Updated Ceramics: 3/4 Forms & Composite

Like I promised, I have some additional photos of my last Ceramics II problems. Enjoy!

TheChristyBel

3/4 Form - Mammal Skulls
3-lbs 50/50 Stoneware
Xerox Stain Transfers & Reduction Glaze Firing

3/4 - Birds of Prey
3-lbs 50/50 Stoneware
Xerox Stain Transfers & Oxidation Glaze Firing

3/4 Form - Flowers
3-lbs 50/50 Stoneware
Sgraffito with Red Colored Slip & Oxidation Glaze Firing

3/4 Form - Leaves
3-lbs 50/50 Stoneware
Sgraffito with Blue-Green Colored Slip & Oxidation Glaze Firing

Composite - Tree of Life
Turned into a Jewelry Holder

Ceramics II: The Final Critique

Bowls & 

After four-months of grinding my hands on a spinning-metal wheel, multiple 20-lb bags of clay, lots of flopping, wedging, and recycling clay, I can confidently say I have successfully completed a semester of one of my first formal art classes, and in a medium I am not too comfortable in! Below are photos of my last problems of the Ceramics II class: a variety of bowls, a few 3/4 forms, and a composite. 

The bowls represent simple dipping and pouring techniques in which each set (a different color) is provided with a small, medium, and larger bowl. The 3/4 forms are more decorative pieces where I wanted to use them as blank canvases for a variety of the application techniques we learned throughout the course. Some applications that I tried and really liked were the Xerox transfers (where I can take photo copies of my own drawings and apply them to vessels; very cool and different than the underglaze pencils I tried earlier in the semester) and Graffito (where you apply colored-slip to leather hard glaze, let is dry a smidge, and then carve out designs exposing the white clay underneath). My fourth set of bowls had to be decorated by a 2-D artist inspiration. So I chose, David Sibley, a well-known birder, naturalist, and artist. I copied one of his drawings, made a silk screen of an EASTERN Northern Flicker and applied it to my bowls. I also used a variety of underglazes to recapture his water-color and accurate color distinctions in his bird drawings. I was very impressed with that. My composite has been bisque-fired, glazed, and fired in a reduction atmosphere. I am pretty pleased with the outcome result. A little bit too dark than what I anticipated, but I keep envisioning a morning hike and seeing a tree emerge from the fog of a cloudy, fall morning. I like that gloomy-at-dawn impression it represents. But my work is up for interpretation...

Stay tuned: I'll post photos of my 3/4 forms closer up for more viewing.

Ceramics has definitely challenged me as an artist, and I really enjoyed my progression and journey. I know I have a lot to learn about this medium and know I still have not made my 'best' pieces with clay yet. But I'm interested to see if I continue with this medium and excited to see what my hands will create next! Overall, very impressed with successfully surviving my first formal art class and what I have been able to create. It's nice being back in a studio (even though I was not dancing in this one). Hopefully I can get into another art class to clear my insanity for the spring. 

TheChristyBel

'Mother Earth'

Ceramics II: Last Problem of the Semester - Composites

For the last problem of the semester, we were assigned to construct a composite piece. A composite piece is made of constructing pieces out of several thrown pieces or sections. A composite can also be called a sectional piece. We were asked to design 5-6 ideas that consisted of at least 4-thrown pieces. In the end, we would only construct one composite. The composite needed to be at least 15-inches in height.

I decided to continue my nature-theme in my art and decided to construct a tree out of an 3/4 altered form (where the cylinder closes at the top - resembling a cone), two bowls put together to resemble a globe/world/Earth, and to present the entire piece on a plate. This took two attempts to construct.

My first 'draft' did not come out well and resulted in a lop-sided globe! So, another 6-hours later, I threw more pieces and they came out a lot better when I started attaching them to each other. It's a good thing, Margaret says to throw more bowls that you need...insurance!

But after throwing the new pieces, I constructed the main profile in the studio: two bowls as the globe and the cone. I also extruded a bunch of clay rods to break apart and morph them into branches. I then decided to take the pieces home and assemble in the courtesy of a calm environment. This really meaning: I like to do art in PJs or just not wear pants at all! Haha.

Let me tell you, placing branches on the cone on top of the globe was really challenging. I had to use an assortment of chairs and household objects to help hold up all the branches while they dried onto the bigger clay body. I was literally sitting on the floor (with no pants on) and using my hair dryer to dry the branches so they can become more sturdy to hold on its own. After a night and all afternoon of drying, I finally grew the courage and faith to let the piece stand on its own...and it succeeded! The next test: drive it back to the ceramics studio...pray to the heavens above (right about now)!

 I carefully picked it up and placed it into one of my moving boxes. Drove about 2-miles an hour all the way to the studio, which is across town from my apartment. Slowly walked it through the doorway and into the studio. Challenge accepted. Second challenge: attach the bottom plate! That took me holding up the tree while my friend, Aaron, got on the floor and scraped and etched into the bottom for us to score and slip the two pieces together! Second Challenge Accepted! Third Challenge: Survive the night without anything holding it up! After wrapping it in a plastic drape cloth, I came back the next morning for class to see it had survived! I showed Margaret (our teacher), who was super pleased, and I added the last touch to the piece: the carving of the world on the globe part. It also was waxed with the cold wax resist to help with the drying of the branches. Now, it currently rests on the finished shelf ready to bisque-fired!

Cross your fingers it survives!
Don't worry, I'll keep ya posted!

TheChristyBel