Closing in on the End: More Epoxy and More Firing

It is with exhilaration and exhaustion that I near the end of my sabbatical work time. I am planning to be done working on Friday so I can spend time with family, but I may spend some time finishing up (and packing the work) after the holidays and before my show is installed on January 3. In case you wanted to come see the show, Biomorph opens January 6 at Esvelt Gallery in Pasco, WA.

This week has been one of putting stuff together. I have about six multi-part pieces in some stage of being epoxied together. None are completely finished, though at least two will be tomorrow when the epoxy is set.

early sketch for red and blue gear piece

This first one is pretty similar to the sketch in the end. I haven't added on very many of the bike part decorations on the outside because they can always be attached with fast drying epoxy if need be.

tape holding on metal part while epoxy sets

I had to epoxy this piece on two different days because it has so many twists and turns and I can't use tape to secure each piece as the epoxy sets. I ended up putting stuff under the edge of each section so that the gear would be level. I supported the pieces with clay, foam, jars and gear stacks while they set.

gear stacks holding base level while epoxy sets

The pieces should be ready to put entirely together tomorrow after the epoxy sets.

base and top sections help up with a bag of flosser and some underglaze bottles and tape while epoxy sets

The other gear stack piece wasn't as difficult to put together. The pieces mostly stacked straight up so I could put several together at once.  

early sketches for this piece (top right of sketch) and fired piece before epoxy

I had to attach the gear stack underneath the top section (all the red pieces were built attached to each other) and let that set before putting the whole section on top.

two gear stacks (they look like one) being epoxied to top red piece

Because of the angle of the top attachment, I have leaned the piece against a pedestal so that it won't shift as the epoxy sets.

the whole thing being gently held in place by a pedestal

The first multi-part piece I built this summer should be mostly ready tomorrow. This piece is based on bike parts left over from my SRAM project last summer.

early sketch for this and other pieces

SRAM bike part held in future position

I epoxied the elements together on three separate days because there are so many pieces: eight orange pieces, eight small pieces, four metal parts on the base and two large black pieces. I taped the small pieces together as the epoxy set.

glazed and fired bike parts (that's a new orange under glaze)

tape holding on bulbs while epoxy sets

Today the whole piece is resting on its side with a long bolt and gravity holding the metal arms in place as the epoxy sets. I'm not allowed in the studio tonight because I might bump the piece.

finished piece (plus masking tape) upside down