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The League of NH Craftsmen Residency

The Sarah Heimann Ceramics Residency
By Christopher Morse

Our residency with ceramic artist Sarah Heimann is a celebration of partnerships. The League of New Hampshire's Hanover shop Education Director, Suzanne Jones, had secured funding for scholarships for some Mascoma students to take classes at the shop in Hanover (article Summer Crafts). Because of the large geographic area covered within the Mascoma school district -- some student's bus routes are over an hour -- transportation complications prevented many students from being able to participate. Working with Experiencing the Arts Director, Christopher Morse, a plan was derived to allow all Mascoma Art students to have a hand in creating a monumental sculpture for the school's sculpture garden. The sculpture is half a face, with a flat wall down the middle. The face is in repose, eye closed and looking upwards. In order to be ready for the residency, the eight foot long 700 pound sculpture had to be completed before Thanksgiving by the Experiencing the Arts students at Mascoma. With the help of a few students putting in some extra time, the face (photo bottom right) was completed at the bell announcing Thanksgiving break! The students had one assignment to consider for Thanksgiving break; think about what the giant head would be dreaming about.

Sarah Heimann (photo above right) arrived at Mascoma Monday, November 29th for a two week residency to help the students create glazed ceramic tiles depicting dreams. These tiles will cover the flat wall of the sculpture allowing the viewer to see inside the sleeping giant. Many students had ideas ready and others just needed to get caught up in the momentum to get started. Within two days many dramatic and beautiful tiles were being carved (Click for Dream Tile Examples). Sarah was filled with enthusiasm. She brought in many examples of surface textures and carvings she had made in ceramics. Sarah brought all her experience to the table. Sarah Heimann has her Master of Fine Arts degree in Ceramics from the University of Minnesota, she teaches ceramics at the League of NH Craftsmen shop in Hanover and Lebanon College, She has won honors in ceramics winning a McKnight Artist Fellowship for Ceramic Artists, as well as several residency programs. Her own work is wrapped in designs that inspire one to turn the object around; designs tease around edges and evolve as they are followed. Her clay objects are sculptures (see photo bottom left), glazes and stains bring out the drawing and carving. Her work is available from her studio in Lebanon, NH.

There are high hopes for this new sculpture. Last year's dedication program for the seven foot tall hand sculpted by Experiencing the Arts was a program culminating a week long residency of African song and drumming and included about 60 students in the concert (Click for A Show of Hands or Black Bear Moon Residency). This year, a proposal has been made to the Blue Man Group. The giant head would be involved in the opening sequence reminiscent of a scene in 2001 a Space Odyssey. The thought of this has helped the creative juices flow.

Resident Artist, Sarah Heiman & Experiencing Arts Director, Christopher Morse
Finished Monumental Head Sculpture.

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