Artist of the day: Matthew Day Perez

Matthew Day Perez. 'Sending light' (2009)

"Matthew Day Perez Received his BFA from Illinois State University and his MFA from the Rhode Island School of Design. He works primarily with glass, printed matter, digital media, and installation. Most recently he was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship to undertake research at the Australian National University. During this period he will generate a body of work that will be shown in 2012. He lives and works in Canberra ACT Australia." - MDP website. Check out his blog Thesunishotterhere for impressions and experiments in Australia.

Matt came to the SCA glass studio to give an artist talk and a demonstration last year. Many of us were impressed with his artistic practice. In his slide show, he showed us some works (similar to the one pictured above) that were made in a very innovative way (to me at least). The model and the mould were made at the same time. ? Well, imagine making the model of the one above in wax, difficult enough in its self, then imagine making the mould (all those finicky places to reach!!) Instead think of making the layers. Wax, plaster, wax plaster and drilling in between those layers to make connections. So wax becomes glass, and so does the drilled out holes..make sense? Probably not the way I've tried to explain it...but it set something off in my head, I would never have thought to do that. It makes the product a little more unknowable and I like that.

My bathroom the stop motion animation studio

As I am re shooting the animation part to allow for the slightly different positioning of the glass pieces for the hatched show, I have transformed my bathroom into a studio. There's a fair bit or rope and masking tape making sure things stay in place. The lighting isn't exactly bright enough (feels like it, but the proof of the photographs shows not) but needs must!

All packed for PICA!

and the second batch of work ready to go...at last. I love these plastic packing boxes. They are sturdy, have self locking lids, nest..what more do you want! Each piece is nested in layers of custom cut styrofoam sheeting. That hot wire unit is awesome, you can cut the most intricate shapes with it! Seriously, it takes 'almost' as much time to pack the work than to make it.

Ready to be picked up be the couriers, (2 days later it turned out)

National Student Art Glass Prize 2012

The official 'mayoral' event at the National Glass Collection is tonight, but I'm in Wagga Wagga by 9.30 to check out the exhibition before the hoards swamp the work and to check on how my work was installed. I was quite surprised at how well the projection showed in daylight. The projection area was a little small but the ceiling couldn't really be made higher so I was happy with the resolution that the gallery came up with.
So enough about my work! All I can say is thank goodness I didn't have to judge this show, picking a winner would have been incredibly hard.
I was so impressed with the level of work on display. Given that it is a graduate survey show (over 30 works from students around the country) I was also struck with the curatorial effort given by the gallery to carefully place and arrange pieces to their best advantage while creating a holistic visual effect.
My favourites would have to be ...(I need the catalogue for this) but Anabell's was a favourite.
The winner was Chris Boha a student from Adelaide uni...correction University of South Australia.
Katie-Ann's work 'a thousand ways to skin a cat' was bought by the gallery, a sound strategy on their part as I reckon her work will be collectible one day not so far away and that will be the cheapest price that they will ever get.
This evening was also a great opportunity to catch up with some of my favourite glassy people.

Detail shot of Ruth McCallum's work (need to check)

Wheels and plastic boxes..oh my!

The crates I made with Jono's help for the exhibition in Wagga were great, however they did take a bit of time. Also material wise I used the remainder of the MDF that I had bought for the 2 plinths. So, now I need a second set for the work being sent to Perth. Something made me remember a conversation with Grace Fine art removals. The topic was more about having to treat wood being used in packaging for sending work overseas and one of the reps remarked that you could just use plastic crating!

So having used up all my left overs, I was thinking why don't I get plastic boxes? Though if you think of the kind of boxes you buy in Kmart or the like...fragile! That type won't manage the distance home let alone to Perth and back. After a lot of internet searching (easy to find plastic crates to hire) I came across REFLEX equip (nothing to do with copy paper). Who stock, among other things security crates. I scheduled a time with Dougie to drive to Wetherill Park and look at the heavenly vision that is Reflex equip!

Example of the packing inside

all packed for Wagga

Start of my Honours year

Today is the official beginning of my Honours year at Sydney College of the Arts. The year has started off well if not busy getting ready for two exhibitions. One in Wagga wagga for the National Glass Art Student Prize and the other in Perth (yes Ken, PERTH) for Hatched the National Graduate Show.

No classes on Mondays, but I am Technical assistant for Susie Peck's Elective intermediate class from 4-6pm.