I got myself back into the studio today to finish up two pieces that have been neglected for a couple of weeks now. I think if I focused on one thing I could probably be really great at what I chose to do, but that apparently is not going to be the case with my life. So my only hope is that I live a long time so I can pull together all of the misfit, half baked, creations.
I like the mask, with the hole drilled in threw the bridge of the nose to add something after glazing and firing. I do plan on exploring this avenue more and add sort of a head dress to the ceramic masks that I make. I'd like to incorporate metal, wood, and other materials in the future.
This other sculpture, another one in the series of man and woman growing together theme, is interesting. I've attached them to the top of a vessel I threw. I like how the two forms are incomplete, fluid, and somewhat broken, but still beautiful. The male figure is playing a supporting role in this one, but they are both in the struggle together. I'm excited to get this one fired and glazed, because I can't wait to see it with flowers coming out of it's cracked and open forms.
I've got a couple of weeks off from work and am enjoying being home at the house. I fired up the kiln for the first time in too long a time, on monday night. I got to use a pyrometer that I had bought awhile back on ebay. I like knowing what's going on inside the kiln as it fires, trying to judge by color is not a very easy way to be sure of the temp. The one shot you can see through the peep hole and see the cone bending over, it has the number 04 upside down on it. Cone 04 is the temperature to which I fire my work to (Bisque)before I glaze and then fire it again. As you can see from the pyrometer reading at cone 04 is 1942 degrees, or somewhere around there depending how quickly or slowly you fire. Cones measure the amount of heat that the clay absorbs not the temperature that is in the kiln, when they bend over like this one is, you have reached your mark. I hope to improve my glaze firing with the help of the pyrometer. With it I'll be able to hold the temperature at a certain temperature to hopefully get some better results with my glazes. Anyhow, I hope to get some work done while I'm home. I just mixed up a new batch of paper clay so I can continue working on my series of man and woman theme sculptures. Merry Christmas!!
