Java.July.2017

Photo: Alex Diana
objects in the past, making them into these ceramic
sculptures was quite a process. “It’s a leap of faith,”
said Franco. “It’s the kind of work that you can’t go
backwards on. They only get fired once, but that
made it exciting.” They were thrilled with the results.
“Once the pipes were painted and fired, they all
changed, and it was great to realize the beauty in the
differences from before to after that process.” Some
of James’ pipes were too big to be exhibited in ASU’s
space but will be seen at an upcoming show as the
exhibition travels to Pomona, California.
Franco has a positive spirit about creating art and its
power to bring people together, and conversely, how
collaborations can spawn deeper communications
and foster beneficial relationships. His passionate
and positive spirit is reflected in the work itself. The
show maintains a truly whimsical feel. From James, a
lot of the images are youth- and pop-culture-themed,
as well as including some glazed pictures of his cats.
Dinosaur bones, aquarium dwellers and spaceships
are some of the subjects represented in Tom’s work.
The show has a very folk-art feel. Tom has taken
that approach often in his career, so the result
isn’t a surprise. He often utilizes found objects in
his work. “I see myself as an outsider artist in the
sense that I really relate to inventing techniques that
are uniquely my own, approaching materials in my
own way,” he said.
Franco says he predominately wants to “inspire
people to live creatively and to encourage them
to work together and continue to dialogue about
beneficial projects, in whatever medium they’re
working in.” His Firehouse Arts Collective is
dedicated to developing opportunities for artists,
as well as creating interesting unions so new
things can form. They have six locations in
Berkeley and Oakland, some of them studio-based,
while others are residential. Some of them also
have retail shops. He likes the idea of these
places being “one-stop shops for artists.” It’s not
all visual artists, either. The collective is open to
creators working in a variety of mediums.
Pipe Brothers: Tom and James Franco
Through September 23
www.asuartmuseum.edu
JAVA 19
MAGAZINE