Linda Swanson Installation Workshop

Linda Swanson's Bugs

I have just returned from a very informative workshop in Hays, Kansas at Fort Hays State University with Linda Swanson on Installations. Linda's Bio from her website, www.LindaSwansonStudio.com explains little bit about her approach to raw clay and installations: "Linda Swanson is an artist whose interests are grounded in the metamorphic nature of ceramic materials and processes. Her work engages the enigmatic properties of matter at an elemental level and the capacity of wonder to question how and what we know. Her raw and kiln fired ceramic works have been exhibited around the United States, Canada and in France. " Her work blew me away and I don't think I will ever be the same after this workshop.

Linda had us begin with clay powders and explore the results of water making contact with it. It was our choice of how this experiment would work.

I dripped water from all heights and watched as the powders puffed out and how the water reacted and seemed to cluster up.

We left our clay boards all afternoon to watch the changes to the materials as the water dried and what had become of the powders.

We watched videos and slides on artists who make these types of installations for a living.

Phoebe Cummings https://youtu.be/lYdgiyyRVXg

Walter McConnel https://youtu.be/3YmHdWyiNpM

Shay Church https://vimeo.com/41928309

Claire Twomey https://vimeo.com/62861350

Reclaimed http://www.one-wall-gallery.com/

Charles Simmonds video

http://www.charles-simonds.com/myth/dwellings1972full/Resources/dwellings1972full.mov

Anders Ruhwald

http://channel.louisiana.dk/video/

We were then tasked with finding a partner and a space to create our own clay installation. In the vein of Phoebe Cummings, my partner and I decided to make sprig molds of the leaves found in the courtyard of the school.

plaster poured in sprig molds

We then found our location where the magic would happen- the concrete wall outside of the kiln room.

Beginning of "Descent Installation"

For Two days we made leaves and affixed them to the wall in a falling pattern.

close up

Here is our final outcome. The other installations were a treat to experience also. Placement was the key in this process for me. Just by moving one leaf to the floor changed the viewing experience. It just goes to show that everything has its place and if done well will pose interesting questions and present intriguing thoughts.

Final presentation

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Bernard Palissy (1509-1589), French potter, geologist and naturalist (Retrieved from: http://fineartamerica.com/featured/3-bernard- palissy-french-potter-sheila-terry.html ) "Palissy Ware" is a form of 19th Century ceramics invented by French potter Bernard Palissy. At the time of its inception, Palissy Ware was known as "Rustique" Ware by Palissy himself. Palissy Ware is made out of earthenware and usually depicts realistic water or pond scenes with individually painted snakes, frogs, and foliage; "Palissy's distinctive style of polychrome lead-glazed earthenware in a sombre earth-toned palette, using naturalistic scenes of plants and animals cast from life,[1] was much imitated by other potters both in his own lifetime and especially in the 19th century, when pottery in Palissy's style was produced by Charles-Jean Avisseau of Tours, who rediscovered Palissy's techniques in 1843, his relatives the Landais family of To...

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Thrilled to be featured in the New Mexican’s Weekly Magazine of the Arts, “Pasatiempo”

"Another Birthday" 2024 Clay, Glazes Here is a link to the online article which was published in the February 28, 2025 real live physical newspaper Friday art section of The New Mexican : https://www.santafenewmexican.com/pasatiempo/turner-carroll-gallery-turns-history-on-its-head-in-new-exhibition/article_a25205b8-ed6e-11ef-aab7-a34c880f2c57.html Turner Carroll Gallery Turns History on its Head in New Exhibition santafenewmexican.com Nicole Merkens Art & Design www.nicolemerkens.com Insta: @artgirl253 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicolemerkensart

THE STUDIO OF NICOLE MERKENS

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