Just Another Day in Winter Wonderland

Well, after an interesting evening and morning-I think I can finally get this post out there.  It is amazing what electricity can do.  Honestly, even though I do enjoy good snowy winters, which are fairly rare in this region-I am definitely looking forward to Spring! Spring is probably the best season for me and the artist in me to be reborn out of the dismally cold, dark and ‘dead’ season of winter.  I really can’t wait until I can go back outside, in reasonable comfort, to be inspired by all that is around me J

Anyhow, I think I finally got the amateur video done of my Inquisitive Eyes piece that was in my final senior show.  However, there are some concerns with the video that I would like to address that could not be prevented due to the restrictions of space for proper display.  I think that I would like to do a second installation on the piece so that the visibility for taping can be maximized for optimal viewing.  Either way, I have included the first run video of the piece towards the end of this post. I hope you will enjoy it (even with its flaws).  An artist never stops learning J

I have also begun throwing again, after what seems like so long!  I have started with bowls and have challenged myself to get somewhat creative in their forms.  For some reason, the artist in me has a hard time with conforming to the ideal of what bowls should look like.  These are still bowls but they will have unique functions beside cereal or soup. I am also experimenting with my 'massacre' clay body to see how it does in throwing. So far, I can tell you it is dense but I do like how it throws :)

At the time of this post (after fighting with inclement weather and electricity) the bowls were not yet trimmed.  I will be doing the trimming after I am finished with the post (especially since I am home bound once again this season).

I assure you that is clay not blood (or is it?)

 

Before & After

Before & After

Well, the days leading up to the show were beyond extremely busy and a bit chaotic! Yet! They were very productive and paved the way to what I feel was a complete success of a show opening J

I honestly do not have much to say in this week’s blog because this past week went by so fast (like a blur to me now) and I am still trying to absorb everything that happened.  I have included some photos of setup and opening for you viewing pleasure. Furthermore, I have scheduled to make a video of my pieces in the show this coming Tuesday. I hope that I can get it posted on here by Sunday’s blog post.  I want to do a video mainly because one of my pieces is best viewed in ‘live’ action. Yes, it is a bit of a performance piece-so there you go ;)

Now, enjoy the photos while I go and try to absorb what all happened this week. Maybe by next post, I will have recharged enough ;)

Stringing awesomeness pt.I

 

Stringing awesomeness pt.II

 

Wall prep

Ideally: porcelain & phosphorescence on wood

Profound Mundane: Altered found object and light

Statement of Illumination: UV ink on Plexiglas

Infinite Quest of Illumination: Porcelain, stoneware, phosphorescence & ilmenite pt. I

 Infinite Quest of Illumination: Porcelain, stoneware, phosphorescence & ilmenite pt. I

Inquisitive Eyes: EL wire on carved panel & synchronization (more on next week's video)

Inquisitive Eyes: EL wire on carved panel & synchronization (more on next week's video)

Setting it Up!

This week I have been the victim of being snowed in for two days.  Remember that radar front I showed you last week? Yeah, well it hit us much harder than expected :/  I ended up getting over 8 inches that night and into the next morning. Plus, a day later Mother Nature added almost an inch of ice on top of it O.O  HOWEVER, I did get to make a little snow art and my boys had a blast goofing off in the snow. Good times!!

 

As for the rest of this week, I have been finishing up the final touches on my show pieces and have finally begun setting up for the show!  Unfortunately, I ran into more than a few snags when it came to setup start up, so I am a bit behind schedule. But, it will get done in time-never fear!!  I have also set myself even further behind schedule due to some ‘last minute’ redesigns on a few of the pieces.  Nevertheless, I believe the pieces and the show will be much better for loss of a little time to redesign tweeking. So…

 

ONLY 2 DAYS TILL SHOW TIME!!! Can’t wait to see you there! (link below)

https://www.facebook.com/events/581813731892992/?ref_newsfeed_story_type=regular

AFTER a bit of melting.

Snow Art pt. 1

Snow Art pt. 2 (very cold on the face)

Boys will be boys.

What could this be part of? Come to the show and see :)

Show markup

How special one feels to be on a landscape printed message posted on the gallery door!

We have walls!

How sad is it to be so exhausted that you misspell your own name?!?

 

It's coming...

9 days and counting until showtime!! I have been quite busy and will continue to be very busy until zero hour >.<  Yes, there is still an air of mystery to some of my photos I post on here that pertain to the show-I assure you that the frustration of puzzlement is worth it!! Besides, for at least one of the pieces-no amount of pre-show photos will give you the full effect that you will get during the show J  You just have to see it to believe it.

Nevertheless, even though I have been diligently working on the pieces for my last undergraduate show-I am still planning for the rest of my last semester, as well.  After my show, I will be beginning another endeavor of throwing on the wheel.  I have plans to work on creating a whole new dinnerware and beverage ware set for my home (this is a project I have wanted to do since I begun in ceramics-almost 5 years ago!). I have also given myself a challenge for my wheel endeavor-I am challenging myself to create a sphere or two on the wheel that I will incorporate into a future project.  I have been told it can be done-we shall see if I can do it J

On other topics, Mother Nature is yet again with this region and is preparing to give us yet another whammy… (this does not bode well on my ability to get everything finished and ready for the show L )BUT!! I have a backup plan! (of course, I do)

REMEMBER!! Only 9 days left until an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime show is to commence…we can’t wait to see everyone there! (See images for show information)

Feed the fishies!!

interesting clue...

cut glass? what for?

what is this a part of?

