Intersect, John Thrasher, pastel on paper with glazed earthenware, 30″ x 40″ x 4″

Intersect (30” x 40” x 4”, with frame), pastel on paper, glazed earthenware, 2013) addresses fractured surfaces through mark making, removal, and positioning.  Neutral pastels provide a muted contrast to the glazed earthenware tile placed behind the geometric center. It had been a while since I had composed a symmetrical form that rigidly and intently responds to the format of the paper. In most of my previous drawings, measured elements were placed more randomly.  The depth of the frames I use, (4 inches) invites numerous possibilities for creating strata that extend surface. The centricity of the rectangle disrupts an already disruptive, fragmented picture surface.

The piece is also a mingling of forms that rarely collocate in the same compositional framework.  One of the challenges I enjoy is creating a dialogue between drawing and ceramic sculpture.  The surface features of the recessed earthen tile in Intersect are elements of the drawing.  The two-dimensional surface of the drawing is not a separate vehicle, or a means to a three-dimensional end.  The integration of the two distinct visual qualities emphasizes the disparity of the materials, and imposes a curious balance of design.