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July 2008 Featured Student Artist: Jack Dynis
Journey
Huck, 2007, 12" x 12"
glass, glass rods, porcelain,
polished glass and pebbles |
Once again, I owe it all to Ashby. Ashby was my partner Greg's dog when we first met almost 20 years ago. I fell in love with Ashby instantly, and because of my affection for him I stuck around long enough to fall in love with Greg, too. When Ashby died in 2000, I wanted to find a way to memorialize him. The minute I stumbled upon some photographs of ancient mosaics of dogs I knew I had found my medium. If the ancients cared enough about their dogs to immortalize them, why couldn't I? The only problem was that I knew absolutely nothing about making mosaics and had no experience to speak of making art of any kind. I had a degree in chemistry that I had never used and was working on a second degree in "computer arts" at the time. So I bought a few books and tried teaching myself. It was slow going until I found Laurel True and IMA in 2004.
Mosaics
Ashby and Oscar, 2006
18" x 24"
glass, ceramic and glass rods
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My first class, Mosaic 101 — Introduction to Mosaics, was a revelation. Laurel's enthusiasm and simple instructions made it clear: I can do this! My next class, Architectural Applications, changed the whole approach to my project. I went from a clunky "double-indirect" technique that involved sticking tesserae temporarily to clear contact paper to working on fiberglass mesh. It was still slow going, but with lots of encouragement — and lots of lab time — I finished my memorial to Ashby in 2006. (The lesson: mosaics forgives mistakes and rewards perseverance.) The final form of the memorial is a fountain, which involved learning how to construct Lightweight Concrete Sculptural forms. My teacher was my labmate, Tracy Broback, who is a generous and brilliant instructor at IMA.
Stepping Stones 10-12 (2008)
12" x 12", mirror and ceramic
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Classes taken at IMA
Mosaic 101 — Introduction to Mosaics with Laurel True
Architectural Applications: Floors and Walls with Laurel True
Portraiture in Mosaics with Josef Norris
Growth
I've since taken the Portraiture in Mosaics class, and my portrait of Willa Cather (2007) was included in a Mosaic Portraiture Exhibition at IMA. For the holidays last year I made mosaic votives as gifts for our dinner guests. Currently, I am finishing the 14th in a series of 22 stepping-stones, each with an arc of mirrored glass. When the stones are installed the arcs will form a ribbon that traces the path of a pink ball as it bounces through the yard. This is a relatively abstract project compared to the very designed work I've done previously, and I'm enjoying the freedom of improvising. I've also had the pleasure recently of helping mosaic a giant wedding cake that celebrates California's recent decision to make marriage available to all.
Votives 2007, 4" x 4", glass and smalti
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IMA
So, to my surprise, what started out as a memorial to a beloved companion has turned into a creative life. My heart lifts up every time I walk into IMA, and the time I spend in lab each week has become my "church" (without the annoying dogma), a place to be part of the beauty of the world in the company of friends. I guess you could say that by following my dog I ended up following my bliss. Thank you, Ashby, and thank you IMA.
Exhibitions
Mosaic Portraiture — IMA
Willa Cather, 2007, 18" x 24", ceramic and smalti
Willa Cather, 2007
18" x 24"
ceramic and smalti
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