The Blog
Scenes from the studio. Routine.
On April 4, 2012
In Art making, Life in North Dakota, Living with Greyhounds
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Adding a new process or three.
I wanted to write a bit about a few new processes that I am working on in the studio. I loved the look of the boxes, but am always trying to find new and interesting ways to push my work. All of these are surface treatments for clay and some are more about the surface than others.
I started by making these three wall boxes. They can either sit flat like they are shown or be hung on a wall. The largest box measures about 10×10 inches. The two smaller boxes are around 7×7″ inches give or take. I enjoy working with the square composition and wanted a larger flat surface on which to work.
The drawings from the previous posts have been turned into a series of stamps. I’ve been making these stamps for years and now have rich image library of carved blocks in many shapes and sizes. They are carved from linoleum printmaking material. I’ve used them in two ways: pressed into the clay (as I’ve done for years) or “inked” and pressed onto the surface of the clay. This time I’m inking and printing on the clay rather than embossing the clay. This is pretty new for me.
Three techniques here: stamping, mishima and sgraffito. Wha? Let me explain.
This wall box is almost entirely decorated with my new stamp designs. The blue bunny and reclining Greyhound illustrate the “inking” process as does the three standing Greyhounds in the top left box. The dotted lines were pressed into the clay. The purple dots were added with a small brush.
I guess I should mention that nothing will be these colors when fired. The bunny/large Greyhound will be a medium blue. The dots will be purple. The standing Greyhounds across the bottom black. The clay- left to it’s own devices- will be a cream color, unless I glaze it with a overlapping color.
I should also mention that if I haven’t solved my cracking box problem, these will probably crack too. Such as it is…
See how this box has the marks from the drawing incised into the clay? Here’s I’ve taken the stamp of the bunny and drawn into the surface of the clay. You can see similar marks in the running Greyhound image - that’s sgraffito - removing parts of the color to reveal the clay below. I really love this technique and never done much with it previously.
Another technique - shown on the big wall box - is Mishima. With that technique one uses a fine tool to carve the drawing into the clay, fills the channel with underglaze (or whatnot) and scrapes off the excess. This reveals just the line drawing. It’s pretty cool so far. The two big Greyhounds on the biggest wall box are examples of Mishima.
As an aside, I’m liking working on these wall boxes, especially the foot which allows me more surface to design. The image can wrap around or I can hide a bunny here and there. He’s bunny with some anger issues…
My normal clay body has a too much sand, but I’m enjoying experimenting with these three techniques while waiting for my test boxes to dry. All are fun and challenging in their own way. I’m enjoying the spontaneity - drawing directly into the clay, creating interesting designs. It’s a nice change from the stress of cracked boxes and things that I really, really, really want to work.
We’ll have to see if these techniques creep into my work.
Scenes from the studio
Pugging clay. The old cans are on the shelf right in front of me. They were leftovers from the previous owner. The green and white Sinclair can is my favorite. Here are some of the cans and other photos from inside my studio.
Tracing paper. My favorite drawing surface.
I rarely draw on paper-paper. I don’t remember why I started drawing on tracing paper - probably trying to “fix” a drawing. Now all I draw on is tracing paper. Here’s why:
On each of the drawings I begin with an idea and often a source photo or photos. I’ll draw that image five times trying to get it just right. I use the tracing paper to trace part of my previous drawings - fixing positions of the legs or head or mushy anatomy. Tracing paper also allows me to work on both sides of the paper. The marks show through. I can change the drawing on one side and still keep my original drawing on the other side, but still see both versions.
Another little trick is to look at the drawing in a mirror or hold it up to a window. This allows me to “catch” the anatomy mistakes that I may not see by only viewing what I’m drawing head on. The drawing above is a tracing of my final drawing. Here’s another reason why I like tracing paper so much.
It allows me to create and easily change a design motif. Here the two Greyhounds are nose to nose. I find the negative shapes (the shapes around the dogs) pleasing, and the smooth s-curves of the Greyhound’s bodies interesting. But what if I change it a little?
Another quite formal design. Should the stopper pads of their front legs touch? Do the bodies create their own design motif? Is that what I want? These are the questions I ask.
Now pushing it to the extreme. I’m literal. So I see a big H. Perhaps an entire alphabet of Greyhound letters. I don’t find the negative shapes as interesting in this version and don’t like their feet overlapping so much (unless I was trying to make a letter).
I do this process for most of the tile designs. I love tracing paper!
Ran right by wordless wednesday.
Yesterday was Wednesday? Boy that time change derails my sense of time. It does indicate that spring is on its way - a reason to celebrate! Also means I start working on new tile designs. Here’s a sketch of a possible idea.
Cracked boxes.
With each kiln load the goal is to fire successfully and efficiently. Over the years I’ve learned how to pack my kilns so the airflow is good yet I make the most of the space provided. This failed with the last load. Cracks.
