Glaze Testing: Triaxial Blend

This is the world of glaze mixing.  Weighing different ingredients on a triple balance beam.  Many of the materials used in glaze chemistry are toxic - best to wear a mask to avoid inhalation.

I experimented with glaze colorants recently.  A Triaxial Blend is a precise and mathematic way of testing different glaze colorants.  This is how it works:  take a glaze base that produces a surface you like and you know is stable (I chose Lau Luster, a cone 6 matte glaze).   Make three equal batches of the glaze and mix a different colorant in each batch.  I chose Copper Carbonate (produces a pale blue green) (A), Cobalt Carbonate (strong blue) (B), and Chrome Oxide (chartreuse) (C).  

The colors are methodically blended using a percentage of each.  Each cup has 5 tablespoons of glaze.  At the peak of each of the triangles is the pure glaze, then as you move towards the center the glazes blend with each other.  A tile in the center may be 20%A, 20%B, and 60%C, which would be 1 tbsp A, 1 tbsp B, 3 tbsp C, and so on.  

Test tiles and color chart.

Glazed test tiles.

A stripe of copper carbonate oxide wash on the back of each.

This is much easier to understand, right!  The glazed results.  You can see the spectrum of colors created by the blending of the glazes.  It's easy to tell here that Cobalt is a very strong colorant compared to the copper carbonate.  I like tiles 9 and 14.

Look how nicely the oxide reacts with tile 9 glaze.  So now I  have created a unique glaze and can mix up a batch using the new colorant combination.

Work on my studio shelves

I like these more as a series than as individual pieces.  I had a bit of trouble with the glaze:  applied too thin at first.  Sprayed the glaze and refired two more times, to cone 6, with little change in the surface.  I like the glaze because it is so pale and it has a matte finish.  I just wish for a thicker coating. 

Below you can see that I've been experimenting with a variety of very sculptural forms.  All of these begin as wheel thrown pieces, two part forms, that have been manipulated. 

This grouping is my favorite.  I hope I don't mess it up too much with the glazing.  These forms all share botanical references.  Grass and stems.  Bulbs and onions.  Artichokes and pine cones.

 

Here I was experimenting with the inversion of forms.  The shape is consistent but the weight of the decoration challenges their association.  Which way is up?  

Soda Fired Pieces

Atmospheric kilns are a magical thing... an artist must wholly let go of all notion of precision and control and be ruled by the process.  Not two firings are identical and there isn't a sure way to predict the outcome.  With hesitation I let go and I was so pleased with the results.  I used Cobalt oxide wash and a variety of soda slips on these pieces.  Glazes used only on the interior.  

This series was originally fired to cone 6 in an electric kiln.  You'll notice that the following pieces that were re-fired in Soda are much changed.  I didn't make any other adjustment, the raw pieces were fired with the light oxide wash.  When soda is introduced into the kiln it becomes a glaze itself, and the way it interacted with the oxides left the speckled, shiny surface.  You will also notice the effect of being packed with many other pots - some areas receive more soda than others.  I love the effect - 'flashing'.  It implies movement within the object.  It invites you to turn the forms to see what happens on another side. 

 

 

 

These are all part of my initial series of African pots and forms.  I was so pleased with the way they came out in the Soda kiln - they are raw and organic and more beautiful than any type of prescribe surface I would have applied.

O'Keeffe in Hawaii

Georgia O'Keeffe, Waterfall - No. II - Iao Valley, 1939, Oil on Canvas, 24"x20"

Georgia O'Keeffe produced this work as part of her Waterfall Series, inspired by the Hawaiian landscape.  I wrote a bit about my encounter with this body of work in this post, after visiting the Honolulu Museum of Art.  I like to buy prints of works that resonate with me after visiting stellar museums like the one in Honolulu.  But this time I refrained from buying a print and decided on a more ambitious approach.  Copy the original. 

This method of replicating the work of masters is quite a common practice in the fine arts - I'm hardly the first to attempt it.  The practice is an exercise in seeing as much as it is an investigation of techniques.  What better way to get inside the head of an artist?  After spending so much time with this particular composition I really got inside the space, began to understand how depth and atmosphere was created and how colors interact with each other.  To be honest by the time I completed the painting I was tempted to create the scene in clay.  This work in particular is so sculptural.

