Surface/Structure at Clay Studio, Philadelphia

Fabio Fernandez and Tom Lauerman will exhibit recent collaborative work in a group show titled: "Surface/Structure" at the Clay Studio Philadelphia.

September 17 - October 31, 2010
Opening Reception, First Friday,
October 1, 5-9pm

Sculptures in Love with Architecture at Sienna Gallery, Lenox, MA

The fruits of an on-going collaboration between Fabio J. Fernández and Tom Lauerman, Sculptures in Love with Architecture presents a series of small scale ceramic pieces that reflect the artists thoughts on the forms, concepts, history and humor in architecture and the built environment.

The title references the book Architectures in Love, an enigmatic sketchbook/journal by John Hejduk that has been a shared influence on both artists. Many of the works were conceived with Hejduk's writing in mind, particularly his investigations of the emotional capacities of architecture. From there the circle of allowable inspirations grew to include other architects and artists whom the pair look to: Félix Candela, Eduardo Chillida, Eladio Dieste, Louis Kahn, Mies van der Rohe, and Tony Smith to mention a few. Often, the process of making began with the mailing/emailing of drawings, notes and models back and forth between the artist's studios, at times located in Boston, Chicago or Dallas. The forms that emerged from this method of communication explore and exploit the properties of ceramics - the actual making incorporates the range from elemental technology like hands and sandpaper to advanced prototyping and mold making.

"Around the Campfire" at Artworks, Trenton

Around the Campfire:
A show of ceramic work at Artworks, Trenton

Much of the work in Around the Campfire is installation-based and employs mixed media as well as clay. The exhibition both pays homage to Trenton’s rich industrial history as home to dozens of commercial potteries in the 19 th century, and charts a path into the future of creative ceramics in the 21 st.

Around the Campfire has been planned to coincide with the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts annual conference, taking place this year in Philadelphia. The show will be on view March 6 through April 17at Artworks’ main gallery in downtown Trenton.

“In the big picture realm of design and architecture, I wanted tofind out what clay artists were thinking,” says Reichard, curator of the show as well as a participant. “The title refers to playing house with friends in the ‘wilderness’ and re-enacting a way of lifethat’s decidedly more survivalist than ours is now. The playful aspect of the campfire is that you start from scratch, but with a goal and a set of parameters,” much like the artists in the show, she says.

Campfires are comforting, but in the wilderness, as the sole source of warmth and cooking heat, they distill our needs and desires downto what is really important, Reichard says. “The artists in this show have decided what’s important, and their objects are the telling excerpts of their complete worldview.”

There will be a public reception on Saturday, March 6, from 6 to 9 p.m. with music by the band "WINDJAMMER," featuring Andrew Weiss, who has either been a member of or worked with the Rollins Band, Ween, Yoko Ono, Pigface and Café’ Tacuba among others.