Coiling Big

works in sections drying in my studio

This summer I decided I wanted to build large. I think my stacker pieces from last year that I threw on the wheel were a big part of what I was thinking about when I got back into the studio this summer.

base of the first big coiled piece from this summer

The stacker pieces from last year were a great challenge and I liked making the big pieces, but coiling big is so much easier than throwing. Making these was just enjoyable and relaxing.

second section of the first sculpture in progress

I started with a coil at the outer edge of the widest bat I had and just continued coiling. My original plan was to create a three section tall piece where each section was just short enough to fit in my kiln (each about 25" tall). But I misjudged the angle of the base piece and ended up narrower than planned at the transition to the next section.

second section from the top

The wide base gave me plenty of space for adding my large bell pepper sprigs, and large hole cutter impressions. I've used these sprigs in limited appliations because of their size, but they were a good fit here.

green pepper sprigs

The first sculpture was fun, so I started a second and third at the same time. I was also throwing daily at this point and finishing a human bust to use to display 3D design work. I figured I had plenty of time, because time in the summer is wibby wobbly.

first sculpture drying

For the second piece, I decided to expand the base past the edges of my bat (because I didn't have one that was large enough). This added a bit of a challenge, as I was concerned that the curve at the bottom would tend to sag or split, but it appears to be fine.

based of second sculpture

As this piece got taller, I decided to split it into two sections. At this point, I realized that this was starting to look like a Navajo wedding vase, which wasn't my intention.

second sculpture with split

In an attempt to pull the composition away from the wedding vase form, I added some twist to the base and the next two sections. I was fairly happy with how the twists look, but as I applied the surface texture, the pressure and the added moisture started to cause some weakness near the twists, so I removed them for drying.

second sections of second sculpture with twists

I did give myself a bit of a break in that one of the third piece has holes in it instead of sprigs. My plan is to make elements later to attach to the holes. The advantage of this approach is that I can take my time on them and not have to match the drying of all the elements.

Third sculpture (two sections) in progress

The structure of this piece is pretty simple on the bottom. I had gotten a wider bat for this piece which allowed a wider start with a slow transition into the second level, and then I got silly and started pushing the limits by adding angles that were more complicated than necessary. 

two sections of third sculpture and one of the second, drying

After measuring the connection, I took the top part off. The curve in the second part was too abrupt to hold up the wet clay above it without cracking. Since I always planned to build in sections, I'm hoping the top section will hold after firing.

waiting for firings

I made things even more complicated for myself by putting a deadline on both of these forms. I needed to get these pieces done before leaving on a family trip, but I also needed to get some glazing done. When we get back, I am looking forward to spending some time on some new taller projects without a time constraint.

Cats & Busts (for classes)

Best Friend's portrait 

Even though it's fairly far outside what I normally do, I decided to sculpt some cats this year. 

the protrait nearly completed, with most of the texture in place

Partly, I chose to sculpt something because my students were sculpting solid forms on armatures during my hand-building class this winter and I wanted to create some video demos showing some techniques for creating more dynamic textures.

early in the process the focus is on getting the proportions right

Around this time, we were also having a conversation among the art faculty about making portraits of all of us as cats, though the cats I made were just cats, not art faculty as cats. Maybe later.

I used photos of our cats from various angles to check the positions, proportions, and anatomy

As long as I was creating a solid form for the texture, I figured I'd create some videos of the solid building process for my students. 

by printing out the picture, I was able to compare the angles of the sculpture to the image

I already have a set of videos of how to sculpt a head, but my students have done this solid portrait project for many years now with those videos, I know what sorts of things are missing or could be improved in the demos. I'd really like to make videos showing all sorts of portrait forms (people, animals, full-bodies, busts only) and helping with the kinds of issues students typically run into, but making all those videos as demos takes a lot of time.

after building up the basic shape, I cut away material to make the chest area look fluffy

For the first cat I made, I used a bunch of pictures of my current cats for the pose, but modeled the fur after our previous cat who had a lot softer and flufflier fur. 

