My tree/vase and canceled art opening

There are almost no public events happening this week...and I don't know when they will start again.  Friday was to be the opening at the Red House Gallery of the latest show.

I may have already given you a hint of my vase/tree that is part of that show.

Here are some more photos of it. I stopped by the gallery and took a few shots, thinking that I wasn't going to come to the opening, if it happened. On Thursday it was still a possibility. By Friday morning there were FaceBook and email posts of the cancellation.

I like the dried leaves that were available at the gallery, which of course just give an idea of what is possible if the sculpture is treated as a vase.

Love the Locals

Ah, another gallery show at the Swannanoa Valley Fine Arts League (aka the Red House). Opening on Friday March 13, 5-7 pm.

I'll be taking in my one submission for this show today.  But first, let me give you a peak at it.

 Not just another tree...but it forms a great vase for dried flower arrangements!

The Swannanoa Valley Fine Arts League is inviting the whole neighborhood over to experience the latest show: LOVE THE LOCALS! Be it enjoying our sensational restaurants, unique local businesses, serene mountain vistas, close-up encounters with furry creatures, or wildflowers peeking from unexpected places, this show will feature subjects that make Western North Carolina home. It will highlight what we love about where we live, and the community that surrounds us. Show us what you love about living in this neck of the woods.
 
The show will also include the 2^nd Annual Student Exhibit by ArtSpace Charter School.  The students will be providing images of North Carolina wildlife and landscapes.

Curators: Tina Kannapel & Ruth Duckworth 

 

Show Dates: March 11th - May 4th
Opening Reception: Friday, March 13th, 5pm - 7pm

Hours: Weekdays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sundays, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

The Red House
310 W State St, Black Mountain, NC 28711
(828) 669-0351

The finished tree

It finally was glaze fired.  I am going with just bare branches, since the little bowl is just too little.

A concept that didn't quite work. Sometimes that happens!

Tree stained and glazed

OK, these photos were taken before the actual glaze had been added! The perforated bowl was covered in celadon glaze, after waxing the outlined branches so they might remain white.  We shall see.

The tree itself had a coat of dark black wash, which was sponged to just leave it in the textural lines. Then I applied a coat of matt clear. This is expected to give a sepia tone to the white clay. We shall see.

By glazing them separately, I can decide whether or not the sculpture really works or not.  I admit to leaning toward "not."  In a week or so ...shall see!

Today's quote:
Like a tree, our growth depends upon our ability to soften, loosen, and shed defenses we no longer need.

Going to a show

I'm submitting two works to a "Then and Now" exhibit at the Swannanoa Valley Fine Arts League.  They will be on display in the Red House location on State Street next to the Monte Vista Hotel (Black Mountain, NC). Link to them Here.

It's my first time having entries for one of their exhibits. The show runs from May 5-31.

THEN -
Goddess and Fairy Tree.

Long ago trees had stories about them, which included how fairies chose to live in them, and goddesses were seen beneath their bark. Their crowns of leaves were known as those of queens.

NOW -
Trio of Trees.

Trees choose where to grow, and who they will spend their lives standing next to, interweaving their branches together. Each leans on the other for strength.

A test glaze tree

Yesterdaay I shared the long awaited glaze test tiles (well they're really cubes).  But before they came out of the kiln, I was waiting and curious about some of our new glazes, and didn't only wait.

So I just did a few wild and crazy tests on one piece.

Base is glazed with Matt Black (which doesn't look matt here)

I poured Raspberry over several of the limbs...and at the end dipped them in Plumb

Raspberry (the purple berry kind) over black at bottom, then with Matt Bronze Green poured over it

Some of the Matt Bronze Green over Raspberry

Matt Bronze Green does have a matt finish

The little speckles are from the clay, not the glaze

Nutmeg with Matt Bronze Green over it

NOTE added after comment about how to keep track of these tests:
I used the same photos to send in 'text messages' to myself on my phone, complete with a text describing what was in that photo.  My friend Teresa at the studio taught me this trick.  So all my glazes are recorded both before and after firing that way.  Neat trick, and don't have to write them down and draw sketches like I used to in my sketch book!

Another kind of tree

I was delighted that this shape fired alright, except one ding in unloading...which shall remain undisclosed.

Tree creation 5.0

Tree creation three

Tree three, say that three times fast.  Ha ha.

Piercing.  That was the job for over 5 hours, I'd guess.  Then fixing a bit of a design glitch in the root system of the tree.

Oh did I mention, carving out the extra clay on the main body of the tree... behind those added roots and limbs?  That was done with a trimming tool, and a plastic to catch the shavings.

So most of the work was finished in a leather hard stage.  The pierced part wanted to dry fast, so I had to keep spritzing it with water from a spray bottle.

Now I really want to make a cat.  Trees again soon!

And I reopened my Etsy shop yesterday.  Not sure how to do all the bells and whistles, like how to get a connection in the sidebar here...a link.  Will check with all those other potter friends on Etsy and see how they did it!  Come on over...more things being listed daily.

 https://www.etsy.com/shop/AlchemyOfClay

Tree creation Two

Moving along, a daily visit to one studio or another.

Yesterday I took what I had worked on at home into the BMCA studio, and  came again at night to work on it.  I also wore my better close lens glasses...for close work.

But I had worked for 3 hours that afternoon on the tree creation...so I didn't stay till 8 when the open studio was over.  I worked till I thought I might goof.

As you might notice, there are lots of changes over the last 24 hours.  And today I finished piercing the bowl and smoothing my holes.  It's a lot of work, but I think it will look really good.  And I definitely didn't want it inverted when there's such a sense of joy I feel with this uplifting shape.

So that's what's new here.

Tree Creation One point One

Tree Creation One was published by mistake yesterday, so here's the real thing, TC 1.1

Throw a tall cylinder.

Slap some additional clay on it for branches and roots.  Make lots of indications of where bark and branches might be.

Throw a medium size bowl.

waiting for trimming consistency

While waiting the 24 hours or so before I can trim the bowl (yes NC is humid most of the time)
I work a bit more on the trunk.

This sculpture started at the stop light in downtown Black Mountain.  I thought, the trouble I've always had was putting the crown of leaves on a tree sculpture.  It never looks right.  How about an inverted bowl, carved into leaf patterns?

So I went to the Black Mountain Center for the Arts Clay Studio, and this was started.  I brought it home to work on, thus the blue plastic tablecloth which is covered with suns, moons and old clay.

There will be more steps to see coming up.  Fairy door.  Goddess.  Cutouts...

Sculpting again

Starting small. 

So these might be considered maquettes.  I see much that I still need to work on, but am enjoying the curves of bending bodies, and leaves as the decorative touch.  I also want to continue the idea of just glazing the leaves and having the dancing female body bare clay.

Every day I work on some of these.  Not satisfied yet.