MBMAG :: Monterey Bay Metal Arts Guild » Visiting Artist

Thomas Mann at MPC – Aug 7, 2009

Admin — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 18:03:09 +0000

Friday, August 7 – 5:30pm to 9pm

Sam Karas Room, Monterey Peninsula College
980 Fremont Street, Monterey, CA 93940

Cost: $10
RSVP: rsvp@mbmag.org

Reception 5:30pm
Lecture and Visual Presentation 6:30pm
Trunk Show and Book Signing 7:30pm

Website Link: http://www.thomasmann.com/explore.htm

Presentation Promo:

Thomas Mann: Details from the Adventure

An artist tracks the path of his career from the early 70’s to the weird world of NOW.

Thomas Mann has been making his living as a fulltime art professional since he graduated from college in 1970. Best known for his “Techno-Romantic” jewelry designs he eschews the role of jeweler, and prefers the description of an artist working in the medium of jewelry. With a degree in technical theatre, set design and lighting, he also invents and builds large public art sculpture and installations. His touring exhibition “STORM CYCLE: An Artist Responds to Hurricane Katrina” is a blend of the many concepts and techniques he employs in his work.

Since the turn of the millennium, Mann and his production company, Thomas Mann Design Inc., and his gallery, Gallery I/O, both based in New Orleans, have survived the negative economic effects of 911, the death of his wife, Hurricane Katrina and now, this bizarre recession. As a result, he found it necessary to increase his creative output, up the number of events to present and sell his work, begin teaching hands-on workshops, start a new business venture, studioFLUX, and in general get busier than he’s ever been before.

Keeping in mind that the Chinese symbol for chaos means danger and opportunity this image driven lecture tracks the progression of events and experiences that place him at the interesting, challenging and scary crossroads of creativity, age, and semi-celebrity.

Andy Cooperman Workshop A Valuable Opportunity

Admin — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 23:10:34 +0000

By Patty Reilly

In a few weeks, MBMAG members will have the opportunity to take a workshop from writer, educator, and master metal smith, Andy Cooperman, who is one of the top artists in our field. According to a recent article in Art Jewelry magazine (Jan. 2007), Andy Cooperman creates dense microcosms from metal, stone, and salvaged artifacts that invite viewers into the investigative process.

To paraphrase his web site, his visual vocabulary is grounded in science, inspired by the shapes of cells and organisms. He is known for using industrial and biological forms to make complex, multi-layered pieces with broken surfaces that create windows from layer to layer. His creative use of cold connections is an integral part of his designs.

Andy Cooperman is also a writer. His articles and essays on jewelry, jewelers and their processes have been published in Metalsmith Magazine, Ornament, and Lapidary Journal and he is a frequent and generous contributer to the Orchid forums on the Ganoksin website.

For more information about Andy Cooperman and his work, check out his fabulous website, coopermanjewelry.com. There are gorgeous pictures with detailed descriptions of each piece. It is a fascinating look at this artist’s thought processes. There is also a portion of the website that offers essays on issues that we all deal with as artists. He has clear and eloquent articles on procrastination, craftsmanship, and the jurying process. The website alone is an educational experience.

This workshop will be an excellent opportunity to learn from a multi-faceted artist who is known as a talented educator. His classes are full of information and insight and it is an honor for our guild to be able to host this workshop.