Clay – Faculty
Allan Rosenbaum - Professor
My works engage viewers on many levels – through form and surface as well as image and content. They weave together objects and images that are culled from personal memories, art history, popular culture, domestic interiors, the urban environment and landscapes. By creating sculptures composed of combinations of familiar images, I hope to shed new light on the metaphorical possibilities of the figure and of objects in our everyday world. Central to my work is the use of fragmented forms and unexpected juxtapositions to trigger multiple interpretations for each object. Through my work I hope to raise questions about the nature of human relationships, the need for security, our methods of communication, the search for identity, and the importance of community. To provide a point of entry for my work, I go to great lengths to emphasize the materiality of the objects I build. I work with clay that is pinched and scraped, and a rich palette of glaze surfaces to entice viewers to become involved with my work. By negotiating the territory between material presence and content, I hope to create work with an intimate sense of presence.
Education
M. F. A.Virginia Commonwealth University
B. S. University of Wisconsin-Madison, WI
Shay Church - Assistant Professor
I believe in the natural cycles of the earth. Within these patterns of life and death is where I can find truth. While cities grow, wars rage, and industry climbs, nature’s pulse continues to pound. Migratory paths remain, rivers continue to run downstream, wolves hunt, and insects are hatched.
My artwork is an attempt to create a meaningful connection between the natural world and myself. Often this connection seems fleeting. It is based on observation and the physical act of working with material such as clay and wood. This physical relationship also allows me to explore my spiritual, emotional and psychological concerns for the human experience.
In my “Wet Clay Installation” series I have chosen to focus on African Elephants and Gray Whales as my source of imagery. Both of theses mammals have long daunting migrations they must survive each year. I like to describe my installations as “migrations interrupted”. This puts a forceful, crude human twist on an elegant natural cycle. I find comfort in meditating on their constant migratory state.
Education
M. F. A. Spacial Arts, San Jose State University
B. F. A. Sculpture, Western Michigan University