week four 9/15 - 9/21

I started the process of mixing glazes this week! It is going to take a lot longer than I thought. On Tuesday during class time I mixed 2500g of RJ Black, which I’m planning to use a lot of, and Bubblegum Pink, which I should have mixed less than 2500g but oh well I guess I’ll have plenty of it for this year and maybe even longer.

How long does a glaze batch last?

After class we had our Dirtbags make-a-thon.  I was thinking of using this time to make candlesticks, but I ended up heeding the siren call of the wheel and threw instead. I threw 9 cups that are meant to be handle-less tumblers, with a trimmed goblet style foot. I also threw one smallish vase guy.

My plan for these cups is to use slips and sgraffito poppies on them (like my failed to go tumbler from a couple years ago). I might also do art deco-inspired patterns so that there is variety.

On Thursday I got to the studio a couple hours early and got to glaze mixing. I was able to get batches mixed of RJ Brown, Peanut Butter, and my beloved favorite girl Yellow Violet. How I missed her.

With what time I had left in class I made some little test tiles of the hideous poop brown clay to test with my glazes. I also got started on sketches for my first urn, which I plan to start perhaps this weekend or definitely next week.

Friday and the rest of the weekend I was productive at home. I continued working on sketches for my first urn. I’ve gone with a tall, elegant and dramatic form for this one. With this particular urn I want to convey/explore the words unspoken in a dead friendship. I might include some actual phrases on the urn itself.

The idea is that this urn is “functional,” as in, it will have a hidden lid that can open up. One could put old letters or other relics of the friendship.

I got to spend Friday afternoon sitting at the Subaru dealership while my poor car, Little Booty, got his brake pads refreshed. He was squeaking :(

Once I got home I made a life-size sketch for the urn.

I used my life-size sketch of the urn that I drew to make a cardboard profile to help me when I’m building. I will most likely build the urn in three sections because of the weight distribution and the skinny base, and of course the lid.

Here’s a picture of Fred, he was distracted by some little poodley dogs at the park.