Artist's Statement

Any event having duration, rhythm and interval can act as the structural foundation for abstraction. As a sculptor, I have found several areas of focus valuable to this understanding. They include the ability to recognize rhythms at the edge of our collective awareness; the development of imagery which evokes, reflects and reveals those patterns; the use of production strategies which come from the direct awareness of process and material; the intent to harvest the unexpected when it is useful.

Vectors of energy often become visible...cloudlike systems of interacting shapes, organized by transitional forces...where potentials shift and mingle, spin around, transform and dissipate. These dynamic actions can be indicated through sculptural methodology; specific from a structural standpoint, yet developmentally as unpredictable as the weather itself.

When similar patterns are seen as social phenomena, the question can become one about the enduring quality of casually held beliefs and the odd perceptual shifts which affect cultural focus. Social constructs span generations through arts and artifacts...weather patterns of another sort, in a constant state of flux, reformulated by succeeding generations.

This ephemeral quality can be suggested by interlocking physical assemblies, held together by natural forces of tension, friction and gravity. Appearing spontaneous, the implied dichotomy of transitory permanence is intensified through the use of enduring materials.

In a tangible manner, this kind of sculptural description refers to resting points along a journey; neither destination nor starting point, but a particular state of indeterminacy, where beginning and ending have equal influence on the present moment.

Biographical Information

Rico Eastman is a sculptor who explores the esthetics of spatial relationships. His current work uses a combination of patterned and chaotic elements to metaphorically interpret the way in which new information is integrated into existing systems of thought.

As a prototype designer with Bill Moss, inventor of the original pop tent, Eastman explored the design of fabric architecture through the development of membrane tension structures, including disaster shelter and backpacking tents.

This experience influenced his current focus in sculpture, which incorporates elements of tension, friction, gravity and levity to create interdependent assemblies. His furniture and applied designs are also grounded in a similar pattern of invention.

Rico Eastman (Vita) 2002

VISITING ARTIST

Anderson Ranch Arts Center, Snowmass Village, CO

Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, MI

Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI

Clarion University, Clarion, PA

Santa Fe Art Institute, Santa Fe, NM

The Deep Creek School, Telluride, CO

Northern Michigan University, Marquette, MI

The College of Santa Fe, Santa Fe, NM

The Institute of American Indian Arts, Santa Fe, NM

California State University, Fullerton, CA

Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ

The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL

Central Arizona College, Coolidge, AZ

The College of Charleston, Charleston, SC

Penland School, Penland, NC

Colorado Mountain College, Vail/Minturn, CO

PERMANENT COLLECTIONS

Grinnell College, Grinnell, IA

Northern Michigan University, Marquette, MI

Western State College, Gunnison, CO

Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ

University of Texas, El Paso TX

Garrett, LTD, Waterford, Ireland

Hyatt International, Beaver Creek, CO

Waly Corporation, Hong Kong, China

The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL

CURRENT PUBLIC SITES

The Nelson Fine Arts Center, Tempe, AZ

DeCordova Museum, Lincoln, MA

Cedarhurst Sculpture Park, Mt. Vernon, IL

The City of Northlake, Northlake, IL

The Museum of Fine Arts, Santa Fe, NM

EDUCATION

Master of Fine Arts, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 1985

Bachelor of Fine Arts, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI 1974