How Many Failures Does it Take to Screw in a Lightbulb...

I was going to devote this post to the other piece I've been working on. It involved hanging pieces from each other barrel-o-monkey style from a larger base suspended upside-down in the kiln on stacks of bricks. The base cracked in the bisque bad enough that I deemed it unsafe to attempt such a construction and risk it all tumbling down.

So I am remaking the base from a stronger clay, and reflecting on how many failures it takes to do something right. I will post step by step as I construct the new one in the kiln, so keep an eye out for a couple of weeks!

Before...

So here is the latest piece I've been working on. I thought it would be a good idea to get before and after images. (hopefully, there will be something to shoot after.)

Inspiration for New Work

I'm working on a piece right now that was largely inspired by astrolabes and armillary spheres.

Here are some of the images I have been looking at. I love the layers and the ornate detail of these pieces. I also love that these once served an important function, and visually you can tell, even though most people today wouldn't know how to use them.

Slumping Porcelain

Edinboro alumni Kevin Rohde recently shared this with me and I figured I would share it with you. I find it very interesting as one of the projects I'm working on involves melting/slumping clay. I am also interested in using the firing to alter the form of a piece. Cheryl Ann Thomas coil builds some very delicate cylinders and slumps them together in the firing. Here is here website if anyone wants to check it out. http://cherylannthomas.com/home

"Methodical Turmoil" at ZenClay

I have a show up at ZenClay's gallery in Morgantown WV, entitled "Methodical Turmoil." If you happen to be in the area, please go check it out. It will be up until September 28th. Here is a sample of some of the work that is in the show.

Back to Blogging

Ok, I know. I haven't posted anything on my blog for over a year. Well, this post is shinny and new... although it pertains to older stuff. I though I would begin with my candidacy show that happened last December. I continued the work from my last post (pieces of pieces) and made a body of work that showed in Erie, PA. Here are a few shots of the show.