'NSex Opening Night

At long last, here are photos from 

the collaborative art and science show I helped with earlier this year.

Next Wednesday we will be attending a reception at the Arizona Science Center

 to celebrate the first annual Arizona Science and Technology Festival!

All pieces were hand-formed with paperclay, underglaze, and low-fire clear glaze. After firing, they were carefully mounted and hung onto a scaffold we build from salvaged desert wood.

(one of the informational blurbs we mounted on stands and placed around the sculpture)

The artist-scientist-sculptors:

 Left to right: Joshua Gibson, Kimberly Shaffer, Morgan MacCallum, David Bradley, Brett Seymoure (top), Lisa Taylor (bottom), and Peter Marting

Sound and Light

Two porcelain pieces..

Flower bell. Porcelain, copper, coral bead. 2012

Luminaria. Hand thrown and carved porcelain. 2011.

The candle-holder holds one comfortably nested tea light, and when it does, the whole thing glows gently and sends flickering dots onto the walls. 

The first was a gift to a friend, but I couldn't bear to part with the second. It's still one of my favorite pieces!

Familia

Here is a little family of porcelain bells that I pulled from the kiln today. 

The ringers (also porcelain) will be hung from the inside. From the test clinks I think they will sound quite nice!

Bells, Coleman porcelain, 2012.

'N-Sex Exhibit Opening: Success!

On Friday evening, more than 230 Phoenicians came 

to the opening of our ceramic insect exhibit at the Eye Lounge!

Here's the flyer in case you're looking to visit during the 1-month exhibit (until Feb. 15). 

We're expecting many more visitors on February 3, which as a First Friday brings thousands of people through local art galleries in single night.

A huge thank-you to all of our supporters, 

a slew of familiar faces from Arizona State University's School of Life Sciences, 

Social Insect Research Group, and School of Art. 

And much gratitude to David Bradley, 

Phoenix ceramic instructor, sculptor, and Eye Lounge member 

who initiated this entire project, contributed all of the raw materials, 

and organized the artist-scientist collaborations!

Please do visit if you get a chance. I'll post more pictures,

but it's definitely better in person!

--Kim

Ceramic Bugs -- Open to the Public in 2 weeks!!

As of October of last year, I have been collaborating with a group of scientists from Arizona State University and local artists to create a ceramic bug exhibit.

The occasion is the first annual Arizona Science and Technology Festival, whose primary purpose is to showcase local innovations in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math).

Our team of entomologists and artists is creating an exhibit which will open on January 20, 2012. It will be on display at the Eye Lounge in downtown Phoenix through the month of February. On February 3 (First Friday), we're expecting a large audience for the monthly free art walk through the galleries in the area. 

Please come by and take a look! Our goal for our show is to show what insect / bug research is being done at Arizona State University. Expect to learn a lot about all of the crazy behaviors insects have for the purpose of reproduction. 

Also, we're planning to sell select bugs. If you or someone you know loves bugs, these would make a unique gift! They have holes for wall-mounting, or are perfectly awesome free-standing, too.

Here are the bugs in progress!!

Bugs. Paperclay, low fire underglaze. From 8" to 14".

--Kim--

Beetle

Yixing clay, nichrome wire. 2009. 

This is one of my personal favorites. Burnishing the surface to a gentle sheen, and getting the animal to stand properly were challenging but enjoyable. I miss making this piece -- perhaps I will make more like it in the future.

Eat me

Stoneware, china paint. 2010. 
This was a collaboration with my friend Aimee: she provided the plate and I the image.

Hopper

Hopper, 2 x 3 in., Porcelain and cobalt underglaze, 2011