Dinnertime!

Never fear, dinnerware is here!  This past week I have been diligently working on making a new dinnerware set for my home (and possibly available for retail in the future).  This is only something that I have wanted to do since I began my endeavor in ceramics >.<  So far, I have made six dinner plates, 3 bowls and a couple of lunch plates.  Due to the design shape of this set-it takes a bit longer to hand make these instead of throwing them on the wheel (which some could do-if the shape were easier-in no time). But, I do love the challenge! By Thursday of this week, I plan to have at least six to nine pieces of each ware.  This way, I can load them in the bisque on Thursday-thankfully, I made them of a thinner design and have finally narrowed the best drying method within my studio that will prevent them from drying too fast and cracking.

As for the rest of this past week, I have continued working on graduation prep and I finally got my handmade announcements out (I saved over $100 doing my own!).  I mean honestly, what kind of artist would I be if I didn’t design and create my own graduation announcements? >.<

This past weekend was also Easter, so I had a little art fun in the kitchen too (ART IS EVERYWHERE!).  Instead of dying the shell of the eggs, I decided to dye the cooked whites and make them into deviled eggs (which are our favorite!). They came out very nicely! I do believe this will become a new tradition of my family’s J

Well, that is it for the recap of what I have been up to-now it is time to get back to work!  Enjoy the photos and don’t forget to feed the fishies!

Busy, Busy

This week’s post will be quite short due to the fact that there is less than 28 days left of the semester J YAY! And ACK! Both sentiments come to mind right now. So much to do with so little time left!

Last week, I was able to figure where I need to be and I was finally able to pin down a game plan to finish the final semester of my undergraduate career.  I am so relieved to have this vital information because we all ‘know’ that I am a planner-haha.

So, I have been working on graduation preparation (which turns out to involve a lot more than you would think!). Within grad prep, I have designed and am not bringing to life my own graduation announcements.  Boy am I saving a whole lot of money doing this!!  Besides, I figured since I am an artist it would kind of be sacrilege if I did not make my own announcements >.<

OH! I have also received some VERY good news…I am officially graduating with ACADEMIC HONORS!! WOO HOO!!!  I even get to attend a prestigious event the day before commencement to receive my distinction J  SO excited!!

I am also very happy to give a huge CONGRATULATIONS to my ceramics professor for making TENURE-WAY TO GO!!! You definitely earned it J

Well, I need to get back to the grindstone-until next week!!! Feed the fishies!

 

Honest Truth

Okay, I have to be true to myself and everyone out there reading this. I am finally going to pick myself backup and attempt to clear my head of all the confusion I have been under this semester (specifically since my show ended).  Honestly, I have not been able to distinguish whether I am coming or going!  Could it be because graduation is so close and my whole being has been shutting down since my final show?  Or could it be because my body is shutting down from the toll of the preceding years?  I am not sure, but I do know that I feel like I am drowning and missing important information.  Truthfully, at this point-I am truly afraid of my ability to graduate as expected.  UGH! However, my next step is to get the vital plan/agenda needed in order for me to graduate as expected and I will be doing this step beginning TOMORROW!

Regardless of the immense turmoil I am battling, I have been able to finally reclaim my studio and get back to work creating wonderment.  I am also going to be honest here-my throwing abilities are in desperate need of honing and I am afraid that it will demand more time than the mere 29 days I have left of the semester L  BUT!!! While I am no longer going to pursue my dinnerware project on the wheel-I AM going to continue challenging myself in being able to create a decent set of spheres on the wheel.  On that note, I finally managed to get a small one made (well, it mostly looks like a sphere). Never give up, never surrender!

I have also got a really good direction begun on my dinnerware project (that will now be handbuilt).  I am testing two principle designs: 1. Book & 2. Tort Embellish.  In continuance of honesty, I really like the prototype of the Book version but I need to reevaluate its ability at recreation.  As for the Tort Embellish, I really like the embellishment of the tor itself, but I am going to go with a different shape and style of the dinnerware itself.

