Prepped & Ready

FIRST: Sorry for the delay in posting-I had some technical difficulties with the website and internet.  I am happy to say that all seems to be back in cooperating order J

I am super excited to report that pieces 2 and 3 (a.k.a., Testicular & Gynecological) have survived, beautifully, through their first fire! Now, all that remains for pieces 1 through 3 is some minor bisque-fixing, glazing and final firing. The final firing is what I like to call the ‘glaze fire.’

Lesson* A ceramic piece typically goes through a minimum of two firings: bisque and glaze.  The bisque firing is to remove any remaining moisture from the piece that is left over from the drying phase. Bisqueing also gives strength to the piece by causing chemical reactions and creating new bonds between the materials that harden the clay.  Glaze firing is typically the final firing a piece will undergo. In this firing the cone (temperature at which the piece reaches to produce chemical reactions) is much higher than the initial bisque temperature. For example, I typically bisque a piece at cone 05 (1888 ° F) and I typically glaze fire at cone 6 (2232°F). During a glaze fire, the piece goes through more chemical reactions to vitrify the materials and bond the glaze to the ceramic surface. The result gives a much stronger piece that is significantly impervious to water absorption. A 0% water absorption in ceramics is desired for food safety and durability. Cone 10 is much closer to a completely vitreous piece and is achieved at 2345°F. However, I like the results of a cone 6 over a cone 10 due to more vibrant colors and less warping in the piece. End of lesson.

Onto more good news: I have gotten final approval across the board to pursue the fundraising aspect of my show! WOO HOO!! This means that not only can I make a beneficial impact on my audience, but I get to make an impact for the foundations that will be involved.  By fundraising, I can, in essence, ‘pay it forward,’ like a wildfire for the affected and non-affected alike J Beneficial all around!

I will be beginning my notification campaign to the respective foundations shortly (most likely after this week’s FINALS).  I will also be beginning the final 3 pieces for my show within the next week as well as the fundraising products.  J

Over the break, my goals include, but are not limited to…

ü  Create last 3 show pieces

ü  Notification Campaign

ü  Fundraising Products

ü  Project firing & test firing

ü  Make marketing/advertising materials

ü  Continue research

ü  Make informational plaques

With thanks to getting fundraising approval, improving climate control in my studio, making another large batch of my special clay body and getting the needed ingredients for my desired glazes-I look forward to a very productive semester break!! My ultimate goal is to have all pieces and products finished by Spring Break so that I am allowed some ‘final detail’ time before I setup my show.  Let’s keep the fingers and toes crossed J

Please enjoy the following snapshots of this busy artist.  Photos include cold and hot views through the peephole, Cone 05 temperature reading, before and after bisque shots, and clay making.

 

Remember, feed the fishies! :)

Cold View Peephole- Scary Dark, huh?

Hot View Peephole-Toasty, got marshmallows?

Cone 05-Couple more 8s and I call "Yahtzee!"

Gynecological Pre-bisque (Testicular is beneath shelf)

Gynecological Post-bisque-lighter color, reverse tanning?

Testicular Post-bisque

Mixer BEFORE I get a hold of it

My special clay 'cookin'

Mt. KG Sculptural Porcelain

Mixer AFTER me

That is a HEAVY cart of clay!

No worries, I cleaned it-like new again :)

The backseat is reserved for clay (thankfully I didn't break the car this time-haha!)

 

FIRE!!!

Quick progress update on my project: I have begun firing the pieces!! WOO HOO!! I am on FIRE!! J

The first piece to undergo the first of two firings (bisque fire) was the Autism piece. I am extremely happy to say that it made it out of the kiln beautifully!  I did have my worries about it making it through the firing process though.  For example, the Autism piece had some surface cracks in the inside that can potentially turn into piece-destroying cracks when fired.  The cracks can sometimes expand further during firing and cause a piece to fall apart or make an unwanted crack that opens the entire thickness of the piece-leaving you with an unsightly mess!

Continuing with the ‘crack’ subject (clay separation, not illegal drugs) haha; a crack is typically formed by uneven rates during the drying process of the clay.  Which brings me to my next worry…

When I began the firing process of the Autism piece, I was disheartened to find that my Gynecological piece has suffered a similar crack during her drying time L Unfortunately, the crack that has developed is on the outside surface.  What to do?! For now, I will attempt to fire her and see if the crack progresses.  If the crack does NOT progress, I should be able to apply a bisque mending paste to fill the crack and bring the surface back to a finished state.  However, if the crack progresses, it could cause a complete collapse of the entire piece. If this happens, I get to start over.  :/

Ah! The joys of being an artist! J

On a brighter note, I checked the entire surface (inside & out) of the Testicular piece and I have found no cracks! WOO HOO!!

