collaborations

“Timelessness of Chess”

Paula J Haymond and Colette Coad

Four of the oldest things on earth are the game of chess, glass art, metal sculptures and wood to bring them together. This piece, Timelessness of Chess brings together a fused glass chessboard set into a wood table, cozy chairs to sit in while playing the game and the piece de resistance chess pieces  constructed out of grandfather clock pieces.

Paula has collected grandfather clock parts for many years.  Her extensive collection spanned 15 years of collecting in Houston and subsequent 6 years in Gualala.  Each clock movement is different.  Each manufacture, Franz Hermle, Urgo’s Westminster chimes, CTS makes their parts a little or a lot different.  In making the chess sets, all the bases for the pieces need to be nearly identical.  This attention to detail typically results in needing up to 30 different grandfather clock movements, many of which are only partial mechanisms, none of which are in working order. It frequently happens that only 1 or 2 parts from these clock movements are used in the creating chess pieces. The bases are from the main spring barrels. This set has taken 24 mechanisms to make.      The chime parts of the movements which become the king and queen, are more varied and more difficult to match and only have one chime per clock.   This is the third chess set made by Paula over the last 20 years.  You can imagine her parts collection, which takes up multiple drawers, bins, and boxes.

Colette’s fused ivory and black chess board is comprised of three layers of glass to ensure the stability and strength of the glass. This gorgeous glass reflects the gold and black pieces in such a way as to make looking at the assemblage of parts as pleasurable as playing the age-old game of chess. The board is inlayed into a solid wood table. The table is flanked by two oversized antique accent chairs perfect for playing chess, reading, or just sipping tea. 

“A Piece of Time, AKA A Piece of Cake”

Collaboration between a collage artist, Donna Lynn Chase, and multi-media artist Paula J Haymond

Collaboration can be difficult with people that don't communicate well, who have different expectations, or don't meet guidelines or deadlines. Some people just cannot collaborate with another due to their need to control or don't share the same values in workmanship. 

Yet this collaboration was a piece of cake. Basically on this collaboration we handed each other a bag of found objects, chatted briefly about an idea, and went to go create. After a while we then came back together, and traded more ideas and another bag of parts. It was exceptionally easy once we defined our vision. In fact, it was either osmosis or intuitiveness that guided the completion of Pieces of Time. Mostly though the credit goes to the trust we had in each other and the shared fetish of collecting shiny things and paper.

The work consists of multiple boxes with different scenes of handwritten time sheet, posted notes from dearest of friends, apothecary bottles, pocket watch and grandfather clock parts, as well as  lost and found objects. A silver cat trying to capture or at least make friends with a charming chameleon, classic pipes from Scottish bagpipes and miniature framed nursing school photos.  A convenient magnifying glass is attached to let the viewer take a closer look.

“FAIREST OF THE WHEELS”

Collaboration between Paula Haymond and Mirka Knaster

Paula Haymond and Mirka Knaster have collaborated as co-curators of exhibits at GAC. This isthe first time they’re joining their individual skills to create artwork together. It all began when, ayear or two ago, Mirka showed Paula a publication on intriguing book art projects. In it, theycame across one that looked like a miniature ferris wheel. Curiously, instead of riders in cars,tiny books stood up along the circumference. Inspired by the object, they decided to collaborateon their own version. Paula, skilled in metalwork and woodwork, made the revolving apparatusand set it on a piece of wood Mirka had once given her. Then, through a process of experimenting with handmade papers and different textiles, they decided on which materialsMirka, skilledin fiber arts, would cut and stitch “pouches” to dangle and spin within the metal gyre. The result is a fanciful “Fairest of the Wheels.”