 

The 'Break' is Over

Well, my Spring Break is over and I will be honest-I wish it could have been much longer!  However, on the good news front-only 42 days left before I take the “walk” of accomplishment!! YAY! Does anyone have a universal remote that can help me fast forward through 40 days?

Before the break the final fusion test results came out of the cone 10 reduction fire.  Also, my line blend tests between Kyanite and Soda Ash came out of the same firing.  I find it very intriguing how the dry material can react so differently than the liquid form of the material.  For example, in the fusion test, Kyanite kept its powder-like, white form-whereas in my line blend, Kyanite suspended in water reacted by coating like a glaze with a deep mahogany color.  The same type of radical results were found with my raw material Soda Ash.  In the fusion test, the powder form turned to what seems to be a corrosive liquid state that spread uncontrollably and turned to a dark glossy color that almost took over the full test tile.  However, in my line blend, which the material was suspended in water, the Soda Ash seemed to have little to no reaction and on some of the tiles, it seemed to have disappeared altogether.  We are unsure as to why these materials performed so radically different through the same firing process.  My intentions are to do a few more replications of the testing to see how the results compare.

On a personal note, I was finally able to reclaim my studio over the break and can now get back to the business of creating more art! PLUS, now that the weather is getting warmer-I can really enjoy my time in the (uninsulated) studio! YAY!

Fusion Final I

Fusion Final II

Fusion Final III

Fusion Final IV

Line Blend: Kyanite & Soda Ash (100A-100B) Kyanite is dark metallic sheen & Soda Ash is gray powder (large berries). Rest are mixtures of Kyanite & Soda Ash at 80/20, 60/40 and reverse mixtures.

Soda Ash Fusion Test

Kyanite Fusion Test

 

Spring is near, time for projects to appear!

The fusion tests from cone 6 fire have come back.  I am impressed to see that Potassium Dichromate did not continue its previous fusion voracity-it just seems to have stopped-hmmm?  However, its distant cousin, Red Copper Oxide, had no trouble in proving that it could do better fusing (it fused to the patty below!).  OOHH! Take a look at Cryolite, it is scary looking, especially since it looks like something one would find on a car battery!

My first bowls went into bisque this week as well as my line blends test ‘tiles.’  I cannot wait to see what they look like when I get to campus tomorrow J

On the home front, I have been ‘Spring Cleaning,’ so to speak.  I have many art inspired projects underway for the homestead and studio.  Right now, my throwing and pushing more clay has been put on a minor hiatus to allow for the homestead art projects.  I feel by getting the homestead artfully redesigned, I will be more open to much more inspired clay work J  I am so completely looking forward to it!  I really love being able to let my hair down and let all potential art influence me!!

Photo Gallery this week includes the Cone 6 fusion results and some snapshots of just one of the artful homestead projects I have been working on. Enjoy.

 

Fusion & Line

This week we got the first fusion test results out of the bisque. Very interesting how some materials react even at what is considered a lower firing temperature. Just take a look at what Vanadium, Soda Ash, Lithium Carb and Potassium Dichromate did at bisque!  In fact the Potassium Dichromate melted through the test tile and into the tile underneath. Good grief-kind of remind me of Thermite.  However, most of the materials remained in a powder form-this means their melting temperatures are higher. Although, I have been told that these materials, the ones that remain in powder form, can have their melting temps reduced by mixing with other materials.  Way to go chemical reactions. I may further test different types of fusion tests of my own curiosity in the future.

As for line blends, I decided to test Kyanite and Soda Ash.  Interesting choice, I know, but I do have a penchant to push the boundries ;)

My Line Blend test parameters look like this:

100% Kyanite / 0% Soda Ash

80% Kyanite/ 20% Soda Ash

60% Kyanite/ 40% Soda Ash

40% Kyanite/ 60% Soda Ash

20% Kyanite/ 80% Soda Ash

0% Kyanite/ 100% Soda Ash

Blend Dips:

2 sets of Blueberry Bisque

1 set Blackberry Bisque

1 set of Cone 6 washed patties

(yes, the test tiles are unique, but you work with what you have and I wasn’t able to get the proper test tiles completed before these tests began) However, I will be running another test run once I get the proper test tiles ready.

 

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?)