Slip-Casting and Hand Building in February

The last couple of weeks have been filled with slip-casting and while I am still involved heavily with it, I felt it was time to get back to hand building some new work.  I really enjoy both processes, but with hand building I feel I have a more personal touch with the material.  Pictured first are some slip-cast bottles that I am making to go with a wall piece (the gears, not pictured), and the other photographs show the earthenware "Jackhammer", that I am building with slabs, pinch-pot method, and press-molds.  I know traditionally sculptures are made from the ground up, but in some cases I have found it to be easier to build upside down for certain sculptures due to scale and weight issues.  This is the case with this sculpture, so i thought I would post some pictures to better illustrate this.

Slip-Casting in February

Recently I've been trying to finish up a wall piece that I've been working on and off for about a year.  I also have been slip-casting a couple of forms for two other pieces that I am working on as well.  I'm hoping to load up a bisque firing this weekend, and hopefully I will get some more forms slip-cast.  I also will have to finish up weathering the other forms I'm still working on.  Pictured are some of the forms for the wall piece, which are undergoing the "weathering" process, as well as a bottle form to go along with another wall piece, and finally the other slip-cast parts to create a small sculpture, which I plan on creating multiples of, for a different piece.

New Sculptures 2012

I just wanted to post a few pictures of some of my new work, that I've been working on for my Thesis.  I had been really busy trying to finish up these pieces, so I could add them to my portfolio.  I'm still working on two other larger pieces for my thesis work and still have some new work to create this semester as well.  At the moment I have a kiln firing some of the pieces I will need for both of those pieces, that are still in progress.  I hopefully will one of those pieces finished in a week or two. 

I developed the glazes for the "track" part and the respirator mask when I was taking glaze calculation last semester.  The glazes are all low-fire (cone 06).  The blue and orange piece was finished with cold glazes.

Works in progress-January 2012

I know it's been some time since I last posted to my blog, but it is the last semester of Graduate School and time management has been one of the most important aspects for getting the work done that I will need for my thesis exhibition.  On top of all the regular day to day grind as a graduate student, it is approaching that time to also look at the options after this phase of my education.  So with that in mind, I've been working on numerous pieces and developing glazes for my work.  The glaze calculation and materials class, which I took last semester, has really helped me in developing my own glazes and starting to now take advantage of that research.  There are still tests I am doing since I am using two different clay bodies for my work, but the results are more understandable to what is happening with the materials involved. 

The images posted are a representation of just a few of the things I have been doing the last couple of weeks.  

Under Construction-update of progress

On my second day back in the studio I continued working on this piece and tried to refine it with specific details and additions using the pinch pot method and small slabs.  I have to get back in the studio to finish up some more details, but it's pretty much ready to continue drying slowly until the bisque firing. 

Under Construction

At the end of the semester I had a few pieces that I was working on at multiple stages.  These pictures show a piece I am working on at the moment.  After returning from visiting family, I was hoping to get back on this piece, but the University had to shut down power to run electrical tests.  The power should be back on tomorrow and I'm looking forward to finishing up this piece.  I haven't figured out a "title",  for the piece, but that's the least of my thoughts at the moment.  I'll post new pictures of the piece tomorrow, when I can get back in the studio.  This piece is entirely hand built using an earthenware clay body and slabs.  I've used some press molded additions as well, with the "bolts and screws".

New sculpture-"Manual Labor", December 2011

Pictured here is the piece titled, "Manual Labor", which is hand built, using terra cotta and fired to cone 6.  This piece is actually a mixed media piece consisting of terra cotta, steel, wood, and pvc.  The red "gears" in the background are completely terra cotta and hand carved to create the teeth look of the outer form of the "gear".  The surface consists of a mid-fire glaze and cold glazes.  I created a patina on the chain using a non-toxic citrus and vinegar solution.