I used a lot of different tools to create a variety of textures

I tried to capture, in several videos, a demonstration of how to judge the angles of the sculpture compared to the photos, how to make significant adjusments, etc. I haven't uploaded the videos yet, even though its been nearly 6 months, but I didn't have any handbuilders in spring, so there was not rush.

the fluff on the back is different fromthe front fluff

After the first cat, which was more effort to make because I was also setting up the camera and narrating my process, I made another just for fun. The second one isn't as interesting to look at, because I tried to replicate the shorter fur of the current cats, but I captured a more interesting position. However, what I didn't do was take pictures of the process (or, apparently, the finished sculpture).

the short haired cat (and reference image) in progress

After the second cat, I started wondering how different the process would be if I used coil building methods, instead of solid building. I always tell my students that solid buildin allows them to make more immediate adjustments to proportions and position to create a more convincing portrait of an animal or person, but was this even true? 

the coil-built cat (and his awkward legs)

So I used coil building techniques to sculpt a cat. Building up the basic shape went fairly well, but I truly wasn't able to make adjusments that needed to be made. The front legs were too wide, but I couldn't change them too much without losing the structure and support of the whole body. I ended up with a hole between the front and back legs.

all the spheres were wheel thrown

I ended up covering up the coil-built cat with thrown spheres. I liked the idea of the bubble cat, and I'd like to explore it again sometime, but I ran out of energy or time to complete it, which in combination with the fact that the cat's base form wasn't great, let me to abandon the project. 

eyeless bust for use as a mask display

At the end of Spring, students in my first ever 3D Design class left me with three different masks/wearable artworks. One ended up displayed on the solid portrait I made years ago for the solid building demo for my hand-building class, but the others have nothing to hold them up. I figured the easiest option was for me to just make a few simple portrait heads to display the masks on. 

two heads and a cat waiting for firing and glazing in my studio

I figure these busts don't need to look perfect, since they'll be covered with masks made by students. I was feeling pretty good about making two of these in June, but the other day I was in a shop that had CPAP masks displayed on a series of mass produced heads and I realized that my solution was more fun, but probably not literally easier or cheaper than buying something.

 

Tieton Pottery Throwdown

Edit: this event has been canceled due to the wildfire and smoke in the area.

Coming up on Saturday, July 27 in Tieton, WA, I will be emceeing the 3rd Annual Tieton Pottery Throwdown on the square from 2-4pm. This is a friendly pottery throwing competition featuring local artists and students. There's still time to sign up to compete; just let me know before the competition. You can bring your own clay and tools or borrow ours.

Each year the associated events in Tienton day seem to grow. This year there is a ceramics show at Boxx Gallery an outdoor art fair with over 20 artists on the square, as well as a tagsale and a vintage trailer rally. 

If you don't want to compete, you can just come watch the competition. I wasn't able to attend last year, but I judged (and kind of emceed) the first year. We gave awards for the tallest piece, the best matching set, the most interesting decoration, and most exprssive use of the wheel. 

The first year, a group of young kids really enjoyed watching the potters up close and personal. We can't guaranteed the view from that close will keep everyone clean, but it will be fun!

Amanda Ontiveros throwing duringthefirst (photo from Boxx Gallery's Facebook page)

The Throwdown is based loosly on the BBC's The Great Pottery Throwdown, which Americans can watch on Max. The materials are supplied by Yakima Valley College's Ceramics Program, with wheels, setup, and advertising from Boxx Gallery and Mighty Tieton.  I hope to see you there!

my favorite award from last year

 

Blogging (& Studio) Break

I’ve been away from blogging for quite a while. I haven’t been away from the studio for quite as long, but I did take a studio break as well. I had been feeling overwhelmed and decided to say “no” to some of the things that were complicating my life. In May, and early June, I felt like I simply couldn't get it all done.

work in progress from this summer

The studio break may have been necessary, but I’m not sure it was exactly good. Towards the end of spring quarter, I noticed I was feeling down and a bit blue. Maybe that's the normal feeling when the academic year is wrapping up or maybe that's the normal feeling when things have been very busy for a while, but when I got back into my home studio, my mood was immediately buoyed. I think the personal studio time is, in itself, something the lifts my mood and calms some of my frustrations.

one of the sculptures I abandoned in May

Because of when I ran out of energy and began my studio hiatus, I lost two sculptures in progress. I knew I would lose them and when I decided to step back from the studio, and both were already causing me some trouble. Wet clay won't tolerate a long break, as clay dries over time and attachments have to happen when the clay is wet enough to accept them.

