Finished Sculpture, Two Years in the Making

new sculpture finished summer 2017

I finished some sculpture this summer, finally. I started on this particular piece in 2016.

the same piece in 2016

The delays for this particular piece started with needing a bigger kiln, since it wouldn't fit in the one I had at the start of 2016. I didn't get it bisqued until the end of last summer. I did all the under glazing and glaze firing early this summer. Late in the summer I repaired the crack and started attaching the bike parts.

reverse side of sculpture

The best thing about this sculpture, from my perspective, is that the blue parts attached to the bottom each spin on a bearing.The spinning parts attach to the base with different lengths of "stem." which makes for some oddly proportioned photographs when I was documenting the work. Overall I'm happier with the piece in person than in the photographs, but I think I have some that capture the sense of the piece.

awkward angle

Small Sculpture and Cracking Glaze

this sculpture with two others in 2015

I've been working on a couple pieces of sculpture since 2015. I built them in 2015, applied underglaze in 2016, but couldn't finish them until this year, maybe, because their surfaces are causing me an unusual amount of trouble.

the first layer of underglaze in 2016

The one that has caused me the most trouble is a simple vertical sculpture with three bulb shaped attachments. There's no problem with the structure itself, but I could not get underglaze to stay put. When I first applied underglaze, it seemed fine. I fired it in place, but when I went to apply a second coat of a contrasting color, the first coat started to crack off.

two layers of slip cracking off

I can't remember fired underglaze cracking off any other work I've done besides this sculpture and another made at the same time. Generally, if glaze or underglaze won't stick to a surface it is because there is wax, grease, or dust on the surface, but none of those substances should survive firing and scrubbing. I picked off the underglaze that was cracking and scrubbed the whole pot before reapplying another layer of underglaze, but after a second firing, that too cracked off in multiple places. 

slip cracking off

At some point in 2016, I got mad and just covered the whole thing with throwing slip. I didn't expect this to solve the problem, but I was annoyed and didn't want to look at the piece anymore. The throwing slip cracked too, of course.

 
wet slip (you can see the circles of underglaze through the slip) and dry, cracking slip from 2016

This year, I decided to wash off the slip and see if there was anything to be done for the piece. Bits of hard, fired underglaze were still cracking off and where they cracked, they left a sharp edge and change in thickness that would show up through a new coat of underglaze. 

grinding off the underglaze

I decided to use a wire wheel to grind off as much underglaze as I could. Grinding off the underglaze was satisfying but messy. Mostly the underglaze cracked off, sometimes it required grinding, and in one section, the red underglaze was adhered so well that grinding didn't budge it--at least the amount of grinding time I was willing to commit didn't budge it.

the red that wouldn't grind off

At the tight corners, the wire brush was too thick to reach the underglaze. As it wasn't cracking, I decided to leave it alone. The transition between the raised level of the underglaze and the raw ceramic was more gentle than where the underglaze cracked off, so I guessed the depth change wouldn't show through the next layer of underglaze.

the wire brushed sculpture

I kind of like the ground texture of the raw ceramic. The sand and grog has become visible as the smooth ceramics surface was ground away. The rougher texture makes the surface look like cement, but the overall result doesn't feel like something I had much control over. The hard-to-reach crevices show up purple and blue and the hard, irregular red section looks out of place.

the wire brushed surface

I decided to reapply a red underglaze over the body and purple over the already purple bulb/leaf shapes and just fire it with a gloss over the top of everything. The piece is now "finished." It doesnt' appear to be cracking, but neither is it all that exciting to look at. Though a lot simpler than many of my other pieces, its surface required much more effort than what shows up in the piece now.

the "finished" piece from 2015

As I was getting pictures ready for this post, I pulled the masking tape off of the other vertical sculpture from 2015 (seen in back right of the first picture in this post). I had masking tape in place to hold on a bike part I had epoxied in place to complete the piece. When I pulled off the masking tape, it pulled a cracked section of glaze and underglaze off the surface of the sculpture. Sigh.

