Week 6 - High Hopes, Low Expectations
This week’s blog will be short and sweet, because I spent the majority of the week sick in bed. I’m feeling rested and better now but was only able to put in a fraction of the studio time I’d planned.
glaze test results from GH’s soda
I started off the week with my first in-progress critique! The critique went well, and I got some really good honest feedback from my peers and professor. My glaze tests also came back from GH’s heavy reduction soda firing, and I was really happy with all of the results, aside from the “Some Bright Green” test (too blue). I’ll keep playing with that recipe and do a triaxial test to try to achieve a greener color. All the shinos turned out very glossy, so I plan to play around with sandblasting some of these tests to see if I can create interesting variations of matte/shiny areas. I might also try adding more feldspar into some of these recipes. Truthfully, though, I’m happiest with the finish of the raw test. This clay body fires beautifully in reduction, and I think a form that is mainly raw with some areas of glaze and soda/wood ash deposits might be the way to go. I plan to fire a soda with my sculptures towards the end of October, without the heavy reduction down fire that GH does and see how I feel about those results.
I feel that I’m on the right track with my making and feel organized in my studio practice. Besides ongoing visual and geological research, glaze testing, and clay body testing, I’ve divided my making into three major areas of exploration. I want to devote 1-2 weeks to each area at a time, cycling through these three areas for the rest of the term. One: my “Propriocepta” series; I intend to continue creating these forms with the ultimate goal of creating an immersive installation with them. This is what I’m focusing on this week and next. Two: developing my functional ware, from goblets and mugs to large bowls and vases. I got a lot of ideas and useful feedback during my critique and don’t want this to end up on the back burner just because I’m least confident about it. Three: larger forms and furniture. I’m most excited about my larger scale work and working towards functional sculptural furniture (namely stools and table bases).
With GH’s help, I loaded my big guy into CC (the big oval electric kiln). It was stressful. My former mentor and professor recommended I try out kaowool as padding for my sculptures in the bisque, which I will definitely try next time I fire one on its side like this guy. I didn’t feel comfortable firing it on its tripod base because I built it upside down and didn’t think it could support its own weight. I really hope it makes it out okay. There was a small rehydration crack on one of its legs that I patched up, but other than that, I have high hopes and low expectations in the crack department. It’s slow drying under plastic in this kiln until I feel it’s ready for a slow bisque.
the outsides of 3 new Propriocepta
As I mentioned before, this week and next, I’m dedicating my time to growing my Propriocepta series. I’ve started two little forms and one larger one. I’m pushing the limits a little more with the larger form- it’ll be my widest/longest to date.
weekly gratitudes
~ honest feedback from my critique
~ help from GH loading my big guy into the kiln and providing second opinions
~ fun photoshoot with Sarah and friends, photographing her recent work!
~ lots of sleep this week
thinking about:
how can I guide my viewers’ visual and tactile journeys? thinking of how I can disrupt/redirect the visual/tactile paths of my sculptures via texture, contact points, surface treatment, scale, intricacy/detail of form.
some cool ideas from my critique and convos this week: holes for fingers in goblets and cup forms, propriocepta (honeycomb) forms as glass table top stands, cup set that can assemble to create a cohesive form, installing in nature (on rock), sponging surface in areas to reveal grog texture, sandblasting glazed work in places, wood ash deposits and areas of raw clay surface.
artists on my mind
Sara Catapano, Victoria de Benedicty, Yuko Nishikawa