No.11 sculpture - In situ

Installation day for the commission, it was really nice to see the piece in place and how I envisioned it....

  

 

commission progress - clay component

Shaping up nicely!  The clay component is labour intensive - there are so steps involved in the process, the making, the drying time, sanding each piece, bisque firing, several steps to glazing, the glaze firing etc... and then making sure you get the shrinkage rate right!!!  Thankfully after the final firing, the reward comes when opening the kiln door and seeing all is well.

In between blog posts and living with the steel structure for a bit, I've decided on some minor adjustments to the clay design - instead of making each alternate block smaller I've decided to make them all uniform and with less texture on the surface giving each block a flatter finish which sits better in the steel frame.  And slightly reducing the firing (reducing oxygen in the kiln whilst firing) to yield a richer patina in the glaze, aesthetically pleasing with the rusting steel.

A sneak peak - the clay behind the negative space looks good.

Clay process took two months in the making - various depths of clay blocks were made (estimated according to the clay's shrinkage rate). Here the kiln is all loaded and ready for bisque firing.

After the bisque, the clay blocks ready for glazing.

Glazed blocks drying and ready for loading into the kiln for the glaze firing. I've made more blocks than needed - experience has taught always have extra on hand just in case!

The anticipation of cracking open the kiln the next day..........!!!!

Assembling - a day or two of fine tuning. Detail blocks stacked within the steel frame and the clay's surface.

commission progress

Things are coming along nicely with the commission - the steel structure is ready and awaiting the clay component.  A few photographs to show how it's looking...

The two spirals are welded at points where the steel meets at the top and then reinforced with a steel plate welded to the base (lid) inbetween the spirals for strength.  This serves as the lid and bolts on either side to lock it all together - the clay blocks* are built up in the centre to the top and will highlight the house number No.11.

* (the clay blocks will be the dry Cream Glaze as the totem sculpture with the three shell spirals in my previous post)

A few minor changes to my design - angle steel replaces the reo for added strength and to protect the clay edges. Four brackets instead of two, to secure at the base.  The bolts on the lid had to be reconsidered and put to the side so the internal plates for securing were not in the way of the clay being placed within.  Overall the sculpture is shaping up like my design (which of course was not to scale, I might add).

                 

Behind view...

Next post will be on the clay component - so I best get into the studio and get on with it!

back into sculpting!

I've been working with a plethora of material this year, however, as much as its been fun, I feel it's time to settle back into my chosen materials of steel, clay and found objects for a bit!

To get back into the saddle, I've silently been working away on a commission. Taking on commissions are a great way to push the boundaries and of course they help pay the bills!

My scratchings on paper helped when discussing my ideas with my clients. A few minor changes were made but by and large, we were all happy with the concept design.

Below, some works that inspired my clients - the stacked block concept, spirals and rough textured clay.  These earlier works grace our gardens and are also incorporated into our landscape designs for Enviro Scapes (landscape garden business).

You'll notice the steel component incorporated into my design above - which is really where my focus now lies in the combination of steel, clay and found materials, much like my recent totemic forms below...however this particular commission is a little more conservative.

I'll marry these ideas together to form the basis of the sculpture (the design above) with an addition of most recent discovery and technique Waterjet cutting. Below; spirals and 'No.11' cut in mild steel by Steve at Caloundra Waterjet Cutting, 

Experimenting with placement...