Studio notes...
Ok, I just realized that I can add some pages to this site! Until I figure out the important bits, I'll use this space to share my studio shots and, perhaps, a sort of mini blog on the day to day workings.
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10-23-14
Throwing this one back into the mix on this not so sunny Thursday. "If You Can't Say Something Nice" was made in 2006 and was part of a series of phrases that made an impression on me as a child. I must add that, often, I don't say anything at all...
This wall piece was slip cast and altered with stoneware. After the bisque, I fired a few more times with engobes, underglaze pencils and glaze. Final finishing was accomplished with colored pencils and matte varnish.
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10-16-14
I've chosen "Animal Tendencies" (made in 2007) for this Thursday's throwback - perhaps because (in addition to being one of my faves) the Autumn air is making me growly and a little bit anxious...
This wall piece was sculpted with stoneware clay and bisque fired. I then painted the bisque with engobe and fired again. The final firing was with a copper glaze and a "naked slip" on the face area - this was accomplished in a raku kiln.
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10-12-14
When I talk about making a lot of "tests", this is an illustration of what I mean. In this case, two new (to me) clays: the top row is Hagi porcelain and the bottom row is a black stoneware. The first two on the left side (top and bottom) were both glazed with the same silky matte glaze and fired to cone 6. As you can see, the glaze reacted quite differently on the different clays! The lustres were added after the glaze firing. Fooling around with new materials is full of surprises...
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10-09-14
Throwback Thursday has rolled around again and it's looking to be a hot day in Sunny St. Helena. Not much new going on in the studio but I'm thinking that I'll begin trying to get a bit more organized: the clutter is taking over! This is Always a problem for me since I rarely tidy up at the end of the day (or the end of the week!). This week's step back in time is "Fool Bloom" from 2006...
"Fool Bloom" was sculpted with stoneware clay, fired to bisque and then painted with black engobe. After the high fire, I finished the piece with extensive colored pencil work and matte varnish. I'm not doing too much cold finishing these days because I worry about the permanence - thus, the shift to using more glaze and overglaze. I wish that my china painting skills (or lack of) would improve to the point that I can get the kind of detail I'm able to get with the pencils!
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10-02-14
What is it about Thursdays? And why do they come so quickly, one upon the other? Just like this throwback from 2006 ("Between Night and Day"), night follows day one after another and the space between seems to shrink...
This piece was cast and altered using stoneware slip. I cut the "wings" from a slab and formed them to the face. After the initial bisque firing, I fired a couple times more with engobes, underglaze pencils and glazes. Final work was done with colored pencils and matte varnish - the wings were hinged onto the piece at the very last.
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9-25-14
Wow. The week goes by so quickly that sometimes it makes my head spin. Unfortunately, it also forces me to realize how little I've gotten done the previous week! Although I have a lot of stuff "in the works", I'm taking my time with testing, testing and more testing. That never leaves much to show - but at least I've got very full archives. This Thursday's throwback is "Sticks and Stones" from 2006...
This piece was press molded into my original mold using stoneware clay. It was then altered and fired multiple times with engobes, stains and glaze. I added the sculpted sticks and stones at the very end.
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9-18-14
"A Little Piece of My Heart" - 2008
Yet another salute to Thursday! It's fun looking back on all the faces I've created - and many times I'm inspired to revisit the ideas...
I made this piece while a resident at the International Ceramics Studios in Kecskemet, Hungary. It was sculpted with a fine textured stoneware and fired multiple times with engobes, stains, underglaze pencils and glaze. I did a raku firing at the end to finish the piece.
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9-11-14
Yet another wall piece to throw into the Throwback pile! This one is "Carried Away" and was literally carried away back in 2005 - but her message stays with me and reminds me not to get too caught up in my own machinations...
This mask was sculpted with stoneware clay, bisque fired and then fired once more with engobe. I finished the piece with colored pencils and added the separately made stoneware pinwheels.
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9-04-14
This Thursday's Throwback is "If I Only Had a Brain". I made this piece in 2005 from stoneware with engobes and colored pencils. The little handle coming out of the head is attached to a small music box inside. Guess what the song is!
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8-28-14
Yes, it is Thursday again. Another Blast from the Past with "The Dreamer". I've made quite a few pieces with this theme - I guess that says a lot about where my priorities lie...
This mask was made in 2005 and was slip cast with stoneware, bisque fired and then painted with black engobe. After the stoneware firing, I finished the piece with a Lot of colored pencil work!
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8-20-14
Busily working in the studio - working on wall pieces and imagining. Since I don't have anything current to show, I've decided to start a "Throwback Thursday" addition to this page (just to keep things interesting). Today's piece is an old favorite: "Curiouser and Curiouser" which I made in 2005. It is a stoneware piece that was painted with engobes after the bisque. It was fired with the engobe and then I went crazy with colored pencils. The flower in her mouth is porcelain with glazes. As with a lot of my earlier work, this one has a LOT of cold finishing!