glaze cracks show up (today!) in the other sculpture from 2015

Finishing Sculpture from Last Summer

Building

Last summer, I started building two large sculptures but ran out of summer work time before I could finish them. I was able to build the sculptures last summer and bisque them, once I got a new kiln. They waited patiently in my studio until June of this year when I was able to begin applying color.

the sculpture in progress in 2016

Planning Attachments

Last summer, while I was building, I planned to attach bike parts to both sculptures. I had been thinking about moving parts for some time and I knew I wanted to try incorporating small scale moving parts positioned like leaves on the stem of the taller plant form.

placing bike parts in their planned location

The bike parts themselves incorporate bearings and have a nice smooth spinning motion. Last year, I had thrown some round shapes on the wheel with the intention of using them on top of bike pieces roughly this size. I epoxied these round forms onto bike parts. Inside these forms I attached found objects and fired ceramic pieces to add visual interest and to hold up the "stamen" of the "flower."

spinning bike parts with ceramic toppers

Underglazing and Glazing

The underglazing process for this sculpture, like all my underglazing processes, took a ridiculously long time because I layer at least two colors on each part of the sculpture.

first layer of underglaze in the kiln

For this sculpture, I first applied green underglaze to the "stem" or "trunk" of the plant, yellow to the gear sprigs, and purple to the closed and open forms on top of the sculpture. I bisque fired these first underglaze colors in place, then applied off-white into the texture of the stem and red on the gear sprigs, interiors, and indents of the top forms. There are a few more colors applied and layered on the sprigs that are almost hidden inside the circle formed by the top forms.

 
first and second layers of underglaze in progress

Applying the red on the top forms was most difficult where the forms butted up against one another. It took me several days and I had to wipe off glaze and reapply several times. Finally, once everything was fired to my satisfaction, I applied gloss glaze on the top forms and the sprigs.

underglaze and glaze finished

Repairs

Last summer, during the drying process, a small but noticeable crack developed between the two top sections. The crack was probably due to the heavy weight of the two top sections pulling down on either branch of the stem. I noticed it before the form was completely dry and tried to save it by adding clay and using fabric to put the two sides in traction. 

bracing the sculpture to try to prevent cracking

The repair didn't wholly fix the problem and I was left with a small crack between the two branches. After the last glaze firing, I mixed up some epoxy paste and pressed it into the crack. Once the epoxy set, I mixed some acrylic paint and painted the epoxy to match the underglaze.

epoxy on the crack 

The seam isn't noticeable at first glance, but I plan to further hide the repair by painting a matching off-white paint into the impressed texture to match the design elsewhere on the sculpture.

painted crack

Attachments

After all the glazing and repair was complete, I finished attaching the blue flower shapes (a.k.a. "end caps") to their non-ceramic elements and then attached those to the sculpture itself. 

toppers (a.k.a. end caps) before being attached

I had built round shapes sticking out of the sculpture to which these bike pieces would be attached.

the round part onto which the bike part attaches

One major challenge was applying the epoxy so that it stuck to the interior of the bike part but did not stick to the outside that was supposed to move.

epoxy applied

While the epoxy set, the attachments had to be held in place with masking tape. Only three of the six attachments are set as of this writing, but all three of those spin freely. The others are setting with tape in place.

toppers being held in place while epoxy sets

My goal for September is to take some quality images of this finished sculpture and possibly finish the other large piece as well.

a funny angle on the almost-finished work

Glaze Firing with Oddballs

Last weekend I had a chance to do some glazing and firing at my home studio for the first time since summer.

newly glazed lidded forms

I had a couple pieces that I had glazed this summer but never got a chance to fire. Actually, I forgot them when I was loading the last glaze firing. I also had a few pieces I had made late in the summer and hadn't glazed until last weekend.