Cracks along the seams of nearly every slab box. Huh? What is going on? Did I do something different with this load?
Five medium sized boxes and four large boxes cracked during the bisque firing. All were bone dry and dried out very slowly. Only about three of them were made on the same day - this wasn’t me being lazy and not joining things properly. Fired to the same temperature as usual using the same firing schedule.
Humm… So what’s up? I’ve pugged (mixed) my clay and made five new test boxes. As soon as they dry I’ll fire them. Not really sure what’s going on here.
Unloading the kiln.
Unloaded the kiln this morning and am quite pleased with the results. This was the smaller of my two kilns. It requires a different packing strategy than the large L&L kiln - that plan was further changed after several of the medium sized boxes cracked during the bisque fire. Those boxes met with Mr. Hammer and this kiln load becomes less than efficient. So fewer pieces than normal. Let’s talk about them anyway.
Here are two views of the same box. Box itself is about 10″H x 6″W x 6″D.
I love the slightly mottled effect on top of this box - giving the box a kind of aged quality. Also think that the combination of several colors is working. The cut-out designs of these boxes are a new technique for me. I need to push on it a bit and see where it goes. This is the first box that I tired working with more than one color. I like it.
Here’s a good example of using more than one color. The box on the left has that addition of a pinkish/red star verses the box on the right with just the gray and the cream of the clay showing through.
Here’s box with green and blue - skipping the dark gray entirely. I love the pattern. The green is interesting in person. Hard to photograph though.
Small sculptures roughly 10″ long. Irish Wolfhounds. A glossy clear glaze. While I like these two pieces, in the future Irish Wolfhounds should have a matt finish. They seem like a matt finish kind of breed to me?
Also in this firing were many small sculptures. These are glazed in the antique parchment glaze.
And one winged Whippet…
All in all, good firing.
How I feel about Pinterest.
No secret that I enjoy me some Pinterest. But Whoo-Boy! is the arts community all aflutter about its Terms of Use. Pesky copyright and all. There are good blogs and comments at ArtBizBlog and [i] LoveLife. Definitely check these posts if you’re looking to read more. I think they are the best I’ve seen about this topic.
Here’s how I’m thinking right at this moment:
Why do I make art? To create a dialogue. To tell a story. And other things like it’s the only way I feel “normal” in the world, but let’s stay on task…
If nobody sees my work, where does put my process? On the edge of North Dakota with no conversation? But what about keeping my images “safe”? Didn’t I nuke my flickr account because my images were showing up in places without my permission or attribution?
Thy head spins.
Add in To Watermark or Not To Watermark?
I just wanna make art. And share it.
But I want people to know where my images came from. I want people to know my name, get credit for my work, know where to follow and support my art making process. I don’t want my hard work to be copied or used in a way that I don’t agree with. I’m somewhat alarmed with the number of images I see on Pinterest lacking credit to the artist or a link back to their website.
So here’s what I’m going to do.
- Go through the images I have pinned on my boards and remove anything that is NOT linked directly from the artist’s website. That means no google images. Direct link only. Plus watch for “No Pinning” requests on sites from now on and honor those wishes.
- Watermark my images. Visual + digital. I know it’s not arty or cool, but I think it needs to be done. I’ll blog more about this later. It won’t be some huge, shadowed transparent word through the center of the image where the copyright symbol competes with the work. More like a stamp. I know it’s not 100% but it’s a small way for the image to be credited so people can find more of my work.
- Make a Pinterest board of my own work. Still waffling about this one…
If you are following this blog I consider you a supporter of my work. If you’re also a Pinterest user, will you do me a favor? When you see any of my work unattributed on Pinterest, shoot me an email? Or better yet comment with my name or website or #SarahReganSnavely? That would so, so help.
It’s supposed to be fun, right?
An exhibition.
Weird how life works. I’ve been playing with my new camera and the 100mm f/2.8 Macro lens. I bought this lens in 2008, took a few photos of sterling pendants and such, then basically shelved it. It never produced what I wanted. With the new camera body, however, it’s a whole new experience. Anyway. I’m shooting in macro, having a ball, thinking about things in a new way. (Don’t you love camera lenses. Swoon…)
Then I go to the art show at the Dickinson State University gallery - and the paintings displayed are playing with the idea of macro and micro. Well played, Universe. Well played.
The work displayed belongs to Kevin Bernstein. He’s showing paintings and drawings. On the far north wall were these these three along with three other square format drawings. I am so drawn to squares and the way they can force the composition. These paintings were my favorite from the show. The header, above, shows the rich, vibrant texture of these works. Heavenly. Could look at these paintings all day.
I love how this work is so natural and yet mechanical.
This is a close up of another of the large paintings. I tried to photograph, within the limitations of my iPhone camera, how textural these paintings are. Not sure I succeeded… so if you’re in the Dickinson, North Dakota area, stop by the gallery in Klinefelter Hall. It is quite an experience.
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