Allison Anne Brown
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UPCOMING EXHIBTION: oRDERS OF inSTINCT

1/17/2017

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Don't miss this upcoming duo exhibition with my past studio-mate and close friend Megan Heuse! with at the Artistry Workshops and Gallery coming up this First Friday in February!

Opening Reception:
First Friday, February 3rd, 6-10pm
Exhbition Dates: February 3rd to 28th

Aristry Workshops and Gallery
12 Anderws St.
Greenville, SC 29601

Description:
​ An exhibition of works making connections between nature and the societal orders and limitations shaping and conditioning human behavior. Instinct, control, expression, and response come together to show a collection of the overall human condition through the eyes of artists, Allison Anne Brown and Megan Heuse.


I've got some wonderful new work to share!
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Sip And Sculpt

8/2/2015

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I am so excited to now be offering adult and kids classes out of my new studio space! The first few classes when great, students made some great projects! Check out my Classes page for more details on upcoming classes.  I am teaching in an edgy and open style new to the Greenville upstate area. My cermics classes give students an oppertuinty to undwind and meet new people while still being able to creatively express themselves.  I can't wait to see where it goes. 

Here are som images from my latest mask making class! email me to sign up for my next class at [email protected] or call (864) 640-7824.
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Teaching at the bascom

6/23/2015

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I was so lucky to have the opportunity to spend the past 5 months as an artist in Resident at the Bascom in Highlands NC. There I was able to focus on teaching both adults and kids in the ceramics studio and well as work with a number of visiting artists during their workshops. After this experience I have decided to start offering my own private lessons and group classes out of my new space in the Work Group, at Taylors Mill!  Stay posted for some exciting classes coming up. 
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Artist Spotlight on Studio 62

1/19/2015

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Last week I was invited to talk about my artwork on a great local variety show Studio62! I had ample time to talk about both my pottery and my sculpture over two segments check out the videos below!

Below is the video on my sculpture:

There was also plenty of time for a segment on my functional jewelry and pottery check it out below:

Make sure follow Studio62 and Jamarcus Gaston, the wonderful host of the show, on his instagram!
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Blog  Hop- Allison Anne Brown and Alice Ballard

11/19/2014

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Thanks to Christina Laurel  for asking me to participate in a Blog Hop with this impressive series of artists. I always enjoy the opportunity to be introduced to new work---- plus Blog hops are a great way of getting exposure to an audience that might not normally see your work but still have an interest.  I have chosen to write about Alice Ballard  and her lovely nature-based ceramic work. I have know Alice since the beginning of my ceramics career and her work still remains a constant inspiration.

I highly recommend looking back through the chain of posts, there are some really amazing artists represented!

The hop was started by Kathy Loomis, see her blog here.
And make sure to read Christina's post in her Blog.

Now to answers some questions about myself:

1.  What am I working on?
At this point in time I find myself working on a large number of different projects ranging from life-size ceramic sculpture to mold pressed jewelry pieces. For this stage in my career, I am still testing the waters and experimenting with new mediums and processes. I am also trying to refine my art-making process so that it can be more affordable and more available. Between that idea and my desire to create conceptual, high skill, work I am all over the place in the studio.

I do no think this is a bad thing. Because I am creating more parameters for my studio time, I am forcing myself to tailor what is coming out of my studio; I have to be more specific about what I spend my time on.  The fun part about it is that I am experimenting with other materials and processes instead of just making solely ceramic work or using traditional processes..
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Icon, 9 x 12" , ink, paint, graphite, geso and, colored pencil, October 2014
My drawings have become a way of experimenting with materials and gesture. On any given drawing that I have produced in the past few years I have used at least 3 different materials to mark with.  When working on these pieces, I let myself enjoy the materials and the process of mark making. From the drawings I get a really good idea of what I want the tone, the textures, and the sensibility of my work to be.  Currently my drawings are either completely abstract or they have minimal subject matter in them.
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The Lake, Clay, Paint, Kyanite, Summer 2014
My sculpture is a bit more literal. I have been trying to work with the full figure as much as possible. The space that it occupies holds more presence than smaller pieces, and presence is a very important part of the vitality of my work.  I have made 3 sculptures of this nature this year and each one had a very specific possession of the space that it was/is displayed in.

While my sculpture still remains figurative, it too has seen a shift in materials. All my new pieces have some sort of non-ceramic material in them. I have become very interested in texture and the tactility of different materials.

Sculpture will always be my most rewarding form of creation but it is also the most difficult to sell. I have started a series of design work with ceramics to supplement my other studio work.
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This work has it's own distinct style yet still appeals to a wide variety of aesthetic interests.  Inspired by ancient Jomon pottery, nature, and my mentor Alice, my design work has an endless number of applications. There is always a new way to approach this style and I enjoy coming up with new ways to present it.

I have also recently landed a large scale tile wall piece commission with BMW and that will be taking up much of my time in the beginning of next year.  
2.  How does my work differ from others of its genre?