glazed oddballs before firing

All seven pieces were fired to cone 6 in a small kiln load. I glazed them with the same glazes and approach as much of the functional work I did this summer. The forgotten mug was a "storytelling" mug from the series I did earlier this year.

storyteller mug

For the newly glazed pieces, I didn't go to all the trouble of doing storytellers. I just did some simple slip trailed decorations so that I could finish them before December. I added some color on the handles for a little change. Both the simple slip trailed pieces and storytellers are at Oak Hollow gallery for the Holiday show. 

a couple of mugs

Among the oddballs was a funny little teapot I think I made in the summer of 2015. I hardly ever make teapots (a fact made fairly clear by looking at the teapot). I was describing to my daughter what it was I liked about this teapot and she pointed out that what I like is the mug. The lid is an odd shape, too wide and quite possibly made for something else. The opening of the spout is too wide and the spout itself is a little low. The teapot is quite small, and a funny shape for a mug, but also a funny shape for a teapot.

oddball teapot

I like the glazing of the body, specifically what I did with the spout. Usually I make teapot pieces during class but get too distracted helping students to actually finish my own teapots. I could certainly use some practice, but I don't get very excited about the form, so it's tough to make myself practice making them when I am home. It is tough to find time to finish such a complex form at work (Seriously, I can finish bowls and the occasional mug, but something that takes more than two steps usually takes more time than I can manage at school--without shirking my teaching or grading duties.)

pitcher plants with underglaze, in progress

Though I haven't gotten them to a kiln yet, I also continued under glazing some sculpture from this summer. These pieces still need a second and third coat of the red and something in the interior, plus a few touch ups on the blue. Estimated time for completing these pieces is probably well into 2017.

Art Exhibition Receptions TODAY & next week

 

The Central Washington Artists' Exhibition opens at Larson Gallery from 3-5pm today. I have four works in the exhibition and according to the call I received yesterday, I will win an award for one of them.

functional work at Larson Gallery's CWAE

The Central Washington Artists' Exhibition runs today through December 3. The reception usually has good food, so I hope to see you there. Larson Gallery is on the YVC campus on the corner of Nob Hill Boulevard and 16th Avenue.

sculpture at Larson Gallery's CWAE

Oak Hollow's holiday show opens next week with a reception Saturday, November 12 from noon until 4pm today. Oak Hollow Gallery is in the Chalet Place Mall at 5631 Summitview Ave. The gallery is up the little hill from Starbucks, a couple of doors over from Wray's.

I have functional work in the Oak Hollow Gallery for the holidays. I just brought new work in last week, so if you've been to the gallery in the last year, this is new stuff. Prices are low, lots of artists, stock up for holiday gifts or those November/December birthdays.

Bowls from this summer, at Oak Hollow's Art for the Holidays show.

And if you meant to buy or see the work at the Boxx Gallery last month, you're in luck because I brought the pieces that didn't sell in Tieton to Oak Hollow. (Also opening today, John Barany's show at Boxx Gallery in Tieton.)

More functional work from this summer, at Oak Hollow.

And if you were hoping to buy work that has been at Oak Hollow for a few months, call or e-mail and you can buy direct from the artist.

A Little Time To Glaze

Today I had a little time to apply underglaze.

I did the first layer of underglaze on these 7 pitcher plant forms.

I am teaching online this quarter, for the first time since 2008, and the online format just sucks up all available time, making it tough to get into the studio.

They were a little dusty, so I washed them first so the underglaze would stick.

Earlier this month, I used my tiny bit of weekend time to clean the studio, something it needs badly once the summer ends and the academic year begins.

This is how clean is defined in my studio (the carpets are clean) and there's room on some tables.

This Saturday I used an hour and a half to start some underglazing. It felt good, though I don't have a great deal to show for it.

I will need to wash the extra underglaze off the gear sprigs before I apply a contrasting color.

A reasonable goal might be to underglaze enough stuff for a kiln load this fall. Maybe I could even finish a piece this winter.