Ross Richmond Works

Artist Statement: Figurative Work

The figure has always played a major role in my work, and in this series I am moving away from replicating the anatomy of the figure as I had in past series, by breaking down the human body into its basic shape as if it were covered by cloth. This keeps the eye from focusing on the details of the anatomy and lets the viewer follow the sweeping gestural lines of the form. Using curves, bends and negative space to capture energy and a sense of motion to create visual tension and express movement in a still object, but also capturing a moment, a gesture, a quiet interaction between people or an individual and their thoughts.

I've recently found inspiration from the paintings of Gustav Klimt, and I'm currently attempting to capture some of the aspects of his paintings in sculptural form. While studying images of his work I came across a description of his paintings that is the main impetus behind my current ideas, where "anatomy becomes ornament, and ornament becomes anatomy". The figures of his "golden phase" have a luminosity to them which has brought me to use some of the natural qualities of glass such as transparency and light. I've also recently visited the Tutankhamun exhibition and have been equally influenced by the many ideas of ornament and figure composition of ancient Egypt. Both Klimt's figures and ancient Egyptian sculptures are highly ornate but simplistic in form. I've found a common thread in these different ideas that are the inspiration for creating my current body of work.

 

Process

All of my work is Blown and Hot Sculpted, meaning that nothing is cast or mold blown. All pieces are made by hand while hot on the pipe in the glass shop. First I establish the main shape of the piece, then I allow the glass to cool working it in a colder state so that I have a more "solid core" to work from. If the piece is too hot, the shape will distort as the details are brought out. I use a small oxygen-propane torch for all of the detail work, which allows me a greater variety of flame shapes and sizes to work with. Heads are typically blown, whereas all hands are solid. With a blown shape I am able to inflate areas or "suck" areas in as needed. Hands are made solid so that delicate fingers do not collapse or distort. All colors are applied in layers of glass powders and the finished piece is coated with an acid to remove the shine for a matte finish.

 

Born Bethesda, Md. 1971

Education

BFA Cleveland Institute of Art, Cleveland, Oh. 1994

Major-Glass; Minor-Small Metals 

 

Solo Exhibitions

2017             "Don't Forget to Breathe", Abmeyer+Wood, Seattle, Wa.

2016             "Adorned", Habatat Galleries, West Palm Beach, Fl.

2014              "Muse", Abmeyer+Wood Gallery, Seattle, Wa.   

2013             "Reflections", Neusole Glassworks, Cincinnati, Oh.

"Figure Studies and Gestures", Hooks-Epstein Galleries, Houston, Tx.

2012             “In the realm of Yin and Yang” An Exploration of Creativity, Friesen Gallery, Sun Valley, Id.

"Coming Together", Duane Reed Gallery, St. Louis, Mo.

2011             "Meditations on the Figure", Friesen Gallery, Seattle Wa

"Reflections on the Figure", Thomas Riley Gallery, Cleveland, Oh.        

2008             "Blank Expressions", Fulcrum Gallery, Tacoma Wa.

"Transformations", Thomas Riley Gallery, Cleveland, Oh.

2007             Solo show, Duane Reed Gallery, St. Louis, Mo.

2004             Solo show, Duane Reed Gallery, St. Louis, Mo.

Group Exhibitions

2021             Glass Art Fair, Habatat Gallery, Mi.

"Jane Rosen and Ross Richmond", Traver Gallery, Seattle, Wa.

"Splash" Glass Coast Weekend, Habatat Gallery, Mi.

2020             Intersect Aspen, Traver Gallery, Wa.

"Fresh Air", Traver Gallery, Wa.

"Material Matters", Seager Gray Gallery, Mill Valley, Ca.

2019             "Material Matters", Seager Gray Gallery, Ca.

Seattle Art Fair, Seager Gray Gallery, Ca.

AACG Pop Up Show, K. Allen Gallery, Wi.

Solidified Breath, K. Allen Gallery, Wi.

2018             "A Show of  Heads", Limner Gallery, Hudson, NY.

"Natural Inclinations", Seager Gray Gallery, Ca.

"Next Generation Glass", Habatat Gallery, West Palm Beach, Fl.

2017             "Making Our Mark", Bellevue Arts Museum, Bellevue Wa.

