Artist's Statement
I am interested in how society utilizes technology, resources, and information. These things constitute the fabric of our culture and inform universal consciousness for all individuals. The history of the United States, like the world, has been a violent one. In my studies of history and political science, the practice of war has been apparent as one of the most ubiquitous enterprises of mankind. The amount of time, labor, and resources expended on military development and maintenance is astronomical and reflects the importance that it possess in the hearts, minds, and wallets of many individuals. I am fascinated and terrified by the enormity of the war economy in this country and the world. I cannot help but imagine the possibilities that could be created by turning even a fraction of the immense economic power of the war industry from the destructive entity that it is into something positive.
I seek to create sculpture that conveys these ideas while possessing physical beauty. I am interested in questioning difficult, unnerving ideas through objects that are aesthetically pleasing and highly crafted. I work with glass and metal as materials for both their visual and conceptual qualities. The fragility of glass provides a metaphor for humans as living things and its transparency offers visual beauty and depth. Steel, iron, copper, bronze, brass, and aluminum all carry histories loaded with military and other industrial applications. My goal is to make work which entices the viewer with its visual qualities and then initiates a deeper conversation pertaining to the concepts which fueled its creation.
About Spencer
Spencer Pittenger was born in Saratoga Springs, NY. After working as a glassblowing apprentice, Spencer entered the School of Art and Design at the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University. He graduated in May 2008 with a Bachelor of Fine Art and a minor in Political Science. Spencer has also taken classes at Pilchuck Glass School and the Corning Museum of Glass.
Spencer uses cast glass, hot sculpted glass, and metal to create sculpture fueled by military, industrial, and economic concepts. He has worked for a number of artists in the Bay Area and teaches classes at Public Glass in San Francisco. Spencer currently lives and works in Oakland, CA.