JUEVES, EL DIECIOCHO DE AGOSTO, VEINTE-ONCE

I'm framing up some preparatory ink and wash sketches that I like. I ordered several frames, square, off-white in which I'll float-mount frame about 8 drawings. This is number two drawing, literally, of a devil on a toilet. I've just recently posted a photo of a ceramic talavera version of this motif that is on show at Rayner Brothers Gallery at present. I'm also working on my hand-modelling angles and techniques.

JUEVES, EL CUATRO DE AGOSTO, VEINTE-ONCE
A pre-fired photo of my 'Devil on the Toilet' keepsake box. This image doesn't show the cistern attached, which is the keep sake box.

MIERCOLES, EL TRES DE AGOSTO, VEINTE-ONCE
I've got three or four ceramic works in this upcoming exhibition
www.raynerbrothers.com

VIERNES, EL TRES DE JUNIO, VEINTE-ONCE
A short video of my ceramic 'Golgotha Wine Decanter' fresh out of the kiln. This work will be in an upcoming group exhibition at the Rayner Brothers Gallery in Whanganui, New Zealand in the latter half of the year.

LUNES, EL SIETE DE SEPTIEMBRE, VEINTE-DIEZ
A stunning Persian bowl with (I think) Kufic characters from the Seattle Art Museum. This was one of the objects that really grabbed my attention and made me feel like doing some more ceramics. Also, seeing Charles Krafft's studio got me worked up to make some more objects based on my paintings, especially since I've recently been worknig on some more monochromatic retablos.
I'm hoping I'll get the opportunity to do a bit more throwing on the wheel too...

VIERNES, EL TRES DE SEPTIEMBRE, VEINTE-DIEZ
Yesterday we met up with Charles Krafft again and got to look at his work and studio, then headed into Pioneer Square for First Thursday.
I'm holding a railway nail-pierced mickey mouse-type glove by Krafft on the left, two seri-o's flanked by smiley-o's (JK Russ, Krafft,me and Maseyk); Krafft's mould storage room.

MARTES, EL VEINTISEITE DE JULIO, VEINTE-DIEZ
Here is a link to an animation on my website of a ceramic head on a platter I made, based on St. John the Baptist.
Paul Maseyk formed the platter for me as my throwing skill had a lot left to be desired.
More information here and here.

LUNES, EL VIENTISEIS DE JULIO, VEINTE-DIEZ
A stunning Rodin marble carving of St John the Baptist at the Palace of the Legion of Honor. The head, lying in its side, gives me another idea for another St. John the Baptist ceramic piece.

MARTES, EL VEINTINUEVE DE JUNIO, VEINTE-DIEZ
Now that we're unofficially in transit, I'm really starting to miss the 'familiar' things that we used to look at everyday, notably many of our artworks. One of the works I seem to be missing the most is a set of glazed ceramic tiles by Scott McFarlane that used hang on an adjacent wall to the stove in our kitchen. While cooking, these works would keep me company and I'd be drawn into their individual symbolism.
Jo and I selected these particular works one night after dinner and several beers with Scott. I'm really pleased with our selection as it seems to balance symbols of abstraction, parochial New Zealand, Western art history and contentious contemporary events and paranoia.

SABATO, EL QUINCE DE MAYO, VEINTE-DIEZ
Today is the last day of my exhibition, Malfunction Baroque at the Rayner Brothers Gallery in Whanganui. Below is a recent article about the exhibition by Paul Brooks from the Wanganui Midweek. Click on the image to enlarge it.

LUNES, EL VEINTISEIS DE ABRIL, VEINTE-DIEZ
At present, we're packing up the studio, so there's not much to see. Our house is looking bare too as I've crated up the larger works to make sure they're going to fit into the storage unit. Here's a photo of two works we haven't had on display in the house for a long time - a revisionist plate by Tony de Lautour and a carved head with moko. They have replaced two framed works, a drawing by Jeffrey Harris and a photograph by Andrew Ross.

DOMINGO, EL VEINTICINCO DE ABRIL, VEINTE-DIEZ

A cellphone-camera photograph of a ceramic collaboration between Mark Rayner and me. I made the piece (it relates to several mortality paintings I've done) and Mark glazed it. This piece was never shown, as it was completed after our show, Group Hug in 2009.

SABATO, EL VEINTICUATRO DE ABRIL, VEINTE-DIEZ
Birthday card for R.M.A.

MARTES, EL VEINTE DE ABRIL, VEINTE-DIEZ
A newspaper article by Laurel Stowell of the Whanganui Chronicle. It was in last Wednesday's paper, but I only got to see it yesterday, since I've been down in Wellington.
If you click on the image below, it will enlarge so you can read the text.

DOMINGO, EL DIECIOCHO DE ABRIL, VEINTE-DIEZ

Installation Photographs of my recent exhibition at Rayner Brothers Gallery in Whanganui.

MARTES, EL TREINTA DE MARZO, VEINTE-DIEZ

Hello All,

You are invited to 'Malfunction Baroque', a new selection of ceramics and paintings.

The exhibition opens this Thursday night, 5.30pm, 1st of April, 2010 and will continue through to the 15th of May.

Fifteen new functional ceramic works, four glazed plates and three new monochromatic retablo paintings on metal will be exhibited.

You will be able to view the work in the exhibition on my website from this Thursday. Any enquiries can be directed to Paul or Mark Rayner at Rayner Brothers Gallery, 52 Guyton Street, Whanganui.

Hasta pronto

Matthew Couper

LUNES, EL VEINTINUEVE DE MARZO, VEINTE-DIEZ
This Thursday, my exhibition, Malfunction Baroque opens at the Rayner Brothers Gallery, Whanganui.
Here's one of the functional works, a salt and pepper set called Sailor's Pride Devotional Condiment Set.
I'll post details about the show tomorrow.

SABATO, EL VEINTISIETE DE MARZO, VEINTE-DIEZ
Back in the studio, demonstrating aspects of my new ceramics to Daniel and Thea from Brisbane.

SABATO, EL VEINTE DE MARZO, VEINTE-DIEZ
My version of Melancholia, a recently glazed ceramic piece. Glued to her hand is a new 10 cent piece. If you click here, you can view this piece in its raw state.

JUEVES, EL DIECIOCHO DE MARZO, VEINTE-DIEZ

This is the final ceramic work that I'm making for Malfunction Baroque at The Rayner Brothers Gallery in Whanganui. I've recently had all the completed works fired and with an eighty-percent strike-rate, am pretty happy with the outcomes. This last works is based on the Capitoline She-wolf but with Rom and Rem replaced. I seperated the box based from the wolf so that it wouldn't slump in the firing. Now I'm working on whether or not I should re-attach it. Here's a retablo that I've been working on that relates to this piece.