Thomas Scoon, Ron Starr

Thomas Scoon creates figures from sequences of stone and cast glass. Arising from the external landscape where he lives, which is filled with remnants of stone walls and random boulders too large for men to move, he gathers stones from quarry rubble and from New Hampshire neighbors and friends who allow him to choose stone from their land. His sculpture, combined with these “found objects,” suggest human figures and evoke the feeling and gesture of human forms. Thomas claims he does very little to the stones, and that is probably true, but his choices of rock - to find the pieces that most resemble a human head or torso - prefaces his sculptural vision, as he emphasizes qualities he believes are already naturally present. Use of kiln-cast glass around the stones allows for qualities of light, and a certain spiritual element, to pass through the forms.

In contrast, Ron Starr takes a freestyle approach to his work, enjoying the organic nature of sand and its 'magical' transformation into glass. Ron's work - highly gestural - results from years of study with high-fired ceramic methods. Exuding fluid energy, Ron exploits the properties of glass under intense heat to produce richly decorated surfaces that are imbued with particular dark attraction for their shape, color, and organic texture. Inspired by nature's trees, and perhaps in response to global concerns of our forests, Ron's work can be read as allegorical to ancient tree forms - illustrative of certain decay, watery light - and possessing mythical power and vigor through his expression of gesture, ideas and process.

We close our inaugural Winter Salon 2008 with many, many thanks to all our artists, with pride and a warm au revoir to our new friends at our new home! We look forward to seeing you again, and again, at our new home and abroad!