waiting.......

I have just finished glazing these three platters. Currently they are in the kiln, which I hope will turn out well since these are the pieces I plan to use for my page in the MFA catalog. Now I just have to wait........

Willow

Manchu

Butterfly

Progression

Platter with Color Slip Inlay, Greenware

I have spent the better part of three weeks working on this platter and it will be at least two to three more before it is finished. The top image show the platter with colored slip inlay (Mishima). I still need to finish removing the excess slip then I can begin to add the color to the surface.

This bottom image it the same piece before adding the colored slip, just to show the difference between  the two.

Carved Greenware Platter, Before Inlay

Border decoration explorations

Here are few examples of some historical boarders 

 Here is a platter in progress and the drawing for it below.

Honing In

Black and White platter, drying stage

Carving on what will be "Blue & White" platter

"Blue and White" Platter drying stage

Through my ceramic forms I exploit the juxtaposition of US service women in combat with the domestic and decorative nature of heirloom tableware. In years past, material denoted an object’s place as art or craft just as gender dictated a woman’s role in society but now gender does not determine one’s place in domesticity or defense.

  

 These are just a few of the platters I am currently working on. What you see here is just the beginning of my exploration of surface decoration techniques and historic platter forms.  These pictured here are in various stages of completion. I will post more as these progress.

AIB Residency 4

Platter forms, view from left

 I have just returned home from an another amazing, intense, overwhelming and insightful residency. I will now spent the next few weeks digesting all that I experienced over the last 10 days.

Posted here are few images of the work I brought and how I arranged it in my crit space.

This work is the jumping off point for my thesis work which I will be making this semester. I know it will change and grow from what is pictured here and I am looking forward to this process.

Platter forms, view from right

Platter forms

Vessels, detail of military icongraphy

Paper Slip Vessels

Texture detail 1

Texture detail 2

Large Vessel, detail of neck

Large Vessel, detail of foot

Textured Vessels

Platters, Platters, everywhere...

After months of work I am finally beginning to "see the light at the end of the tunnel". December has been a month of glazing for me with Christmas as a little speed bump along the way. I unloaded my first "finished" group of platters from the kiln this week. I had a few disappointments and pieces that needed to be refired but overall not too bad. I have some ideas for what to do differently and what to expand upon for next semester. I  am looking forward to the feedback from the critiques at the upcoming residency. This I am sure will change some of my ideas and give me new ones that I had not thought of yet.

"Road Wheels"

"Building #131"

"Building #131", Detail

Clay Stamps and Stencil

Now for a bit about process. Along with the natural elements I used to impart texture on the slabs I used clay stamps. Some of these I made  from my military map and chart kit. Others are based on military equipment and personnel. I also made a few barrel stamps that are suggestive of vehicle racks.  Some of the symbols I used represent artillery, rations, direction, landing zones and ammunition.

"Oak"

"Tread"

"Tread", Detail

This platter cracked which I expected since I really beat it up when I was pressing it into tress and the stone wall. I am going to put some epoxy on the back of the crack to reinforce it and to try to prevent any further cracking.

Cracked Platter detail

"Threads"

"Threads", Detail

"A817"

"A817", Detail

Group of six finished platters

I still have five smaller platters to glaze along with one larger platter.  Then I will finish "Frankenpot" and the three other vessels I have been working on.

Oh Canada, Chewbacca, Xu Bing and the Mayan Calendar

Diane Landry, "Knight of Infinite Resignation"

Kim Morgan, "Range Light, Borden-Carleton, PEI 2010"

Chris Millar, "Sculpture 370H55V"

Chris Millar, "Sculpture 370H55V" Detail

Graeme Patterson, "The Mountain"

Graeme Patterson, "The Mountain", interior view

Graeme Patterson, "The Mountain", view into the mountain

Graeme Patterson, "The Mountain",  House on the left

Last week I visited the Oh, Canada exhibit at MASS MoCA.  I was quite impressed by our neighbors to the North. I have to say my favorite piece was by Graeme Patterson. As you may of guessed by the plethora of images! This work is a combination sculpture/video installation. The amount of detail and time to create this work was mind boggling! The tiny paper clip chairs, mini workshop and little drum kit rocked! Also a funny little thing was all the "trees" smelled like baby powder! Weird, but I kinda liked it!

 Other works I was drawn to were Chris Millar's "Sculpture 370H55V".  This work is comprised of quirky little objects all fused together to form a kind of floating city. A visual treat for the eye, the longer you look the more you see!

Throughout the exhibit I spotted no less than three sculptures/images of  Chewbacca from Star Wars incorporated into various works. Hmmm....interesting!

Not to be missed is Diane Landry's installation of windmill like structures made from sand-filled plastic bottles. I could of spent all day in the room watching the light play on the walls and listening to the sand shifting in the bottles. Very soothing. My only suggestion would be to put a bench in the room so visitors can enjoy it longer.
 
 Kim Morgans inside out light house sculpture is a must see. Texture, light and latex, oh my!

My suggestion is to get thee to MASS MoCA before April 8th when the show closes. As an added bonus if you go after Dec. 22 you'll get to see Xu Bing's "Phoenix".  That is assuming the ancient Mayan calendar is wrong and the world does not end on Friday...............