This question is a bit tricky. For my sculptural work my pieces are constructed in very unconventional methods and they also have a simplicity and mood that seems to be very different than other ceramic artists. In my process, for example, I build solid instead of slap or coil building,  I cold finish with paint and other materials instead of using glaze, and I use a lot of epoxy, a lot.  Instead of trying use more contemporary aesthetics such as bright colors or modern objects, my work tries to reach back in time or to be timeless. I turn to ancient Egyptian and classical work to inspire my form and materials.  I also use unconventional and at times, unpractical, materials such as glitter, dyed Spanish moss, or junk.----  I don't know of any ceramic artists who use glitter.

3.  Why do I do what I do?


 There are so many reasons. Art is endlessly rewarding. Besides truly believing that exposure to art increases intelligence, problem solving, flexibly , and  happiness, it also awards me a great number of fantastic opportunities.  Artists have the unique luxury of associating with people in all kinds of places doing all kinds of things.

As far as my process goes, making sculpture in the method that I do is constantly changing, it is never dull or static. It keeps me moving and learning and improving myself. I am constantly having to meet people, practice, and research to accomplish what I desire. The end result is an tangible expression of that process that I can share with others.  It is a true way of connecting with myself and my environment. 


4.  How does my process work?

I usually think about a piece I want to make for a while before I begin. Sometimes ideas come to me during everyday life, usually during reflective moments, and sometimes I come upon them in lucid dreams. After I have the beginnings of an idea, I spend a great deal of time thinking about it. Often times I will supplement this thinking with research or field trips. Once I have an idea in my head, I gather all the necessary materials to begin, sometimes that involves a drawing or some photographs, often it involves a model. I have no set method of working, every project is different.  I will often try to imitate other artists processes to keep things interested in the studio as well.

Introducing Alice Ballard!
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Alice is a sculptural ceramic artist working out of Greenville South Carolina. She is currently teacher at Christ Church Middle School and has also taught at South Carolina Governor's School, were I had the honor of meeting her, and many high end craft schools all over the county such as Arrowmont and Penland.

Alice's work is inspired by forms found in nature, and much of her artistic process is related to interacting with nature itself. She has a splendid garden and collection of found natural objects.  To me Alice's work speaks about harmony, how she balances art-making teaching, and working in her garden, speaks to the nature of her work. I am constantly learning from her way of life--- Alice has found a wonderful marriage of work and pleasure!

Besides being an accomplished artist, Alice is an excellent educator. I myself have personally greatly benefited from her knowledge. She has a naturally nurturing personality that comes through in both her artwork and in the classroom.  The inspiration that she has passed on to her students will last for generations.
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A collection of Alice's sculptural forms with some of her found natural objects.
Alice currently has an exhibition at the Greenville County Museum of art that I highly recommend seeing. Keep an eye out for her blog post in the blog hop!

Alice's Blog can be found here, She updates it quite regularly and is well worth a subscription.
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Hatsheput: Sculpture Process

7/17/2014

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My latest sculpture, Hatsheput (hat-shep-sut) is a life-size multi-media bust created by a number of different processes. I worked on this piece during the 2nd half of 2013 and finished it during January 2014.  You can see it here on my website: Sculpture.


I'm sorry I don't have more images available, unfortunately in progress shots were an after thought.
My next pieces tend to have more images.

PREP WORK:
For this piece I spent a lot of time before I even started the sculpture looking for found objects to use.  I searched thrift stores mostly  and a few online ads. I also had the model come in so I could measure her proportions and take pictures of her all the way around, getting a number of different angled shots.


THE CERAMIC MODELING:


I began by working with a model to get  the pose I wanted. I measured her proportions and worked with the photographs until the basic form was complete, then I worked with the model in person for about 9 hours to make sure I got a full expression.  The bust shoulders up was constructed separately from the base and was attached later after both pieces had become leather hard. 

The head and shoulders were solid built using a pipe armature for support. After it was modeled the piece was cut in half along the pipe armature. The two head pieces had to be cut off the shoulders section because of weight.  I then hollowed all of the pieces and let them stiffen. When they were ready I attached the head pieces and shoulder pieces together and let them harden. after both the head and shoulders were well attached I attached the head back to the shoulders.


This part of the process was rather difficult and required lot of darting and adjusting to get the connection just right. The head required a support under the chin for a while until the moisture evened out and the clay became stiff. I added some inside clay walls under the shoulders to add extra support for the head. At this point, I worked with the model in person for a bit to get the head, face, and shoulders right.

