Marcia Gibbons | sustainable arts

CLAY | Finish Work inside the Dome

marciagibbons — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 23:03:55 +0000

The "kitchen side" of the dome: Cupboard, sink, LED lights, wood-burning stove.

Working with a compound curve, a mosaic approach was most forgiving.

Hand-painted tiles by Marcia Gibbons mixed in with antique collectible tiles and salvaged tiles. Note: Solar-powered receptacle worked into the design.

EARTH | Mortared Stone Bench

marciagibbons — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 22:18:24 +0000

Bench lines outside patio and supports posts for ramada. Small project for amateur stone mason!

SOIL | Woofers* In. Critters Out.

marciagibbons — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 22:08:44 +0000

*Woofers are Willing Workers on Organic Farms.

50' diameter first garden at Ransom Ranch; Gate posts going in for the fence (the first line of de-fence). Things you don't want in your garden include: Deer, coyotes, dogs, stray cattle, javelinas, jack rabbits, cotton tails, kangaroo rats, snakes... you get the picture...

Mostly double-digging and preparing beds for Spring, but just for fun: field peas, garlic, oats, turnips, parsnips, spinaches, lettuces!

SOIL | Wild and Wooly Weirs

marciagibbons — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 21:47:00 +0000

Brush Weirs… An easy, free and effective method for controlling erosion, allowing rain water to slow down and soak in. Brush weirs can be made with otherwise useless organic material, such as…

Pathetic scraps of lumber...

sticks too crooked for anything else...

Other organic material too big to compost

A series of brush weirs going up an eroded channel

BEFORE: Dry...

AFTER: During monsoon rain

BEFORE: One woman's picket fence...

AFTER: ...is another woman's brush weir!

EARTH | Sarah’s Closet

marciagibbons — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 18:38:03 +0000

Sarah on the job. This being her project for Prescott College course: The Ecology of Construction..

Volunteers, Thalia and Aubrey, learning about earthbag building.

Sarah tamping earthbag walls for this barrel-vault storage closet.

Aaron napping? Note: Wooden strip anchors in earthbag wall to attach door later.

The arch has been cast, form still in place. Cosmos approves!

Removing the form, getting by with a little help from my friend (Thank you Jeff!).

Happy to have cast my first vault; been wanting to do this for years! It was good to start on a small project.

Vault is ready for final plaster coat and door. The fourth wall (not visible) will be cast papercrete.

CLAY | June Bug Show at SAM*POE Gallery in Bisbee, Arizona

marciagibbons — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 19:27:26 +0000

Marcia with two porcelain tiles

Vertical diptych "Ant War" (sold) with two other tiles from "Cursing Insects" series.

Large stoneware tile "Traveling Swarm"

Four small porcelain bee tiles.

"Confrontation" | porcelain tile

"Close Call" | porcelain tile

CLAY | Friends of Mike Garino All Ceramics Show

marciagibbons — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 19:14:41 +0000

NOVEMBER 2010 HILLTOP GALLERY in NOGALES, ARIZONA

The artists

Marcia with two porcelain tiles from the Cursing Insects series.

"Uphill, Downhill, No Matter, Dung Ho!" | porcelain tile (sold)

"Why Do I Have to Cross the Road?" | porcelain tile

SOIL | Required Reading by Brad Lancaster

marciagibbons — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 18:56:02 +0000

Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond, Volumes 1,2 and 3, by Brad Lancaster should be required reading for everyone. A heroic commitment to raising our awareness and teaching us how we can maximize the use of our diminishing water supplies. These books are for individuals as well as communities. Solutions range from small to large scale. Everybody can DO SOMETHING!! Click here to learn more about each volume at the author’s site.

CLAY | November 7 at the Hilltop Gallery

marciagibbons — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 17:30:03 +0000

November 7, 2010: Marcia Gibbons’ newest works will be featured in the Mike Garino and Friends Ceramics Show at the Hilltop Gallery in Nogales, Arizona. More details coming soon!

CLAY | Cursing Insects

marciagibbons — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 17:12:28 +0000

The Enemy of My Enemy is My Friend | Porcelain Tile

¡Dios Mío! ¡Que Rudo! | Porcelain Tile

God! I'm Tired of Tomatos! | Porcelain Tile

This is Completely Tasteless! | Porcelain Tile

A Strong Wind Came Up and Ended the Fight | Porcelain Tile

Damn This Wind! | Tile

Ant War | Porcelain Tile Diptych

Go to Lunch with Me. I Won't Hurt You. I've Heard That Before, Bitch. | Tile Diptych

It All Fell Apart On the Honeymoon. | Porcelain Tile

Barb | Porcelain Tile

Perhaps, If I Just Cross This Line... | Porcelain Tile

Nothing To Eat Here! | Tile

Oh! A Handsome Mud Dauber! Ooh! A Nice Mud House | Tile Diptych