Client: Cambridge Arts

Overview

“All in the Same Boat”, a juried commission from the Cambridge Arts Council Community Supported Art (CSA). Each selected artist was commissioned to create 50 pieces for distribution akin to Community Supported Agriculture. Each head 3x3x6, installed 24x30x8, variable. Stoneware, porcelain.

Goals

As part of a larger community project, All in the Same Boat was an example to other and future community artists of a way to think of the commission of 50 small works as a singular concept.

Process

I proposed 50 unique sculpted heads. As they evolved, each different yet related, just as we are, I decided to make them one piece. I made 2 clay boats and oars out of woven clay coils for presentation. Knowing the pieces were to be sold individually, to foster the idea that each was part of the whole, I photographed each as a portrait, composited them into a single photo to be included with each sale. The staff at Cambridge Arts was supportive of my concept and displayed the work publicly. They used my concept of one piece with 50 parts as an example to future artist participants as the program continued.

Additional Information

This work has led to the commission of a permanent public art piece at the school where I was visiting professor in Shanghai 2018. In 2019, the work was funded again to include teaching others to make these figures through workshops with adult immigrant students of English as a Second Language. This is still in process.