PictureThe tape and newspaper model
The Base was coil built and formed to fit with the chest of the piece. I added inside walls to the inside of the base too since the concave shape of the base put a lot of weight in certain areas.  The connection of the two large pieces was especially difficult because in order to line them up I had to put both the head and shoulders and the base on their side and position and alter them until I was able to form a good match. Ceramic pieces can be very fragile when they are moved around in this state so I had to be especially careful not to put any pressure on the structure of the piece. I used foam and vermiculite filled pillows for support.After I had them lined up I then created a lip inside and connected the two parts. Since the bottom of the piece was hollow, I was able to get my hand in get a good attachment to the back side of the connection. I then let the piece harden evenly to leather hard and then finally positioned the piece upright. I was then able to get my final session with the model and polish the appearance. It is important to do this step last as the piece may take some  banging up in the connection process. It was necessary with this piece at the end to cut a small window in the back of the head and hollow out more material that I added on during the construction of the shoulders and face. After allowing the piece to dry VERY slowly  over 3 weeks, this meant leaving it partially covered, then recovering it again and again to assure even drying, I then fired it in the kiln with an 6 hour candling and a slow bisque. Now the scary part is over...

After it was fired I went back and filled a few small cracks with epoxy sculpt and sanded a few small imperfections. Then I painted the piece with black latex paint that included the primer. The primer is important or the paint will just peal off.  You should still be careful not to mar the piece with this paint though.


THE HEADDRESS:
Before I began construction used tape and newspaper to attach the pieces and get an idea of the shape and form of the headdress. I had so many different materials to use it was necessary to see how it would all come together.


To construct the headdress I epoxied a wire under structure to the  top head, making sure no paint was in those areas.  I then sewed black canvas onto the wire structure. From this armature of sorts, I sewed on the feathers, scrap metal and jewelry, and found objects.  After they were attached I used clear epoxy to fix certain things in place such as feathers and extra found objects.  I then added a black wash of latex paint to all the found objects to make the piece aged.  After that I used black roofing cement which is a tar-like substance to add the texture to the piece and to attach the smaller feathers, also using turpentine in certain spots to remove excess material.  Finally after a few touch ups to the paint and headpiece, the piece was finished.

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In the process of sewing the pieces on
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I had finished sewing the pieces on and I was getting ready to apply the roofing cement.
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Fête Cover Artist

6/3/2014

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During the latest May 2014 Issue of Fete Magazine, I was featured as the Cover artist. Fete is an online eMagazine covering arts and entertainment in the Greenville upstate area, What an honor! Here is a link to Fete Online. Make sure to check the archived issues after this month to see the article.  Special Thanks to Jay Spivey and Fete supporters!
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Rusted Palace: Grand Art and Music Show

4/13/2014

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Last Friday April 4, myself and a group of other local artists and performers hosted the Rusted  Palace: Grand Art and Music Show at  The Taylor's Mill. It was the first show of its kind  within the old bleachery building complex with an estimated 250 guests! This event event involved an art show and installation showing during the First Fridays studio tour with a music and dance performance that followed at 9 p.m.  
For the show, sculptor Carey Morton and I built a large installation. The bulk of the installation was fabricated from tree branches found on the mill property. Called, The Grandfather Tree, the sculpture featured the face of the mill's landlord, Kenneth Walker, who has been instrumental in allowing artists to flourish at the mill.  The piece takes up over 15' of the wall in the performance space and towers over 10' high.  Our artist sensibilities made a powerful combination in the finished incarnation of this piece; It was so exciting to see it come together.
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The Grandfather Tree Installation
Local bands Wasted Wine and Morgan of the Pines provided the music entertainment accompanied by dance by Discordia Arts.  I must say the combination of the music and dance with our sculpture in the background was a quite impressive, and made a unique synthesized arts experience. The show was incredibly rewarding to work on; I can't wait to get started on our next project. The mill itself is inspirational and I know artists like us will continue to do amazing things there. 
All Photo Credit: John-Paul Newton
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Sculpture in  Progress: Queen America

8/30/2013

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These images are in progress shots of a new sculpture I'm working on, Queen America, This piece will be a life-sized bust and will possess a headdress made from found objects and other industrial materials. At this point I have basically finished the ceramic part of the sculpture and will now slowly allow it to dry so that It may be fired in the kiln.

The image below is a picture I took while I was still shaping gout the basic form of the piece. I built the head solid using an armature made of plumping pipes for support.  I then cut it apart and hollowed it out. I made the base separately and attached the base and head when they were leather hard.  I then went back and cleaned up the form.  I like the process of solid building because I feel like i have more control over the shape of the piece and can change it easily if necessary, It also reduces the amount of stress on the sculpture that may have been created from using darts or attaching many sections.

More images of Queen America In progress to come. Especially of the building of the headdress and surface finishing.

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Sculpture with the armature still inside.
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The Narrative Figure with Tim Taunton

6/20/2012

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Picture"The Guardian" made in workshop
This summer while in Santa Fe NM, Allison had the honor of assisting a workshop at Santa Fe Clay taught by Tim Taunton. The class involved constructing a half figure that was able to hang on the wall. The concept of the pieces was structured around making a piece that described a narrative. Students were able to make two pieces in this intense one week workshop

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