works in progress

Clamping, welding, banging and hammering, on overtime late into the evening, creativity on overload. But I've just gotta go with it while its flowing.

Another assembled piece I have just finished, and ready for my exhibition 'Deconstruction : Reconstruction'

Above a detailed photograph; ceramic tower fired to 1200* and (carved out) negative space, a golden look I was seeking light shinning through celophane paper. I seem to have a fetish for celophane paper...and have used it within some of my assemblages.

Clamped to help, this piece took abit of brain power to nut out the best way of welding it together. Below; finished piece, this side has a door knob the other has a padlock and two keys tied either end of a length of aged string (as I found it).

"Safe House"

Next exhibition makes the headlines

On the coveted front page of the Arts Section of Saturday's Sunshine Coast Daily in a headline article. My next Exhibition of mixed media assemblages, supported with contemporary images by Richard Stiller.

'Deconstruction: Reconstruction... a journey of intensity'

December 13 to January 25

Official opening Studio 4 Gallery, Marcoola on Saturday 18th Dec. 2010 from 5.30pm.

A BIG thank you to our PR consultant Publicity Jessica Jane Sammut

woodblock workshop

Artist Terry McKenna is currently exhibiting at Studio 4 Gallery - today he conducted an inspiring 'hands-on' woodblock workshop which I was fortunate to attend.

Terry (above); preparing ink for prining.

Benjamin with his print.

A detail of Benjamin's woodblock carving and his printed design.

Matchbox Show

Today I sent my entry into the Matchbox Show - a collection of small ceramic pieces encased within matchboxes.

The first Matchbox Show was at the 'Clay Energy Conference' in Gulgong earlier this year and it's long-term goal is to gather a collection of 5000 matchbox artworks to be exhibited at the International Ceramics Conference in Finland in 2014.

It's such a cool concept I decided to put something together...

I've used a scruffy old match box (to adorable to throw away) I acquired amongst my rusty finds, complete with three 'dead' matches.

The ceramic content consists of daggy old looking nails, screws and a washer - made in porcelain fired to 1300* reduction

Titled - 'Box of Tricks'

ALaW - R S

R - Sgrafitto - with brushed on red slip

R is transfered onto the leatherhard clay tile in usual manner. Sgrafitto is generally a technique of scraping back into clay covered with slip, as seen with 'J' . I'm challenging logic with this one, letting go of rules and exploring, which some potters may ask "why?" I guess at this stage of the alphabet it's all about experiementing and I say why not! So instead of applying the slip I've just scraped into the clay body direct then brushed the red slip inside the R imprint and painted the border.

S - Imprint - with organic matter

A bit of fun, not sure what the end result will look like, fortunately I can rescue this if need be after the bisque firing. S transfered with a light pencil imprint as a guide, then wax emulsion applied to outline the letter and the border to act as a resist from the pressed in organic matter and to create a negative space with the letter, hopefully! In theory > the organic matter is pressed imprinting the clay and will burn away in the firing resulting inverted spots and the letter S will be revealed by the smooth surface.

Below is a close up for a clearer view - Quinoa grain is used and burnished in with my Tigers Eye polished stone for securing and reassuring a definite imprint.

In flower

Ya gotta love the jacaranda's this time of year...

in full flight,

...and the lilac carpet!

Wheels in Motion

Progress on 'Wheels in Motion' - I've been accumulating found objects and pieces associated with the wheel or circles since my first session of assembling back in September.

Yesterday I had a day of placement and welding. Within the piece there are segments that are 3D in nature, so I am nutting them out first and welding them together before I start to weld them into place.

Within these 3D segments I want to incorporate some form of movement using old wheelbarrow and pram wheels - in the image above both pram wheels move, and the image below gives you a visual of the 3D effect that's being created.

It's starting to look a little like the internal parts of a watch or a clock, on a grander scale, the piece measures 1.1mtr.

New works for exhibition

I'm currently working on some new assemblages for an Exhibition at Studio 4 Gallery - Dec. 13th - Jan 25th, 2010.

My welding has being going great guns since my first lesson with my 'slowdownstopthinking' piece (still in the making and experiencing some exciting developments!).

The image below is a piece that I have been working on over the last several months, as mentioned in my previous posts the nature of my assemblages are a direct result of 'emotion' - rather than logic and controlled thought. I am the instrument as to which it is concieved, and governed by a process that has no sense of time. A true gift into the understanding of patience!

I'm over the moon that this particular piece has presented itself ready and representing as the image for the exhibition.

'House of the Holy : Enlightened Ones'

Medium - Steel and Stoneware Clay

H 320mm x W 340mm x D 70mm

And some whimsical miniature totemic assemblages...

a close up...

Miniature Totemic cubes

Medium - Hardwood, steel, found objects & Stoneware Clay
Various heights - H 120mm to H240mm

ALaW - NOPQ

NOPQ - Techniques...

N - Carving - negative

O - Resist - with shellac & red slip

P - Imprint - with a needle tool

Q - Underglaze - washed back