David Franklin

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Ceramics

 

  • Artwork of sharks surround a School of Herring.
    The Ghost School
    Sharks surround a School of Herring. Pictured hanging in the Kohler Factory Pottery where it was made as part of a John Michael Kohler Arts/industry Residency 2015.
  • Closeup of one of the vitreous china sharks circling the dense swarm of Herring
    Closeup of one of the vitreous china sharks circling the dense swarm of Herring. Made as part of a John Michael Kohler Arts/industry Residency 2015.
    Closeup of one of the vitreous china sharks circling the dense swarm of Herring. Made as part of a John Michael Kohler Arts/industry Residency 2015.
  • Closeup of the Herring in the Ghost School
    Closeup of the school of Herring showing the dense swarm of ceramic Herring that make up the school and the organic quality of the grouping. Made as part of a John Michael Kohler Arts/industry Residency 2015.
    Closeup of the school of Herring showing the dense swarm of ceramic Herring that make up the school and the organic quality of the grouping. Made as part of a John Michael Kohler Arts/industry Residency 2015.
  • The Ghost School from another angle.
    The Ghost School from another angle. The fish are all white to signify the depletion of so many small forage fish from our costal and inland waters.
    The Ghost School from another angle. The fish are all white to signify the depletion of so many small forage fish from our costal and inland waters.
  • Shark Chase, installation of a vitreous China shark Chasing a number of Herring
    Titled "Shark Chase," this is a linear grouping of the Shark and Herring installation.
    Titled "Shark Chase," this is a linear grouping of the Shark and Herring installation. Made in the Kohler Factory Pottery in Wisconsin as part of a 2015 John Michael Kohler Arts/Industry Residency
  • School of Fish in a hospital ware sink
    This is a collaboration between Paul, the caster that makes this large flushable hospital ware sink, known as a "TV." His work station was near mine and he wanted to collaborate on a piece of artwork. He has been working at Kohler for nearly as long as I have been alive and is a master of the most diffucult pieces, and I was honored to be given this to work on. This is the result.
    TV Fishes A school of Fish in a hospital ware sink
  • Stella, vitreous China Flounder
    Stella is how Starry Flounders are sometimes referred to when accidentally caught salmon fishing in the Northwest. These common but oddly beautiful little flatfish are part of a very cool family of bottom dwellers .
    Three brown vitreous china Starry Flounders called Stella.
  • This is a small dogfish sculpture made from tinted vitreous china
    This is a small dogfish sculpture made from tinted vitreous china In the Kohler Factory Pottery in Wisconsin. Made as part of a 2015 John Michael Kohler Arts/Industry Residency during the Kohler Strike of 2015
    This is a small dogfish sculpture made from tinted vitreous china In the Kohler Factory Pottery in Wisconsin. Made as part of a 2015 John Michael Kohler Arts/Industry Residency during the Kohler Strike of 2015
  • Tentacle Landscape and Tentacle Sink
    Tentacle Landscape with the Tentacle Sink, the sink and tentacles in it are fired and glazed as one piece.
  • Tentacle Landscape detail
    Detail of the over 125 individual tentacles that made up the Tentacle Landscape installation
  • Set of white glazed Tentacles
    This grouping of white glazed tentacles represents the basic group that makes up the tentacle landscape
  • grouping of tentacles
    When grouped as individuals the tentacles take on interesting architectural forms with great potential for large scale sculptures
  • Ceramic table with Tentacle Legs
    This is a table made from a Kohler sink, known by the workers there as a "Dog Dish," with tentacle legs joined and fired into one piece. The table has a glass top with a glazed white canoe bowl on top.
  • detail of the Tentacle Table
    Detail of the Tentacle Table
  • Group of cast and carved ceramic Cabezon
    This is a group of cast and carved stylized Cabezon, an interesting and beautiful resident of the Puget Sound near my home.
  • Small Pox (On the Salish Sea) In 1775 Bruno de Hezeta’s ship made the first recorded landing in what would become Washington State. Though the source can not be specifically identified it was not long after this that the disease small pox would decimate indigineous populations. It was not uncommon for tribes to loose half of their populations and as much as 80% in some areas.
  • Detail of Small Pox (On the Salish Sea)
    Detail of Small Pox (On the Salish Sea)
  • Octoskull
    This is one of a group of skulls cast and carved at the Kohler Factory in Wisconsin during an Arts/Industry Residency. This skull is detailed with tentacle designs and piercings.
  • Tentacle Mask
    THis mask was cast and then carved to create the tentacle details. The ability to carve the green ceramics was one of the great joys of discovering this medium for me.
  • illuminated ceramic Skull Lantern
    Made in preparation for my residency and fired at Fern Street Pottery in Indianola this was I piece I did in preparation for my residency to familiarize myself with the medium.

In 2012 I was awarded a prestigious three month long  John Michael Kohler Arts/Industry Residency at the Kohler factory pottery in Wisconsin.  It was one of the best experiences of my career and helped propel my work into new realms.  My residency tech Shari McWilliams, and my interns Victoria Amadezadeh and Joe Bartram were instrumental in creating this work.

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