An Evening with Sean T. French
April 5, 2021 | 6:00 PM | via zoom
Sean is a sculptor who gets much of his inspiration from medieval armor, our struggle as humans, history, science, surrealism, mythology, cosmic themes, theology and the metaphor of armor.
He also was an participating artist in the Discovery channel’s show, ‘Assembly Required’.
It should be a VERY interesting evening.
Pre-registration is required. Click the link below to register in advance for this meeting:
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwkfuqspzguEtOrw-Oj1Ich5b56-eyUrTew
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Be sure to save this information so you can log in on the night of the meeting.
About Sean:
Sean T French has been producing art his whole life. At the University of Texas he studied under established artists Peter Saul, and Robert Yarber. Saul influenced Sean to paint large and to paint murals which he did for about a decade following in Austin, Texas. Sean gained attention for his murals in the now famous CURFEW club in Austin. In 1989 Sean graduated from the University of Texas with a Bachelor of Fine Art and formed a mural company called Wall Works. He painted over 75 murals in Texas and received a “Best Mural” award in the 1994 Best of Austin awards – Austin Chronicle for murals in the historic venue Liberty Lunch. Many of the murals included surreal scenery and architectural elements. During this time Sean also made historically correct armor for re-enactment and stage use. This later became the basis for his unique style in sculpture.
Sean is currently in Arizona, his birth state, sculpting and showing in several galleries in the SW region. He as shown in many exhibits and won several awards. Exhibits of note include; duo show Alwun House Gallery Phoenix with Steve Brudniak 2019, solo show the Ice House Gallery Phoenix Jan 2021, several Walter Where?House gallery events, PHX Full Moon Festivals, the highly publicized “Art of Burning Man” exhibits in Phoenix 2019-2021. Sean was also featured on the History Channel creating a piece on the series Assembly Required in 2021.
“Armor is somehow both historical and futuristic. Created for millennia, it appears in countless artworks throughout history. It is protective, defensive… not offensive. We speak of our metaphorical armor. Form following function, strengthening and beautifying the human form. My sculpture uses this as a style but attempts to take it to another level in depicting creatures that are completely made of armor and that express emotion, primarily inspired by our struggle as humans, history, science, surrealism, mythology, and the metaphor in armor.”Sean uses forging and casting techniques utilizing the effect of light on highly reflective metal formed by hand. The sculptures change with every shift of the light and some have light and or fire effects built in them.
Tour Mission Clay
May 22, 2021 || 9:00 AM
4850 W. Buckeye Road | Phoenix, AZ 85043
Masks are required and Social Distancing Guidelines will be followed.
Limited to 12 people. Register in advance by emailing John Kaskela desertzilla057@gmail.com
The tour will be lead by resident artist Hans Miles
Hans Miles’ work is an exploration into large, nonobjective sculpture primarily intended for outdoor public display. After working in a studio at an industrial ceramic factory, I found that access to new tools, information and technologies affected a significant change in my approach to object-making. I became captivated with the paradoxical intimacy and physical presence found in both capacious and diminutive forms. Utilizing the mountains of local clays, beehive kilns and forklifts at my disposal I detected the somatic, temporal and stylistic boundaries I had unconsciously imposed on my work had been eased.
Aesthetically I am striving to find a balance between the rigid, geometrically harmonious lines of a Lipchitz piece like “Bather” and the perfectly proportioned curves and elegant simplicity found in Carl-Harry Stålhane’s mid-century designs for Rörstrand. I am also inspired by the artistic and architectural coalescence of Paolo Soleri, creating monumental, voluminous works that never abated or diminished the observer but instead reassure our own humanity.
This body of work all began as a series of drawings; slowing edited and reworked into shapes and maquettes that can exist in three dimensions while still resisting the forces of the kiln. I develop detailed variations of color and texture on the templates of my original designs but I find that the surface treatment only makes sense to me once the piece is close to completion; once I feel acquainted with it. My haptic and chromatic sensibilities are directly influenced by my fascination with atmospheric firing, and in particular the lyrical variations of texture and saturation assisted by the flame of salt firing.
Tour Ceramic Research Center
Sunday, June 27th, 2-4pm
Limited to 12-15 people. Register in advance by emailing John Kaskela desertzilla057@gmail.com
Ceramic Research Center ( Brickyard Engineering, 699 S Mill Ave #108, Tempe, AZ 85281)https://asuartmuseum.asu.edu/visit/ceramics-research-center
Summer is here, but the sculptors group is pushing through the heat! We will be visiting ASU’s Ceramic Research Center in Tempe on Sunday, June 27th, from 2pm- 4pm, We will have the (air conditioned) center and the centers’ curator all to ourselves! The photos below are the front of the center and some general examples of the center’s art.
As of now, we can have 12 people total. That number may change, so I will also hold 3 more ‘possible’ spots. Masks are required and social distancing guidelines will be followed.
John & Melanie
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