A Long Delay: Work in Progress

The new top, finished building, on its support base

Years and years ago, I started a sculpture that I never finished. After my SRAM project that turned into my sabbatical project, I had trouble finding the time to complete these more complex pieces in one summer.

The dusty base on the shelf of incompletes

I started this piece in 2017, but at that time I didn't build the part that would attach to the top opening, or perhaps my plans for that section simply changed over time. The piece is sitting on my shelf of parts that don't yet make up a complete sculpture. The dust either shows how long the work has been sitting, or maybe just shows how much remodeling has been ongoing in the house this year.

The base, started in 2017, waiting for its top

I have been meaning to finish this piece for quite a while, but have wavered between different ideas for some time. I considered putting a spinning wheel on top, but the size and weight weren't quite right.

The built top before the texture was completed

This spring, when I squeezed in some build time, the incomplete sculpture was visible for the first time when I had some work time, so I decided to work on it. Remodeling my home studio means that it also got a thorough cleaning and not all the work that came out was brought back in. What I did bring back in, I arranged so that I could better tell what stage everything was at. The unfinished pieces that I still want to to finish are all together on the bottom shelf.

An estimate of how the top will be attached

I have felt like building similar shapes so far this summer, forms that start narrow, lean or twist to one side, then end with a bulbous form. This is a familiar shape to me, but I'm experimenting a bit more than usual with the angles and how they twist or lean.

the asymmetrical base to balance the asymmetrical top

For this little piece, I built in too much of a lean from the start. Coupled with a narrow base, this meant the piece took a tumble partway through building. This may not have been helped by my multitasking while I was working on it.

one of the sprigs, dented from where it hit the banding wheel or table as it fell

After it fell off the banding wheel and I dove to catch it (it took a hit on the side of the table, but didn't smash on the floor), I decided to make a base to keep it level throughout the rest of the building and firing.

the base has a bump inside to hold the sculpture in place

I'm not worried about its stability after firing because it isn't meant to stand on the table, so the base I created is temporary and doesn't really need to be pretty. It has worked pretty well so far through building, bisque, the first underglaze layer and the second bisque firing.

the large bulb on the top positioned above the tall part of the support base to keep it stead

I also played with a new tool for this project. Earlier in the spring I purchased several small stamps and a set of different sizes of ball stylus. This set has some larger balls than I'm used to using. I used the large and medium sizes to create the background textures in these pieces. The springs are from my extensive collection of handmade sprigs.

ball stylus and sprig texture

Right now this piece has gone through the first four or five steps in its making and decorating. I built it, bisqued it, applied the first layers of underglaze, bisque fired it again, and have partially applied the second layer of underglaze. Next it will be glazed and fired again, then it can be attached to the sculpture.

the sculpture piece won't stand on its own without the base