Artist of the day: Matthew Day Perez

Matthew Day Perez. 'Sending light' (2009)

"Matthew Day Perez Received his BFA from Illinois State University and his MFA from the Rhode Island School of Design. He works primarily with glass, printed matter, digital media, and installation. Most recently he was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship to undertake research at the Australian National University. During this period he will generate a body of work that will be shown in 2012. He lives and works in Canberra ACT Australia." - MDP website. Check out his blog Thesunishotterhere for impressions and experiments in Australia.

Matt came to the SCA glass studio to give an artist talk and a demonstration last year. Many of us were impressed with his artistic practice. In his slide show, he showed us some works (similar to the one pictured above) that were made in a very innovative way (to me at least). The model and the mould were made at the same time. ? Well, imagine making the model of the one above in wax, difficult enough in its self, then imagine making the mould (all those finicky places to reach!!) Instead think of making the layers. Wax, plaster, wax plaster and drilling in between those layers to make connections. So wax becomes glass, and so does the drilled out holes..make sense? Probably not the way I've tried to explain it...but it set something off in my head, I would never have thought to do that. It makes the product a little more unknowable and I like that.