A Studio of My Own

I can't believe it's done!  I mean constructed.  My deadline was the upcoming Elmira Studio Tour on October 2nd and 3rd.  I promise the paint won't be wet but the smell may linger.  It's all good.  We'll toast some s'mores in the kiln and let the sweet scent of marshmallows and chocolate take over.  I'm itching to finish up the painting and move in.  Of course, I am still on the hunt for a mid-size electric kiln.  Perhaps, if you build it, the kiln will come.

Adam cleared his schedule and got down to work a day after I called.    He, along with occasional help from my fellow potter and teaching accomplice, Christian, built me two walls, installed seven new basement windows and two doors as well as wired in six lights and ten outlets.  The walls required some creative rerouting of duct work which also left me with more head room and heat in my studio.

Working conditions were not optimal since the old windows had been nailed shut and there was only one outlet to begin with.  Did I mention we live near the river?  Yes, the one that flooded our neighborhood in 1972.  As the walls were hammered into place thick chunks of flood mud would bounce out of the joists.  It coated the walls as well.  I briefly considered firing a piece in the kiln to see if it had any potential as a glaze but soon concluded I just wanted it gone.  I know there is plenty more in the rafters of the garage if I really want to try it one of these days.

I'll post some finish photos soon when I stop blogging and get back to painting.

What's in your trunk?

The morning sun shines into my trunk as I collect my wet sculptures for their trip to the kiln in Corning.  I love these guys.  They're so fun to make.

The kids want to put more downspouts on the house so we can have one of each animal.  Usually our frog is under the Hydrangea and the fish is on the street side of the house where he does double duty as a chipmunk home when it's not raining. In the winter the fish is very cute too with a drool icicle and a snow mohawk on his fin.

These first two were sculpted from a solid block of clay for a Gargoyle class I taught.  The best part is scooping out the guts.  I should have a good collection of critters available at the studio tour and again in the spring time at Handwork in Ithaca, NY.

Working with the Figure

Spent the month in Alfred working on figure pieces for an October show in Corning.  It was beyond amazing.  A little weird at first to be back at my alma mater and such a time warp when you see old colleagues there in that tiny little town who look almost younger. Then once you get back into your work you forget the past 12 years of your life and it's like you never graduated.  I guess that's why I started sculpting my children.  Maybe I missed them a little too.

Olive is a life-size kore figure complete with archaic smile and Abel is a trophy bust.  The two of them set the scene for our family's real life centaurmachy which is captured in a series of ceramic tiles in the style of the Hellenistic temple metopes.  I'll post more on the exhibition as the date gets closer.

Think Spring

Despite the foot of snow outside, our biggest storm of the year, it is spring in the studio. I am soaking up the extra hours of daylight and slathering on a thick coat of porcealin slip to brighten up my floral designs. The colors are cheerful and the patterns are lush. If you look closely you'll even notice a new and improved clear glaze! Now my greens are fresh and vivid.

New work is available at Handwork in Ithaca and Cappy's in Elmira.

Still trying to launch a web page so I can show more of my work. How is it that I can sit for hours in the studio tediously painting layers of colors but get anxious and overwhelmed the moment I sit in front of the computer.

Kiln vs. Furnace

I lost.  Surely the Olympic Oval Kiln Model No. 2527 with max. 2300 degrees firing capacity and programmable computer could just as efficiently heat our modest home as our new Ducane Furnace.  The Federal Tax Credit and the rebate from NYSEG save us a lot of money but put my plans on hold a while longer.

My daughter also reminded me we NEED to go to Florida for Auntie's wedding in April before I may buy a kiln.

The upside is that the new duct work in the basement will provide more head clearance when and if I do begin working down there.

New Gallery

Handwork Gallery in Ithaca, New York is an artist owned cooperative of which I have recently been approved for membership.  All high quality handmade goods, pottery, stained glass, knits, jewelry, watercolors, weavings,  wood work and more. Convenient location too, just off the commons on State Street.

I am looking forward to selling lots, meeting the other member artists and getting out of Elmira twice per month.  Actually, my first day in the store I sold two of my own pieces. What a thrill!  Not to mention I'm learning retail and picking up some real job skills.

A Better Way to Wax

Discovered a better way to wax. As I combine more decorating effects I've had to create a wax boundary between hand painted elements and the dipped glaze. The peony flowers on these vases were painted with clay slip and under glaze when the vessel was still green or leather hard. The petals have a dimensional texture that was created by impressing into the wet slab while it was flat. The clay is then rolled into a cylinder and more volume is given to the flower head with gentle pressure from the inside out. The decorative trim at the bottom employs wax to resist areas of glaze.

That reminds me I should try to find a source for Forbes wax. It is different than the wax I use pre-firing. Thinner in consistency and very fluid for brushing on bisqued clay. Currently, there is a half full jug at the arts center.