Week 3 - Experimentation

This week, I felt very uncomfortable in my making as I experimented with some new building techniques for my sculptures. I finished a small sculpture using a leather-hard solid block of clay I carved into as a press-mold base, which it was supported by as I coil built the form. I used WD40 to make it not stick together, which worked very well. The form will now slow dry on a pillow, and if it doesn’t form cracks, I’ll fire it. I liked this method of building and will continue to fine tune it. I will need to make more undulations in the sides of the next block I carve so that there isn’t a flat shelf marking where the block ends, and I think I could also simplify the number of dips I carve so the form doesn’t get too complicated and busy on the bottom. But I’m content with this first try.

Returning to thrown and altered starts to sculptures, I started a larger form that I intend to flip over and alter/build up from. The top of this part on the bat will be a sort of tripod bottom to the actual form. I was thinking of building it in parts, but I need to test that on a smaller scale. I’m also not sure that this will actually balance and support the weight of the top part once I flip it. Just another test — I want to see how far I can push the limits of this clay.

I made a handful of mugs in the class stoneware as well, to test out some glaze recipes in the coming weeks. I ended up spending a frustrating few hours wrestling with handles — trying to create some new silhouettes other than smooth C shapes, and playing around with incorporating my “grips”. I was getting really annoyed when trying to make new shapes from pulled handles; I am stuck in the pattern of making C handles. I do like the smaller one-finger handle I made, and I’m looking forward to making some mugs in porcelain and continuing to play this semester until I land on some shapes I feel really good about. I’m really inspired by Ata Erturk’s (@atta_ceramics) ergonomic handles and Lars Voltz’ (@larsvoltz) sculptural rock-like mug bodies, and am looking to both of their work as I work to find a mug body and handle that harmonizes with my sculptural forms. I spoke to Sarah, the resident artist about making plaster molds of handles, and I hope to try this once I make one that I feel happy about.

Speaking of porcelain, I’m interested in making some closed form sculptural lamps out of translucent porcelain, so I’m testing out a recipe that I made into paper porcelain. It’s aging and firming up now, so I’ll build a test form next week.

I ended the week by firing off a bisque with the goblets I’ve made so far, the mugs and some grips, and two sculptures. Fingers crossed that my propriocepta piece (the honeycomb looking one) makes it out okay!

weekly gratitudes

~ My new baby spider

~ The humbling nature of clay

~ New friendships and connections, and getting to know my studio mates better

thinking about:

Being patient with myself as I navigate and test out new methods of sculpting. Trying not to compare my progress with others’. Finding balance with work, rest, and studio time. Trusting in my own journey.

artists on my mind:

Kurokawa Turo, Ata Erturk, Lars Voltz.