Thursday, February 12, 2009

Furled Bark Sculptures

Furled-Bark-Sclupture-One
Perhaps you remember my previous post about faux bois, false wood. I've been working on some more sculptures with a woodland theme. I am also continuing my experimentation with mason stains. This time I'm using them full strength rather than mixing them with slip. I am, however, diluting the stains with water so I can paint, rub, and incorporate them into the clay.

Furled-Bark-Sculpture-Two
I've made three Furled Bark Sculptures which were inspired by eucalyptus bark litter I observed walking through a grove at the ocean around the holidays. I've mixed the mason stain with water and I am hoping to fire these without any glaze and let the stain be the only colorant. I think I diluted the stain a little too much on the last one. I am finding I need a scrap piece of clay nearby to test the intensity of the mason stain, before I put it directly on the sculpture.

I like the color on the first one best, especially the dark outer bark which contrasts nicely with the inside. I think I will add more color to the outside of the other two tomorrow. Hopefully I will be able to add it without ruining them. I really find I can 'see' the work much better if I photograph it and look at it later. I just noticed these three sculptures look very similar, I want to work on making future ones more random, which was my original intent.

Furled-Bark-Sculpture-Three
Tomorrow I plan on making a few tiles to do some more experimenting with various methods of staining the clay to compile results for future use. My previous sculptures are quite dry now and I am hoping to bisque them within the week to see the results. Then in a week or so I will bisque these bark sculptures along with the test tiles I'll be making. I know I'm probably doing this backwards, but sometimes I just can't wait to try something. So I am considering these Furled Bark Sculptures rather large test tiles.

9 comments:

  1. Is it a compliment if I say these look as if they were picked up right out of the woods! I love wood and trees and leaves- these are great.
    M

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  2. Wow... my whole idea of what a test tile looks like just changed. Am looking forward to seeing how they turn out.

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  3. Hi Meredith, yes that is a compliment, thank you so much, I am going to try and make some more but more gnarly looking.

    Hi Amy, I usually try to make my test tiles with a little texture, but eucalyptus bark is smooth. I might have to try some willow bark next. I can't wait to fire these either to see what the color does.

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  4. Oh, my gosh Linda, these look so real!
    Some artists in Alaska like to replicate Birch bark in paintings, raku etc. I think Nature's textures can be so inspiring.

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  5. When I walk in the park i see this bark everywhere and have often thought they would make good subject for some interesting work. I like what you are doing with them. Have fun exploring.

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  6. Hi Gary, thanks, I am hoping they look a similar color after firing.

    Hi Cindy, thanks so much. I am trying hard to capture the reality of the bark and I am commmitted to developing a palette I like for this work.

    Hi Mary, thanks, I love walking under the eucalyptus trees, the fragrance is so wonderful. I am looking at nature in a whole new light since I've been working with what's becoming a woodland series.

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  7. The way you made the bottom edges kind of curl in on themselves look like they just unfurled from the trunk. Are these stains painted or rubbed into the clay? I have that same problem with being impatient when I have an idea for something.

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  8. Hi Barbara, thanks the eucalyptus bark comes off the trunk and curls up when it starts to dry. Yes, I painted some of the stain directly onto the clay and then rubbed it a bit. These are BMix. I made two more yesterday using Soldate 60 clay. I want to see how the stains react after firing on two different clay bodies.

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