DAVID PETERSON
Stuck in the Patch, 2018
DAVID PETERSON was born in Boston, MA, and graduated with a BFA in Ceramics/Sculpture from University of Florida. After graduation, he was hired by River Street Pottery in Savannah, GA, to manage the studio and teaching facility. After four years, he left River Street Pottery to create his own business venture, Savannah’s premier art gallery, “Mud Pie Gallery.” The gallery showcased the works of potters, sculptors, painters, photographers and other artists from all over the Southeast. It was the hub of artistic thought, inspiration and events and helped to promote many successful artists; however, it did not last, as it was before its time in Savannah.
Moving forward, David began working as ceramics instructor at Armstrong State University in its newly launched Continued Adult Education Program (CAEP). After two years, the University began offering a Bachelor Degree in Fine Arts, which meant full-time students actively using the ceramics studios. Unfortunately, as a result, CAEP was discontinued because of a conflict of studio space.
With no regrets, David’s career took a non-artistic 180° turn as he became a full-time marine surveyor. Balancing life and family for many years, pottery took the place in the back of his garage, but never fully left his thoughts. He enrolled in a class at the City of Savannah’s Department of Cultural Arts, and soon became a ceramics instructor there. After a decade, David maintains his job as the President of Peterson Marine Surveys, instructor of ceramics at the Cultural Arts and a studio artist. His passions for boating and clay are evident in his artwork, and he continues to be intrigued by the medium as he expands his artistic career.
PIECE FOR MAKING WAVES
Stuck in the Patch, 2018
24" x 12" x 16"
I Prefer Clay
ARTIST STATEMENT ABOUT STUCK IN THE PATCH:
My research into pollution in our waterways (oceans) yielded an immense amount of information and I only had to read one article to narrow it down to what it felt was the gut punch. This is from CNN in 2015.
Nearly every piece of plastic still exists on Earth, regardless of whether it's been recycled, broken into microscopic bits, or discarded in the ocean.
And the world keeps producing more of the material, creating 288 million metric tons of it in 2012. About 4.8 to 12.7 million metric tons of it ended up in the oceans in 2010. Since 1974 the world has undergone a 620% increase in plastic production. It is estimated that a minimum of 5.25 trillion floating plastics weighing 268,940 tons are in our oceans. This estimate includes only surface plastic and not eh materials that have sunk.
In 2016, film maker Jo Ruston traveled to numerous locations around the world documenting pollution in the oceans. On one location on the remote Lord Howe island in the Tasman Sea, a World Heritage Site, he commented, "we kept coming across dead chicks, we opened 10 of their stomachs which were so full of plastic they were swollen." I am sorry to say that today this is common place among the chain of marine life and it is now found in some humans that depend on the ocean for both their livelihood and diet.
I ask you, how we as individuals can help prevent the overuse of plastics? It comes down to just saying no to plastic. A simple case happened to me just the other day. I made a purchase of a simple $3.00 item that easily could be put in my pocket and the clerk automatically put it in a plastic bag. Just think of that one instance repeated millions of times a day.
"Stuck in the Patch" is entirely made of clay down to the floating debris. There are numerous "patches" in our oceans that are thousands of square miles in size.
Header Image:
The Last Pursuit
2017
Clay and mixed media
24"