop in not sure yet- Paul won’t though
Christine Godfrey Okie dokie. In case you didn't see my hours on the board I will be in Saturday from 2-8 and Sunday from 10-4. :)

Barb Whitten Cool, very cool...
Karen S Kelly-Philbrick there is a blurb written about this project in my blog: kilntimesblog.blogspot.com I would love some followers!
Karen S Kelly-Philbrick ANY THOUGHTS ON THE BASE?
Krystle Griffey I love this piece Karen
Karen S Kelly-Philbrick wait til you see it in person! - When it’s done of course!
Karen S Kelly-Philbrick Need feedback. My thought is that it in of itself represents society while the older wiser dead tree continues to nurture new generations of life through its memory and lessons taught...? Did you see the blogs in my blog site?
Nancy McGinnis likes this.

Christine Godfrey Looks great!

finne!

well, finally it is done...

Artist's Statement:
Karen S Kelly-Philbrick
Owner-Operator at Kil'n Time Pottery, studied BS MHHS, BA FINE ARTS at UMA Lives in Belgrade, Maine, married to Paul Philbrick.

Process and Evolution is about the generations before us that teach us how to be strong, independent individuals.
If we put into practice the lessons learned from our forefathers (and mothers) we are (or should be) able to counter any obstacle put forth in our way towards health, wealth, and happiness. By overcoming these obstacles such as in my tree we can grow to become the persons we were meant to be if we make the correct (for us) choices in the obstacle called life, as the roots and branches stretch towards the light from which they receive their nourishment, so too, do we grow towards life fulfillment when we put into practice the lessons from which we were taught.
Process and Evolution was created through the uses of a technique involving water balloons and plaster. To that I added copper wire and a wire form, as well as other plaster pieces and a wooden base covered in plaster to represent how the lessons taught can help overcome the obstacles put forth from the society in which we grow. The wire (branches) represents our unending ability to wrap our way into and around the processes of life. The copper wheel is the technology that we face on a daily basis and, how we use that technology to enhance our own lifestyles is the key to such health, wealth and happiness. How we grow around such obstacles is the key to success and/or failure.
Wish me luck in my submission of this piece to the Harlow Gallery's ART2011!!

the bubble tree

it really isnt a bubble tree at all... i used ballons to create the holes, this is the second round of progress pictures. any comments on the use of the copper wheel as a base? i am not sure yet how it plays into the schematics except that it is copper and has holes-albeit the holes here are square vs the holes in the tree being round.

pay no special attention to the chicken wire at the top of the piece- it will all become clear soon why that is there...stay tuned!

steel and bubble tree progress

here are the beginnings of my new venture. i am using water balloons inside plaster that will be integrated with steel to create a tree. there will be a nest placed somewhere on the piece. this journey is part of my fascinatins with both nesting placements and old trees. i am amazed whenever i see either of these 2 entities simply because in the nests there is a structure that is oftentimes so strong it can withstand tortures of nature and human/animal to survive and be and in the older trees- the grandfathers we see a strength that is much like a survivor of trauma and life-i see an older tree and ice/snow/wind all forces of severe nature surrounded by saplings and younger generation trees this elder is standing strong and straight, albeit naked and stripped, some parts broken and useless but standing strong nonetheless and many of the surroundingg younger teres are dead, bent, broken-unable to stand and i am amazed. the elder has survived untold hardships and happiness and is still standing...it awakes in me a need to be like that grandfather tere- to be like my own greandfather: strong, moral, compassionate, loving,and...forgiving.

yess, i have a long journey ahead of me but yes, i am willing to make that journey and theses pieces i create with will help me process this journey and believe that all things are possible....

so its working again....

well, i cant even think what i wrote about the last 2 times so i will try to recap...

i have been busy trying to get healthy- not really working yet.
i still do not have a job outside the house....still working on that- have applied yet again to UMA for several positions

mike, lee and alanna live with us and that is a whole other ball of wax-many ups and downs with blended family issues and all but we are all still alive so that about says it all....

the holiday pottery shoppe with the central maine clay artists went really well this year, i should be getting a return check back for the sales tax return and i have a valentines show coming up....

did i mention my health still bites!

studio has been closed up. i got done witht the flea market for financial reasons as well as inventory- or lack there of of new inventory... also the heater we bought for the studio was not sufficiaent enough and the clay froze...been working on prints, and boxes, and am assisting bob katz in the sculpture studio this semester. I will be creating a series of sculptures using balloons and plaster, cement, ice, wax all sorts of possiblilities....stay tuned!

survived 2 accidents- the 2nd totalling the jeep and leaving me hanging by the seatbelt for almost 45 minutes, the water pump dying, the water heater dying, and then the new wipers on the new car breaking and the new water heater breaking and so on and so on and on andon and on....

BREATHE...THIS TOO SOON SHAL PASS- (thanx sarah walton for those great words of wisdom)

SO CONTINUES THE LIFE AND TIMES OF....

for some reason my new posts are not showing up...this is

a test to see if its working....

yikes!

i guess its been a while huh?! Well a lot has transpired since last year and i have been busy procrastinating a lot of things. we bought a heater for the studio and i had high hopes that it would work...it helped but the studio is now closed for the winter and all my glazes, clays etc will need to be reclaimed in the spring.

I was again part of the Central Maine Clay Artists Holiday Shoppe this last Dec. I did better this year than last but given the issues facing me since my last post, i am excited i did this well. Overall, the group did exceeding well- $3000. over last year! I have been playing with the molds I acquired a while back, very hard work these molds, but WOW! what an interesting journey seeing them clay pieces emerge in tack and the eclecticism (is that a word?) and variety of the peices...i have since found something of everything from the '50's to early 1990's- strwberry shortcke, r2d2, pac man, dinosours, nativity sets, naked female mugs, the Monk (this was quite controversal in the late '60's-early '70's ), and soooo many more that i cant even contemplate at this time as to the extent of them all!

but...with my health issues i had to draw the line and take a break. that and the caring of the lalabug...welll sometimes you need to take a break and look at your other priorities. This is not to say that there havent been times when I have severely resented the fact that i cant be in my studio, i have many times, but this is life, we all have choices that we make and I will never regret that i tool the time to take care of my family, i regret that my body will not allow me to do everything i could have done even 10 years ago.

so as for the art...i am currently making s temporary studio again in the house, most of my clay and glazes froze but i have been able to save 150 lbs and some of the glazes. my work over the summer is fine and is/has been ready for bisquing and glazing. I have also been busy making boxes out of the old prints i have in storage,making new art forms out of old sort of thing. Liz and I are having our Valentimes Pottery/Art sale for the week before Valentines Day at UMA. look for more info-

will post pics of the hps and the vds soon.