Jamie Gray: Earth's Rays

I'd like to share some of the formal and conceptual connections between my 23-panel installation and my dad's three Aspen wood vessels. Formally, and maybe most prominently, I chose this warm, earthy tone to reference the color of the grain and knots in my dad‘s vessels. Also, notice there are small cut-outs in some of my panels. This can be seen as a subtle nod to 'Aspen Eyes', and is also formally similar to the notched opening in my dad's tallest thin-necked vessel. Conceptually, our works are also connected because my dad turns his vessels from windfallen Aspen trees, and while I was composing the installation for this exhibit, I was thinking about how it feels to stand in the center of a grove of Aspen, an experience I have shared many times with my dad. The title of my piece is 'Earth Rays'. Many biologists believe that Aspens are among the earth's largest organisms because the root systems of a single giant stand are all interconnected. So I was imagining how the roots are joined with the earth, and the tree trunks reach up towards the sky, like rays radiating out to the heavens. It's been very special to share this exhibit with my dad, and I hope you enjoy discovering the connections and contrasts between our artistic practices.