 

see that yellow square? Yeah, that is where I live-UGH!

 

To be AWESOME is to be THERE!

16 days...

Another week down and I still have plenty left to do!  Granted, I have accomplished a great deal this week.  Began and finished the construction on some lumber aspects of my final show.  Will have to build the ‘room’ on site-that should be fun!  I also put my pieces through their first fire (good grief they took a while to dry!). They should be able to come out tomorrow.  I really hope they all did fine-fingers crossed!

As for next week, my to-do list includes glazing, painting, constructing, testing, assembling and creating mock-up plans.  Doesn’t it drive you crazy that I can’t go into the specifics?!  No worries, it is driving me crazy too!  I can’t wait until the show and everyone will get to see all my hard work J 

Oh! I almost forgot! We have been diligently working on getting all the ducks lined up for the show itself to go off without a hitch.  We have created, judged and revised the show card.  The press release has been made, revised and sent off. We have also begun choosing our catering menu and submitting mailing list and so on.  We are right on schedule!  This is going to be a great show!

Enjoy more of the puzzling snippets of what will be an amazing show…

Almost looks like a chalkboard doesn't it?  It isn't.

What could this be for? Gonna hang some tools?

What could I possibly use ilmenite for? Hmmm.

Look at that fancy pedestal!

 

SEE YOU FEBRUARY 12th! Until then-keep piecing the clues together :)

Final Semester

Fantabulous! It is the beginning of the end-my final semester of my undergraduate degree J It sure has felt like it has taken me forever to get to this point! However, there are times that it seems like it was just yesterday when I stepped into the realms of higher education.

Anyhow, this semester is sure to be packed with adventure, chaos, joy and maybe even some tears.  During the semester “break,” I have been diligently working on the pieces for my final show which will be opening on February 12^th in the Barr Gallery (no rest for the wicked). At present, I will have at least 3 major pieces for the show and a possible minor piece.  Will I unveil what these pieces are? NOPE!! But I will give you snippets of what is to come and you can try to figure out what the pieces are from the photo clues ;) Good Luck with that!  If you can’t figure them out-then you just have to come to the show!! Trust me-it will be worth it!!

Beyond working on the pieces for my final undergraduate show, I have begun to compile my goals for the rest of the semester in ceramics. I would like to improve and experiment further with my throwing capabilities. Soon, I will begin on this by dusting off my wheel and getting my hands dirty in relearning the simple forms of cylinders, bowls and such. Ultimate goal? Can I throw a nice sphere? We will see J

Oh! I almost forgot-I just got a new job too!! *Sheesh!* Like I didn’t have enough on my plate already?!

Ok, so I have to stop now-got work to do and my professor is going to have a cow since this post is so long (he is really going to miss me :P ) Enjoy the photos & Feed the fishies!

My buddy HERMES!! Loading the Anagama at the end of the last semester.

See that white stuff? Yeah, Tempe (my van) doesn't like it and won't drive in it either-such a drama queen!

OOH! What could this be? Find out-February 12th.

Are these little guys making a come back? Hmmm.

Interesting, but what is it? Come see February 12th.

This is my feeling about it being my final semester!

FROZEN Finals

It is time for finals again. YAY! (not really, but what are you going to do?) No worries, I am prepped for the battle and am confident that I shall come out VICTORIOUS!

Beyond the finals hum-drum, we get to finally fire the wood fire kiln this week! Very exciting!!  However, I am not particularly looking forward to the projected temperatures for this week  :/ Single digits. Oh well, at least I can huddle up to a REALLY toasty fire J  We begin loading tomorrow and are to light it up on Tuesday evening.  Hopefully, I won’t have too much difficulty helping with everything since my nasty knee injury is still healing.

“Knee injury?” You ask.  Well, last Wednesday, while trying to get the kiln shelves prepped for the firing, I had a ‘not-so-gracious’ moment while carrying a couple of shelves. I fell of the loading dock steps and landed full force on my left knee.  No worries though-the kiln shelves were spared any damage!  Me? Not so much. I was blessed with a nasty bone contusion (and possible small hairline fracture/bone splinter) on the head of my left tibia along with an abrasion to make it even prettier.  It is getting better though! Of course, that may be due to my stubbornness ;) I am weaning myself off of walking assistance and I am in the hopes that come tomorrow or maybe Tuesday-I will be able to walk completely without crutches or a walking stick.  Albeit, it may look funny to do so, but those things get in the way! I am busy!

My main worry about forcing myself to walk without assistance is the fact that our area just got hammered by two nasty winter storms this weekend. Ice is not a friend of safe mobility. It will work out though.

Along with firing, I have begun the preparation for my final show pieces and how to get some slabs made this week and I will also need to get some needed materials from school. This way I can work throughout the semester break J  My goal is to have my final show pieces complete BEFORE the spring semester commences.  WISH ME LUCK!