Friend of Dorothy |
2020 |
In Friend of Dorothy , I re-stage a scene from the 1939 film Wizard of Oz by balancing across the top of a fence in Judy Garland’s iconic gingham dress. Nodding to my father’s occupation as a fence-builder and construction worker, I build the fence in the dress considering my place as a queer man in the landscape of Middle America. My interests in materiality and craft are realized through constructed ceramic frames that focus the viewers’ experience. The act of building the frames, the fence and allusions to construction ode to the concept of world-building. Here, I explore the hope for a queer future and acceptance despite current strife.
Friend of Dorothy
White stoneware, screenprint glaze transfer, rusty nail, video 15.5 x 15 x 3 in 2020 |
I picked dandelions and cattails for you
Video, rusty nail, screenprinted and painted glaze on white stoneware 14 x 15 x 1.5 in 2020 |
Somewhere Over Ohio. Color Lithograph. 24 x 30 ". 2021.
Garden for Dorothy and Teresa. Screenprint glaze transfer, glaze, and gold leaf on coil built white stoneware trunks with bricks, white stoneware, oil, acrylic, tar, cement, straw, grass, peat moss, branches, wood structure, denim and screws. 3’ x 3 ‘ x 30” each. 2020-21.