Week 13 - Coiling Up and Making Clay

Not much to report this week, despite putting in a good chunk of studio time. I had a great week and for once felt successful at balancing studio, work, and fitness and was even able to squeeze in a coffee date with a friend I desperately needed to catch up with. I’ve been practicing choosing joy and staying in the present throughout crazy work shifts and in the studio, and turns out that just by telling people I’m happy, I can trick my brain into actually being happy. When I think about the state of the world and where human civilization is heading, there’s so much doom and darkness. It’s so easy to spiral on all the evil realities I have no control over. But the present is good and safe, and even when it’s not calm, I am finding that I can always locate peace within. ~

I’ve been making good progress on the middle part of my monolith — I’m now over halfway, height wise! I’m a bit nervous about the slump mold bottom failing/causing a disaster when I bisque it. The paper/nylon fiber clay is strong but I worry it’s lacking support or that the mold will hold more heat and crack the bottom of the sculpture, or shrink at a different rate because it’s so much thicker. Only one way to find out.

Also I mixed two barrels of clay on Tuesday. One of shop stoneware for the studio/classes, and one of paper/nylon clay for myself. Now I won’t have to do that again for a couple months — wooooohoooooo!

Got waitlisted for the Hambidge residency again. Planning to apply to another one (Byrdcliffe) next week if I can get my sh*t together. At this point I’m just applying to places knowing I have near impossibly low chances with the hopes that they’ll remember me when I apply again in the future with better work.