Just to give you a little insight on the firing processes of ceramics-A clay piece needs to be fired at least twice (typically). The first fire is called bisque fire and it essentially removes any remaining moisture from the clay body and gives some strength to the piece so that it can be handled more easily. Bisque firing also prepares the piece for ‘glazing.’  Glazing is a type of ‘painting’ on the surface of clay. Glazes are (in essence) highly specific formulations of clay bodies that include colorant chemicals among others (I will not bog you down with the others at this time) to produce certain colors, flow and pattern results on the clay’s surface after the final firing of a piece.   I can get into the art of glazes quite a bit more but I want you to continue to read this blog without totally feeling lost J The final firing is the glaze fire and it adds more strength, colors and makes the piece more vitreous. Pieces can be fired more than two times depending on desired results. (but I can go into that later, if requested)

I have also included some updated photos that have size referencing in them for each piece.  I hope this makes it easier for you to visualize the pieces J

Until next time, enjoy the photos and feel free to leave a comment or question J

Don’t forget to feed the fishies!

 

UPDATE Time…

After an extensive amount of personal reflection over the past two weeks, I have decided to go with some significant changes to my Honors Project.  No worries, I am not scrapping the whole project-I am just making adjustments that I feel will better benefit the project’s outcome, the foundations involved and the intended impact I want to achieve for the show J

First change: I will be “editing down” the number of pieces that will be in the show due to a few reasons. One reason is because I have realized that with the size of the gallery and its layout-10 (or even 8) pieces will be too multifarious and will most likely induce claustrophobia.  Second reason is I am striving for this show to have significant impact and I fear with too many pieces the impact will be lost due to competition.  The final reason is that if I no longer need to do so many pieces, I am given more valuable time to do the research that needs to be done without the possibility of leaving crucial information out. 

I have also begun researching the possibility of fundraising opportunities for the different research foundations respectively.  My steps for this include contacting the gallery director, the foundations and clarifying any legality that may need to be addressed. J  As for the fundraising, I would like to create a couple of different types of products that would be for sale during the show and donate a portion to each respective foundation. I feel that by doing this, my viewers will be able to walk away with an even more astute awareness and remembrance of the purpose of the show than to just walk away and forget about the importance of being aware.  Moreover, I have found that when someone is moved by something they like to feel as though they are able to contribute in some way, no matter how small. 

So, it is my hopes that my viewers will be able to be ‘moved’ by the pieces, donate to the causes, and leave with a contribution memento and information to help spread the word. J

Now for a progress update.  Unfortunately, two of the pieces that I began during my last post did not make it to fruition.  One collapsed and the other dried too quickly for further manipulation.  The one that collapsed was the Breast Cancer that I photographed for the previous post.  However, I was able to salvage a good majority of the work I had put into it and it is now a beautiful piece for Gynecological Cancer. (I have included photos of its progress before its demise and the salvage redirection-Gynecological) The one that dried too quickly is currently in stasis while I am trying to figure out how(if) to salvage it. Nevertheless, I have begun my fourth piece!  It is the very crude beginnings of my Bone Cancer piece and I am very excited to be attempting this piece because I can see that it will be quite challenging. (I love a good challenge!)

Until next post-enjoy the photos and don’t forget to feed the fishies!

(Photos: Breast Cancer before demise, Gynecological Cancer, Bone Cancer, group shot of Autism, Gynecological & Testicular)

Whew! Time flies when you are busy creating art!  Especially when you love it so. J I apologize for the delay in posting.

Let’s see, where did I leave off last time? Oh, yes! I had begun two pieces and had started to regroup after all the delays.  I am happy to report that I have finished sculpting two pieces and have begun sculpting two more pieces!  I would have had one of the pieces done a lot sooner (the Prostate Cancer piece) but I have decided to go a different direction with it.  No worries though! I did not scrap all that work again-I revamped it and it is now the Testicular Cancer piece!  I do like how it finally came out. 

That is the trick with ceramics, (any type of art really) as an artist you must constantly “communicate” with the media you are working with and come to an agreement between what you would like and what the art wants. Yes, I said what the art wants.  This is because art is not just a result of manipulated media or a product of what an artist makes, but it is a creation, like no other, and has a life and personality of its own!  Think of it this way: you ask a 3 year old to do something and she is not in the mood, will she cooperate? Nope. What do you do then? How about asking her how she would like to do the task? If you give her the choice-she’ll give you the result you wanted-albeit, maybe not in the manner you had planned, but the desired result just the same.

Anyhow, enough wisdom for now. J Back to the nitty-gritty.  In the next couple of weeks, I am planning to make another batch of clay, continue on a few glaze experiments and hopefully create some new glaze recipes. 

Another note: I have decided that I will not put sculpted ribbons on the pieces because I feel it cheapens the piece. Instead, I will be engraving the ribbon symbol in its respective place for each piece. (See Testicular Cancer photo)  This decision has also created a new endeavor that I will be embarking on for this project-an accompaniment of sorts.  More details to come later-much later. J  

Please enjoy the photos! J (Included in photos: Autism, Testicular Cancer, Breast Cancer)

DISCLAIMER:  

Some of the content is not suitable for children. Parental discretion is advised.

