This piece, a chicken planter is quite wacky, chicken little even. Part slab, part pinched but somehow the head's too long and low, the tail's too small, the neck collar too big and so on. I knew as I was making this it would not be what I had in my mind's eye. But I kept going since I hate to give up so easily. The saying 'nothing ventured, nothing gained' comes to mind. A trite expression but sometimes I think trite expressions are something to live by. So it's back to the drawing board and studio for me with my chicken planter idea. What about you, if you know something isn't working do you keep going or stop and forget about it? Do you try again? Thanks for reading and for all your comments.
First one is just a prototype to rough out shapes and proportions. Don't even sweat the details until the second or third one.
ReplyDeleteHi Dennis, thanks, my sentiments exactly, didn't help it was the end of the day and the clay was too wet to finish up, next and next time.
ReplyDeleteOh yes, do whatever you can with what you have...and learn from it. I've seldom just thrown the clay back in the bin, but we know there are times that is necessary. Rare though.
ReplyDeleteHi Barb, thanks, yes when the piece crumbles into a million pieces, lol
DeleteHello Linda,
ReplyDeleteNothing ventured....nothing gained.
When trying something new it is easy to over analyse and, thereby, talk oneself out of doing anything. But, given a try, one often surprises oneself with the results and there are always lessons to be learned.
We have a pottery chicken in which we keep eggs........decorative and practical.
Hi Jane and Lance, thanks, when I posted the photo I was thinking it could be a nice piece to place eggs in and around Easter time they could be easter egg colors too. Ha.
DeleteI often keep the piece while I work on the next, like Dennis said said, it's a prototype. Once I am done with it, into the scrap bucket it goes. I have a two piece vase that I finished a few weeks. The idea was good, the execution sucked. But I have it on my ware rack and I will live with it awhile longer, then recycle it.
ReplyDeleteHi Michele, thanks, good idea to keep till you make the next form so it can be easily determined how to improve it. My studio is full of lots of prototypes. ha.
DeleteI think your chicken is very expressive. I have seen chickens with their necks outstretched and low when they are trying to snatch a grub from another chicken.
ReplyDeleteI do cut, alter and readjust pieces that I have invested some time on and that sometimes does the trick. Sometimes I just cover it up and put it aside while I work on something else. When I get back to it I can see it with "new" eyes. Then I can determine to scrap it or not.
Hi Charlene, thanks, well it didn't turn out they way I envisioned, we shall see.
DeleteSometimes a piece will start to get really interesting to me when it’s not working. I tend to work it for a while then it either lives or goes into the recycle bucket.
ReplyDeleteHi Lori, thanks, I think I overworked this one and the clay got so thin in places that had to be it.
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