thrown spheres fresh off the wheel

One piece I lost was a cat sculpture with balloons or bubbles attached all over the surface. Though I worked on the cat for weeks, I had never gotten around to finishing its face. The easiest way to make uniform spheres was to throw them on the wheel. Wheel thrown attachments complicated the drying time management and planning. I needed to throw the spheres, then let them dry up a bit before attaching, meaning I couldn't throw and attach them in one sitting. By late April, I was having trouble fitting the studio time in regularly enough to throw and attach them before they dried too much.

the cat bubble sculpture

The other piece I sacrificed was a sculpture with extruded surface decorations. By the time I abandonded it, I had already stretched the working (and drying) time too long and some of the attachments were starting to crack. I tried, half-heartedly, to repair the cracks, but the whole thing wasn't really done to my satisfaction anyway.

the unfinished extruder surface sculpture

After my break, I returned to the studio to uncover the bone dry works in progress. I started my summer studio time by smashing and slaking the pieces and cleaning up the wooden bats (the wooden disks under the pieces) where the long contact with damp clay had grown some mold.

breaking up the abandoned sculptures

Of course, not spending time in my home studio didn't mean I didn't spend time in a studio (or two). I taught a stacked set of 3 clay classes (meaning all 3 met at the same time), and a new-to-me 3D design class. This quarter was also the first time I taught any class in the Design studio of the "new" Palmer Martin building (which we've been in since 2015).

underglaze test project begun last year

I was very excited about the 3D design class and had a blast, but, as I basically wrote the entire class during the quarter while I was teaching it, it took a lot of time and effort to create the structure, the preparation assignments, the project expectations and examples, as well as to teach the class and give feedback on all the work.  I had a delightful group of students, which I'm sure helped the class run as smoothly as it did, but I didn't feel like I had a spare moment to breathe or think, let alone work on side projects or write about the experience in real time. I plan to share images of work from these students, but I just haven't gotten around to making it happen.

first large summer work in progress

With my teaching responsilibities and my union responsilibilities, I felt like a significant part of this year I was teetering on the edge of "burn out" (or just plain overwhelm). I find that writing about my experience in the studio, projects I'm working on, classes and assignments I'm teaching, or even my experience of cancer treatment helps both to calm me and to help me work through how I'm feeling. Writing helps me understand what's working (or not), and puts things in perspective in a way I find helpful.  

under the plastic is the second section of this two part piece

Unfortunately,  I haven't been able to write about some of the things that are foremost in my mind this year (or really over the past several years). The trickiest problems, or the most frustrating projects that have my time and attention recently have been related to my union job. There's a lot I can't share publically about ongoing union stuff, which means that I can't sit down and just write a blog post to work it all out.

 

the first section mostly done and the top section in progress

As the spring quarter came to an end, I spent some time journaling about some of the things that were making me feel less good or were taking up my mental and emotional energy.  The process of writing about it did help improve my mood, though I don't doubt that the end of the quarter also helped.

sprigs from a bell pepper and oval impressions from a hole cutter

As the quarter ended, I had a long list of things I'd like to do for my classes, including adding video demos for the 3D printer and for my intermediate students, organizing my YouTube Channel for my student demo videos, and reformulating a glaze that has been causing us some trouble in the studio of late. However, as I contemplated my list after submitting final grades, I realized that this list represented a ton of effort and a ton of mental energy that I didn't really have.

bottom of tall piece, in progress (again)

I am not able to set aside the union work, as bargaining is continuing into summer, and other issues that require my attention don't really stop for summer. I not able to fully stop doing my faculty work, even though I am officially "off contract" in the summer, as I have to prepare for fall, but I can draw a line between the necessary and the "would be nice. In this case, the video demo/organizizing and glaze projects honestly sounds more like a sabbatical proposal than a summer undertaking, especially when the prospect of tackling it just exhausts me. In order to sustain my energy in the fall-spring, I need to take a metal break in the summer.

"Save the Date" postcard for our Labor Day show (card design by Chris Otten)

All this to say, I think the break from the blog and from the studio was important, but now the break from the other stuff is important. This summer I've been working on projects that really don't have any particular "goal."  Our faculty show in January was great, but I don't have another show lined up immediately. I and my YVC Art & Photo colleagues will be participating in the Labor Day Art Tour, but as I keep reminding us all, our goal is to hang out with our friends and visit, with no particular pressure to sell or even have new work (we all need a break). 

back of our Labor Day show card (avatar design by Kayo Nakamura)

Since mid June, I've been making large new work, and I'm having fun, but I'll save the details for another day's post or I'll never get around to publishing this one.