A Couple of Angles

Geometric shapes, architecture, and city skylines have always facinated me. Back in the 1980's I once went to a halloween party dressed as a skyscraper. I made my own costume by "building" the skyscraper out of a very large cardboard box and painting it to look like a building. I cut holes in two windows for my eyes. I think I just wore black tights underneath. It was one of those costumes where no one knew who I was and everyone was intrigued with the design, a lot of fun.


Behind the scenes I'm working on a series of architectural influenced ceramic vases and sculptures. I see so much in all the angles and shapes of buildings in my travels; I feel like they just want to burst forth in clay. The first piece is three sided and all three sides are not the same size. Photographing these pieces is a challenge to see the perspective of all the angles.


The second piece has four sides which are distorted on purpose and then green slip drizzled over the edge on two sides. I think I like the non distorted sides and maybe less drips for the slip. But what could I do the whole thing fell over when I was putting it together and rather than crumple it I saved it, and enhanced the distortions. Do you ever do that with a piece?


The first building is the Mint Museum with other skyscrapers reflected in the windows. The second building is another tall one in Charlotte. I am itching to make a piece like this second building with wire sticking out of the top. Those spires look like crystal spires in the sunlight. I didn't notice the reflection on the side of the building in the last photo till today. More ideas are swimming around in my head.

I want to make some armatures to hold the clay up while it stiffens a bit. I hand build my pieces with fairly soft slabs. Maybe I can use some 4x4 or 6x6 covered with foam. I need something heavy enough to stand up on it's own. I read somewhere that rolled roofing is good for template making. Have any ideas on what to use as a firm and weighted armature?


I have two of these style vases in the Clay and Blogs show and those have four sides. You can see the finished ones here and here. I had lots of compliments on them opening night and one sold right away. When Meredith saw them before the show, she said I should make more. Who am I to question the experts, expert potters and expert customers. I already had plans to make more because they're fun and a challenge, but now I have more motivation. You can expect to see variations of these pieces in the future and up next are some fun Halloween inspired pieces I made.