Art Palm Beach, K. Allen Gallery, Baileys Harbor, Wi.

SOFA Chicago, Adam Blaue Gallery, Cleveland Oh.

"Layered Up", Glass Wheel Studio, Norfolk, Va.

2016             SOFA Chicago, Abmeyer+Wood Gallery, Wa.

Seattle Art Fair, Abmeyer+Wood Gallery, Wa.

Art Palm Beach, Thomas Riley Gallery, Cleveland, Oh.

2015             SOFA Chicago, Abmeyer+Wood Gallery, Wa.

Seattle Art Fair, Abmeyer+Wood Gallery, Wa.

"Contemporary Glass of the Pacific Northwest", Rockwell Museum, Corning, NY.

"William Morris Glass Team Alumni" , Dane Gallery, Nantucket, Ma.

"Glass 3", San Juan Islands Museum Of Art, San Juan Island, Wa.

"43rd Annual International Invitational", Habatat Gallery, Mi.

2014             SOFA Chicago, Abmeyer+Wood Gallery, Seattle, Wa.

"Unexpected Gravity", Roq La Rue Gallery, Seattle, Wa.

"42nd Annual International Invitational", Habatat Gallery, Mi.

2013             SOFA Chicago, Wexler Gallery, Philadelphia, Pa.

"41st Annual International Invitational", Habatat Gallery, Mi.

2012             "Northeast Ohio Art Dealers Association Art Exhibition", Thomas Riley Gallery, Cleveland, Oh.

Toledo G.A.S. Conference, Thomas Riley Gallery, Oh.

"Fifty by Fifty", Muskegon Museum of Art, Mi.

SOFA New York, Duane Reed Gallery, Mo.

SOFA Chicago, Duane Reed Gallery, Mo.

2011             "Silver Summit", Friesen Gallery, Sun Valley, Id.

SOFA New York, Duane Reed Gallery, Mo.

SOFA Chicago, Duane Reed Gallery, Mo.

2010             "38th Annual International Invitational", Habatat Gallery, Mi.

SOFA New York, Blue Rain Gallery

SOFA Santa Fe, Duane Reed Gallery

SOFA Chicago, Duane Reed Gallery

Workshops and Residencies

2019             Instructor, Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, NY.

Instructor, Pittsburgh Glass Center, Pa.

Visiting Artist, Cleveland Institute of Art, Oh.

Visiting Artist, Kent State, Oh.

2018             Instructor, Pratt Fine Art Center, Seattle, Wa.

2017             Residency, Museum of Glass, Tacoma

Instructor, Penland School of Craft, Penland, NC.

2016             Instructor, FOCI Minnesota Center for Glass Arts

Collaborative Residency with Randy Walker, The Studio, Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, NY.

2015             Instructor, Co Teach with Randy Walker, Chrysler Museum of Glass, Chrysler, Pa.

2014             Instructor, Pittsburgh Glass Center, Pa.

2007-'14        Professional Artist in residence, Pilchuck Glass School, Wa.

2013             Residency Neusole Glassworks, Cincinnati, Oh.

Instructor, Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, NY.

Gaffer, Pilchuck Glass School

Visiting Artist, Emporia State University, Emporia, Ks.

Visiting Artist, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hi.

2012             Visiting Artist, University of South Alabama, Mobile Al.

Instructor, Espace Verre, Montreal, Quebec

Gaffer, Pilchuck Glass School

2011             Demonstration, Public Glass, San Francisco, Ca.

Instructor, Pilchuck Glass School

Instructor, Pittsburgh Glass Center, Pa.

2010             Visiting Artist, California College of the Arts, Oakland, Ca.

Instructor, Co Teach with Marc Petrovic, Penland School of Craft

Collaborative Residency with KeKe Cribbs, Toledo Museum of Art Glass Pavilion, Toledo Ohio

Instructor, with KeKe Cribbs, Toledo Museum of Art Glass Pavilion, Toledo Ohio

Collaborative Residency with KeKe Cribbs, Tacoma Museum of Glass, Tacoma Wa.

Museum Collections

Racine Art Museum, Racine, Wi.

Tacoma Museum of Glass, Tacoma, Wa.