Chris Rom & Geoff Buddie at Velvet da Vinci Art Jewelry and Sculpture Gallery, San Francisco

Chris Rom & Geoff Buddie

COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE

USA

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

It's All Relative, Space 237, Toledo, Ohio, April 2005

Materials: Hard and Soft, Greater Denton Arts Council, Denton, TX, February 2005

Craft Exposition, Mabbettsville Gallery, Millbrook, NY, November 2004

Clay Invitational, Artisan Gallery, Belleville, WI, October 2004

GRANTS AND AWARDS

Best of Media, CraftBoston, Boston, MA, March 2007

Award of Excellence, Peoria Fine Arts Festival, Peoria, IL, September 2006

Judges' Selection, Cain Park Arts festival, Cleveland Heights, OH, July 2006

First Place Artist Award, Lakefront Festival of the Arts, Milwaukee, WI, June 2006

Best of Media, CraftBoston, Boston, MA, March 2006

Second Place, Saint Louis Art Fair, Saint Louis, MO, September 2005

Purchase Prize, Ann Arbor South University Art Fair, Ann Arbor, MI, July 2005

Judges Selection, Cain Part Arts Festival, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, July 2005

Artists' Choice Award, Cain Park Arts Festival, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, July 2005

Best of 3D Mixed Media, Des Moines Art Festival, Des Moines, Iowa, June 2005

Artists' Choice Award, CraftBoston, Boson, MA, April 2005

First Place, Plaza Art Fair, Kansas City, MO, September 2004

Laura Reuter Juror's Award, Saint Louis Art Fair, St. Louis, MO, September 2004

Official selection, 2004 limited edition lithograph, Saint Louis Art Fair, September 2004

Best Booth, Craftfair at Hathaway Brown, Cleveland Heights, OH, June 2004

ARTIST'S STATEMENT

We are a husband and wife team working as a collaborative effort. From the idea stages thought he actual creation and execution of the work we draw on each other's strengths for technical and aesthetic excellence.

Hand felted wool and hand sculpted stoneware are the main elements we have chosen to express in our vision. The transformation that occurs in the construction of the felt is magical. Boiling water and soap are added to loose wool fibers encouraging little barbs on the fibers to relax and open. Agitating the wool causes the fibers to bind to one another. As a result the fabric shrinks and becomes dense and thick. Later the fabric is put into an acid bath on the stovetop and dyed to the desired color.

The other component in our work is primarily hand thrown stoneware. Each piece, no matter how small, is given its own time on the center of the wheel. By looking beyond the lump of clay and allowing it to reveal its own identity we intend to release the specific vibration that it holds.

The inspiration for our work comes from a curiosity about the subconscious parts of the mind. We are interested in tapping into more expansive areas of thought through the use of vibration, movement and rhythm and color, mood and atmosphere. It is our hope that our wok will allow the viewer favorable circumstances in which to explore hidden fields in their own minds.

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