A progress shot.  I completed about half the scene early one morning.  But by the time the sun rose I found that all my colors looked off - they were just too warm.  I think it was the effect of the florescent bulbs in the room.  Whatever the effect it set me back a bit - I had to repaint a bunch of work.  Also the proportions are a bit off as well.  My canvas is 18"x24", the original work was two inches wider.

   

I hate to put these side by side.  All I see are differences.  But I'll leave my complaining at that, because though mine is different it is not bad.  I easily could have decided to obsess about the flaws, about every detail.  But honestly I reworked and fussed over so many sections that at last I had to decide that this is to a certain extent mine, and my interpretation.  It would not and could not be identical to O'Keeffe's, no matter how long I labored. 

I do think the light keeps fooling me, even in these photo it does not appear the same in life.  As I'm sure the print that I have scanned does not resemble the print that I was trying to replicate, and that print is only an approximation to the original work.  On the whole I guess that mine has alot more contrast.  And it appears that my greens are bluer.  But again, I swear I only notice these things upon viewing the photographs and scanned images.

I really like this work as a reminder of Hawaii.  I enjoyed the exercise - it is a good challenge, especially with the use of color.  I think I'll do this again.

Now, the debate I had with myself, and with Matthew, should I sign the canvas?  You know, because it's mine, but it's not mine.  I can't find that O'Keeffe signed the original so mine is also unsigned.  For now. 

$588

Yesterday was my first payday as an artist.  It's been a while since I brought home a paycheck and this was a welcome surprise.

$288
First, taking care of old business.  Right before the holidays last December the Art Department opens its doors and hosts a sale of all our various work.  At that point 2 critical things had happened: I had just learned that we would be moving to California and I had reached a threshold in my tolerance for my mediocre ceramics.  I was no longer nostalgic about holding on to all of my learning pieces - all I saw were alot of things that did not need to follow me to CA.

So I boxed up a whole lot of stuff, priced it low, and crossed my fingers that I wouldn't have to take anything home.  I didn't really keep track of how many items I had listed or at what price.... I had no clue how much I was putting out there.  Cups - $5, Mugs - $10, Bowls - $10.  This was not nicely finished work, these were glaze tests and practice throwing cylinders.  The Ceramics Club gets 30% of the work, the artist 70%.  Poor bookkeeping or lack of funds in their account prevented me from getting my paycheck until yesterday.  I knew I didn't take a whole lot home... but I was shocked to learn how much I made.  $288!  All I could think was 'That's significant'.

$300
Every spring the USC Art Department hosts a student competition where both graduate and undergraduate submit pieces across all mediums to compete.  Each student is allowed 2 entries.  The show is first juried to see which pieces made the cut (eliminating about 50% of submittals), and then awards are given.  Several Honorable Mentions, then 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place awards for in 2 categories: undergraduate and graduate work.  Then one award is given to 'Best in Show' across all categories.  Cash prizes go along with each award.

I entered two pieces, both which were accepted in the show.  But I couldn't believe the news at the opening yesterday - that my Dress Form piece won 'Best in Show'.  The award was $300.  Woohoo!

From the Juror's Statement:
"The artists singled out for special recognition this year demonstrate a dedication to innovation in craft or content.  Their sincere engagement with the world through works of art is commendable and represents the highest calling of artists to make work that explores the many facets of our shared experience.  These works exhibit a undeniable ambition in their scope and execution.  To me, their merit was immediate and undeniable and I hope my small encouragement will help usher them to attempt even greater works in the future."

What timing - right as I'm trying to figure out whether or not I should look for a position as a Landscape Architect in CA.  I get this sign, this nudge.  A nudge that has absolutely nothing to do with money.  I was thinking this meant I should stick with art and try to go to Grad School.  I asked Matthew to interpret.  He said it means I should start selling my work.  I guess that's not a bad plan either.

More Photos  from the USC Student Art Competition.  The show will be up in the McMaster Gallery until March 25.