Saturday, June 9, 2012

Woven Sculpture

Woven Sculpture
white stoneware, cone 6
11 h x 6.25 w x 4 w inches
acrylic and stains

Have you ever been in a home where one of the windows was stuck closed?  One of those old houses where years of paint have built up and the sash is painted shut. You try to open it and just can't get it to budge, so you forget about it for a while but in the back of your mind you know the window is stuck and you really want to open it. So frustrating.

You, my readers, have nudged me to open such a window. This was one of the first baskets I tried to weave and it crumpled into a mass. Several of you said I should fire it anyway. I discarded all the other baskets that crumpled, but I placed this one in this last firing. And I decided not to glaze it. In the back of my mind I planned to paint it so all sides of the piece would have a color, have a patina. I really wanted the piece to look like metal but for it to be ceramic.

Please tell me if you didn't know this was ceramic would you think it was metal? In person it really does look like metal to me. I like the idea of this piece fooling the eye. I plan to make a wood, marble, or granite base for the piece to stand on. Something heavy enough to keep it weighted on the bottom. So I'll be figuring out about making the base over the next several weeks. It's really hard to photograph. I may try again tomorrow in daylight. It's been raining so much I didn't have an opportunity to take a better photo showing the true patina.

Anyway I'm really excited about exploring this new direction. This has opened up a whole new way of thinking about ceramics and what I can do with clay. You know how I love hand building and making sculptural forms and I can't wait to delve into this area further. Thanks so much for your encouragement and comments.

10 comments:

  1. Yep, this could be the beginning of a beautiful series. It's great looking the way it does, and I really would love to see it on pedestal with different phtos. You go girl!

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  2. I think you're on to something.

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  3. it does look like metal! one these would look really coo fired in a wood kiln... also taking a chance with raku firing

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  4. I almost looks like something from an archaeological dig at a Roman fort!

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  5. It really does look like metal. Maybe you have found a new look.

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  6. I like it :^) quite metal looking too. You have a whole new series to work with now...

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  7. Hi Barbara, thanks so much. I hope I can figure out how to attach it to a pedestal.

    Hi Joanne, thanks, I never know where I am headed. Ha.

    Hi Michele, thanks, oh one of these days I have to use that raku kiln I have perhaps real soon. My dream is to have some pieces fired in wood kiln too. I should make extra pieces just for those some day firings.

    Hi Ms. Sparrow, thanks, oh yes rustic metal, more inspiration there too.

    Hi Patti, thanks, maybe but I do like the glazes too, maybe just a series.

    Hi Anna, thanks, just what I need is another series, Ha.

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  8. Yes! At first glance I thought it could be flattened copper piping with a patina. Glad you are excited about this new direction because it means we will see more.

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  9. Hi Robyn, thanks, woven pieces are calling to me now, I can't wait to make more, something about the repeating patterns and the empty spaces between.

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I love suggestions, questions, critiques, thanks for your comment