Welcome to my final semester as a Post Bacc student at OCAC! It’s been an amazing 2 years (I might just have snuck in one extra semester by auditing Jim’s class – a very good decision on all accounts!). I will be writing about the last part of the journey this spring.
I left last semester thinking about interior spaces. I was thinking about spaces in our homes and the emotions tied up in the memories of those spaces. The spaces I built in clay are corners of a kitchen and in each there is one item that is highlighted. The memory of each is particular but also vague enough and familiar enough for any viewer to relate in their own way. In the final pieces the forced perspective draws the viewer in and it is somehow both inviting and awkward. I think the fact there are no people in the rooms makes them uncomfortable or maybe lonely and yet because there is evidence of recent activity so it’s not so disturbing to me.
I prefer the piece that has a matte finish; I think this makes it look more painterly and is closer to the paintings I was looking at for inspiration. I would like to continue this exploration of dimension and the adaptation of 3D to 2D to 3D (physical to painting to sculpture).
#2 Popcorn
We’ve started our assignment to build an enormous piece of popcorn. I believe the assignment is to force us to really, really look at detail of a small object and also to help us start thinking of building awkward shapes. My piece of (real) popcorn is carefully housed in a small, clear container. Never has a piece of popcorn been so well cared for.
I ‘m enjoying building my basketball sized popcorn. I’m using classroom stoneware which is quite soft and heavy. I think at some point we will learn to make and build paper clay so that the pieces will be lighter. Focusing on such a small object is more interesting than I had imagined and it is amazing how deeply enthralled I have become staring at all the intricate crevices and surface texture.
I have finished building the popcorn and it’s beginning to dry on my top shelf – it’s quite thick and it’ll take a while. I’ll think about glazing it – butter topping anyone?
#3 Presentation
I had a terrible time preparing for my 15 minute presentation for Dylan’s class on Thursday. I’m not sure why it got under my skin but I can only imagine that I was trying to answer all the questions and have a neat and tidy summary of all that I am… quite impossible. It’s my old habit of wanting to know all the answers or being clear about the path toward the goals. I am learning slowly (and happily) while in art school to be more curious and to let exploration be the guiding principle. However, this week all of that went out the window and I got myself worked up with too many images, too many influences, too much, too much… All I needed to do was keep it simple. However, there was something valuable in all the time (hours) spent researching and thinking. All of that time is helping me sort out what is important and what needs to be done in the next few months.
#4
We had a guest presenter in the studio on Wednesday who has been working in the studio for the rest of the week. Tim Kowalczyk is a ceramic artist who produces trompe l’oeil cardboard mugs and other sculpture. He demonstrated his technique of layering incredibly thin layers of clay to create the impression of corrugated cardboard. The trick (or tool), of course, is paper clay (something we will be working in for our sculptures but on larger scale). To me the intriguing idea is using the thin, thin layers to build with. I was introduced to slab building last year and spent a couple of weeks with Ann Agee at haystack learning about intricate slab building and love it. It taps into my love of architecture and building.
#5 Mugs
An easy afternoon working on sgraffito and glazing 3 Dundee Red mugs. I needed a moment to step away from sorting out my sculpture class projects and the final Post Bacc show in April. I feel slightly overwhelmed by the projects (and lack of clarity) right now. I only have Feb and March to create something for the show that I will be pleased with and that will make sense… In any case, I worked on the mugs and drew Andy Warhol-Merrimeko like flowers; a lovely blue against the brown of the mugs. I’m not sure what the colors will do after firing but hopefully it’ll work. I guess these are test mugs : ) I do like the way they turned out – I like flowers in or on objects. It’s a good lesson to do what you like to do though that is not always easy with assignments.
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