Targe II

This wall hanging is a continuation of my explorations of the use in copper as a main coloring element in a design. For this piece the perfection of the glass circle was broken (literally) to create a greater unity between the antique iron and glass. In this work the iron serves as the supporting structure as well a supporting aesthetic role.

In this second effort of this series larger patches of red gradations were created through the controlled use of certain colors (chemical components) of glass. Copper yields a range of colors from greens to blues as well as browns and blacks as a function of the type of glass it comes in contact with, the heat and length of time applied, and the amount of oxygen it is exposed to during the firing.

From purely the artistic point of view I am intrigued by the circular iron work, and the fact that it is a form of craftsmanship where the foundries were not controlled by machines, but by actual skilled labor. The marriage of the glass rings to these works of iron is a fitting tribute to those times.