 

 

 

Picking Up Progress

This past week has been a little more productive in the KG Creativity studio J Things seem to be settling down in the campus ceramics area-as of last check, both mixers are functional again!  Can’t same the same about some of the kilns, but that is neither here nor there.  Mainly because I am fortunate enough to have my own kiln and I am not quite ready to begin the firing processes of my pieces.

There is a remote possibility, that due to the month long delays I have encountered, I may have to lower the number of pieces in my show from 10 to 8.  I am going to work as hard as I possibly can to prevent this from happening.  So, wish me luck on that!  The delays I speak of are as follows, but are not limited to: campus ceramics facility shutdown, clay mixer failure, missing clay body ingredients, studio moisture content, clay room scheduling and some personal life delays.

It is no easy task being an artist! With the use of community facilities an artist must concede to delays that are out of their control.  No worries, though! I WILL prevail!  On a personal note: I will be quite happy once I can get my home studio complete (I only lack the clay mixer).  Once my studio is complete, I will no longer have to worry too much on whether or not the required equipment is in working order and whether or not my tasks would be impeding on another’s schedule. J

Anyhow, I am scheduling to make more of my own recipe clay body within the next two weeks.  The initial 360 pounds I made a few weeks ago is quickly running out. I designed this new clay body specifically for the purposes of this project and I am anxious to see the results after the firing processes begin!  Additionally, to aid in the goal of being able to keep my goal of 10 pieces, I have begun working on two pieces at a time. 

I am currently working on the prostate piece and the autism piece.  The photos of the autism piece are included in this post. The photos show the initial build stages and the beginning of the carving-out stage.  Which, I might add, that this is the first time I have made a sculptural piece using the carve-out method.  I must say-it is a very heavy method!! I typically use the coil-building method (see previous post’s photos). Nevertheless, I am very excited to try new methods-Art is always an experiment of sorts!

Speaking of experiment-see the experimental slab mold of my face in the photos below!!

 As for the prostate piece, I actually scrapped and restarted that piece because it was becoming too large and I had an overwhelming feeling that the piece was not shaping in the way I am striving for.  Both pieces are currently going through what I call a “set” stage.  This is where the clay is stiffening to help reinforce strength and allow for more working of the surface and structure.

 

Well, back to playing in the studio…

Oh! The Chaos.

I apologize for missing last week’s blog AND for this week’s being a tad late. Busy, busy, busy.  So, for what has been happening in the land of KG Creativity…

I have finally gotten to begin production on the clay for my Honors Project!  YAY! It only took almost four weeks out of my schedule L No worries though.  I have made 360 pounds of my sculptural porcelain and have finally got to start building my pieces J  A BIG thanks goes out to my husband for helping make all that clay-he really enjoyed being a “dirty” mess in the clay room!  Unfortunately, he got a little too liberal with the water and the batch came out too wet-haha! (I do love him-he had one job besides helping me unload it-water and he had fun with it!) No need to worry-I have since made many plaster bats and have dried about 100 pounds of it out already J Will be making more bats to dry more out at a time (had to make a shop stop for more plaster).

As I said before, I have finally gotten to start my pieces-yes, it is MUCH later than I had planned, but I will get it done!  Although, I am hoping that I do not have to lower my number of pieces from 10 to 8.  If I have to I will-just to make sure the quality of the show remains intact. I have included photos of the first piece’s beginning for your viewing pleasure J

Now, I need to get back to the studio and keep working hard at it!  I foresee a few (if not more) all-nighters in my future ;)  Until next week…wish me luck!!

And We Begin Again!!

Well, it is time to begin a new semester!  I just want to take this time to let you know what I am planning on for this semester. This semester officially begins my Honors project endeavor! I am super excited!  This project will take approximately two semesters to complete-I am hoping J  I actually began the preliminaries last spring. This project will consist of ten sculptural pieces and research findings. (Project developing pictures soon) My project will also culminate in a gallery showing. SO MARK YOUR CALENDARS!! April 12, 2013 at the IUS Library Gallery.  The opening time will be announced later J

As for what else has happened with this artist since I last blogged-it has been crazy busy!!!  I MOVED!! We found a beautiful property in the remote country.  It has a very large three-car garage that I made into my studio!! I am loving all the space!  I no longer have to worry about having enough room to make many pieces at the same time for fear of ruining one (or two) because the studio is too small :D  I am also loving being surrounded by nature-the perfect inspiration for this artist’s heART!!

I will also be continuing my experimentation with clay bodies and glazes this semester!! I have already created about 3 or four new clay body recipes to try-I cannot wait to see how they turn out!!  I will post photos as soon as I can with those results J