It took me a long time to get back in the swing, but I am back to glazing. I mixed or remixed all my glazes that have been sitting since June. The glazes settle out and also have things starting to grow in them when they sit undisturbed for any amount of time. There are a lot more glazes than shown here. Two or three days.
I layed out a number of my tile panels that are next to be glazed. These six pasnels are all poplar tree panels. I know these panels will be great! I laid them out then did not feel confident of my glazing. So they are on hold until I glaze up a dozen other pieces. That will sharpen my eye for the process. On top of that, I decided to give all these panels and an additional four poplar pots a new look in that I am going to glaze them with evening and sunset colors. That involves running a few test kiln loads- two days- of new glaze colors before I get the eye for the color. You will see more of these panels in future updates. I have also spent a couple days working on the frames for some of the panels. They are really time consuming in that it involves new materials, tools, space and skills. I probably already have a couple weeks and 500 bucks in the frames and I am still a long way off from a finished product.
I also have a "commission" that involves making processes I don't usually get involved in. That is because of the volume. Anyway, I am pursing this particular process and it will involve making more of one piece than I ever have done before. Ten days. And that is ten days before I even start making the pieces. Making and glazing will involve weeks. Once again, I had to make a second original model for this project. I blew the first one. Seems lately that I have to do everything twice to get it right. Perhaps I should say "just right." Because the second attempt is always better. A couple more days.
In order to make the molds for that project, I decided to assemble a vacumn chamber to deliver me better molds. This device will suck the air bubbles out of plaster and rubber used to make molds. It just gives me better quality from the getgo. Three days and $300.
I am tickled to once again have Aaron working in the studio.
Here is an oil clay original for my second "proverb" tile. These are words that I live by. I like to think that thinking this way encourages both individaulity and at the same time tolerance for other's views and directions. That is why most of the proverb tiles say something like "Buy this for your children" on the back. I made the first tile in the series last year and only one person bought one. (Thank you , Greg. May you be light years ahead of all other collectors!) Normally, if something does not sell, it does not get made. I have, however, decided to proceed making these regardless of demand. Perhaps the next tile will be something like: "Things look different in twenty years." Two days. Just as an aside, I blew this original when I poured my first mold and had to make another- better- original. Two more days.
I spent a week or more glazing and reglazing some pots.
This is a great oak tree piece.
A red onion vase. This is the thinest, lightest vase I have ever made.
These are two loser pots that have been around the studio a couple years and have been glazed three times so for. If you follow my site closely, you have seen them before. Anyway, suddenly I have high hopes for these pots. I see possibilities after this firing that I didn't see before. (Hmmmm, sound like I can make a tile out of that thought.)
A beautiful matt green chive pot.
And a life size self-portrait.
Pretty close huh?
Now all the pots that I just showed you are going to be reglazed- head included. There go a couple more days. But I'll get them right. JUST RIGHT!