The Limitless Potential of Clay
“Clay’s simplicity, combined with its limitless potential, has made it a great source of joy and adventure in my life.” – Jim Gion
This project began as a site-specific group collaboration with Stefan Kovatchev, proprietor of A1 Birdbath Company, which is the last on-site manufacturer of garden statuary in Portland, Oregon. Stefan requested a community event celebrating the life and work of his recently-deceased friend, renowned Portland sculptor Jim Gion. Alongside his many public works, Jim sculpted over a thousand portraits of dogs. Accordingly, we honored Jim’s legacy with a dog-focused event at A1 Birdbath. Community members, family and friends came together to share stories and toast Jim amidst a wide-ranging exhibition of his work.
The event featured dog portraits by artist Roz Crews, a clay workshop by artist Amanda Leigh Evans, and a photo booth by Artist Michael Bernard Stevenson Jr. I collaborated with Eric J Olson on a citywide map of Jim’s public sculptures, printed on Risograph.
Collaborators
Stefan Kovatchev
Artist Michael Bernard Stevenson Jr.
Eric J Olson
Roz Crews
Amanda Leigh Evans
Artist Matoska
Tia Kramer
Roshani Thakore
Paul Desmond
Photos by Anke Schuettler, 2019.