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7-7-14
Here is a wall mask that I just finished this past week. I sculpted the piece while in Hungary the last time and just recently got around to paying attention to it! Sometimes I make a sculpture and it just isn't "speaking" to me. When that happens, I wait until I can hear a little voice...
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7-2-14
I haven't been very good about posting to this page but I have vowed to start doing more - at least once a week. So many things have slipped through the cracks! Another thing that has fallen by the wayside is my blog - realized that it is hopelessly out of date! And so, I'm working on reviving that also:
http://the-maskwoman.blogspot.com/
...All of which leads to this small piece: "A Balancing Act"...
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3-25-14
Here is a taste of what I've been making here at AlmadiArt (in Balatonalmadi, Hungary). Just hit the one month mark and I've still got two months to go - that means: lots more work, lots more fire and lots more enjoyment...
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3-6-14
I sculpted this wall piece when I was in Balatonalmadi, Hungary the last time and I left it here to work on when I returned. So, that is the task at hand! I've added a bit of pencil work and now it will need to be fired again - then, I plan on having the white pencil area glazed with a clear satin glaze and the outer border of the face with a "naked raku" finish. I kind of like it just the way it is and hope that I don't muck it up...
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2-12-14
I love making these photo collages! They serve no real purpose other than that and, perhaps to create a few smiles...
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2-05-14
I haven't been too good about posting here but I will attempt to do better! Today, I'm working on this little one which will go with me to Hungary for the finishing. The last time I went, I started work there with nothing - so this time I'm hoping to jump start the beginning...
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1-13-14
Just got these ready for their third firing and, even though they were a little camera shy, I caught them before they went into the kiln! Let's hope that the fire agrees with them...
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1-5-14
It is a tradition here in the studio to make at least a couple heart themed pieces for February's big day. Even though I make them specifically for Valentine's Day, I rarely have them finished in time! I started these two yesterday and began refining them today: maybe I'll actually have them ready this year...
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12-22-13
As promised, here is the side by side comparison between my "plan" for this little one and the finished piece. I'm still going to make some frames - but that will have to wait till the New Year...
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12-9-13
Taking photos and making Pozole today! This sneak peek is "Reigny Day Muse" and she will be in the shop tomorrow...
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12-6-13
A little of this - a little of that! On the desk today is a mix of work in different stages: one is almost finished (the one with the latex mask) and the one next to it with the crown is done with the fire. The two on the right will be getting more china paint and the two on the left have been airbrushed with color and now will be waxed so that I can apply more color.
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11-30-13
These are the same three that I posted last week - they've come a bit further, but they still have a ways to go. I haven't been able to do too much in the studio this past week because of the holiday (and the computer breakdown). I'm hoping that this week will be more productive...
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11-23-13
Here is the next group of little ones that will be ready soon - and yes, I'm working on them today! I have two others that will be finished later this afternoon and will be "debuting" this week (one tomorrow)...
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11-16-13
Part of the current "process" is working with a photo of the bisque (once fired) piece. I play with the design on the computer and figure out, approximately, what the finished mask will become. Even though I often make changes as I go along, this gives me a good starting point. It's working much better than my previous process which was to sit and stare at the piece until I had an idea. This method made for lots of backtracking, mistakes and re-firing.
I worked on the design for this particular little one last night and will start on it today. I added the background colors in to experiment with possible frame scenarios. When the piece is finished, I'll add a side by side photo for comparison...
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11-12-13
I'm so excited (it doesn't take much!) - just got some small wooden shadow box frames that a very nice woodworker made for me. I'm hoping to make them available, by request, for displaying the "little ones". Of course, I'll be painting them to coordinate...
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11-2-13
I hope you will all bear with me on changes to this shop. The one "glaring" thing that I Want to change is the word "Products" sprinkled liberally throughout. Alas, my lack of HTML is limiting how much I'm able to change. If the template could somehow magically be changed to say Masks (or even "Products of the Imagination") I would be ever grateful...
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10-28-13
More "in the works" work! These little ones are waxed and ready for glazing. They will all be getting a buttery, matte glaze - after the firing, they will still need some work but the final finishing is really my favorite part. Until the home stretch, I worry about them too much...
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10-23-13
These are ready for their third firing: 1. the bisque 2. engobes painted on 3. latexing, waxing then painting and airbrushing more engobes. What's next???
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10-8-13
"Ivory Tower" is representative of my glaze testing. Those of you who know my work, know that I make a lot of moons - and that is because (besides liking the moon) it is a good canvas for trying out new glazes and combinations.
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10-6-13
Next up is this trio. They're midway through the journey and are soon to enter the last legs. And, I'm still not sure how they will finally look!
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10-5-13
Remember the "Driplets"? I've decided to reward whoever makes the very first purchase in my not so new anymore shop. You can choose one of these little ones - just let me know which one you would like!
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Friday afternoon - 10-4-13
Ohhhhh. So much to figure out! I should be out in the studio working and instead, I'm spending way too much time trying to figure out how to add things to this page. I thought that I was a little more internet savvy - but it turns out, NOT...
