In Praise of Shadows

A cross-shadow is the final vanish I apply to my sculptures. Flattened and preserved in segmented recordings, my works exist not just by clay occupying space but photons arranging themselves on the digital sensors I use to document. For while the depth of my perception allows me to see and understand the forms in front of me it’s quite different for you. You rely on the technology I use to record as it is the only portal that transports you to my studio. This technology demands light and lots of it. I’ve always loved the baroque contraposto appreciated in the work of painters such as Carrivagio. In order to bring out the shadows and mute the midtones I set my ISO as low as I can and my exposure for as long as I can. I place my light perpendicular to the recording device so the light slices across creating peaks and valleys where both highlights and shadows can reside. Low ISO, Long exposure Rate and Angled lighting; these are my tools I repeatedly turn to for the setups I use and the tones I seek. For when that light just hits right it gives me the finish I desperately seek, that last slice of a dark glimmer that allows matter and space to form in your mind.