Diary of an Exhibitionist #9

That's it - all done and dusted, sculptures delivered and installed awaiting the opening this coming weekend of Sculpture in the Sanctuary at Southwell

Thank you for following my (erratic) progress.  It has been a steep, steep learning curve.  Given the chance, or a bit more time, I would do a few things slightly differently - but isn't hindsight a wonderful thing?

I would want the whole finished piece ready earlier, so that last minute problems could be ironed out. Luckily, there really wasn't much to worry about, the metal frame went together well and all the glass fitted in.  I managed NOT to drop anything and break it, that's always a bonus.

I love the wooden stand, but as a practical piece of work in a show, I would perhaps think about ways of fixing the panels. With the five panel standing structure, I would probably go for six, and make it a touch taller.  I like the idea of echoing the pattern in the glass into carving into the metal base.

Not a lot I can do now - and I have lots to build on.  I still love both pieces, I think they work really well, and I was fortunate to catch a bit of sunshine this afternoon between the rain clouds, which really shows the panels off to great effect.  Actually, when the sun came out, those glass houses got a liltle bit TOO warm...

Anyway, I managed to get a few pictures before we wilted away...

 

 

Diary of an Exhibitionist #8

Boy oh boy what a stressful weekend it has been!

For once in my life, I was actually ready quite early with my glass pieces (those of you that know me personally will know that it's quite unusual!) - so I have been waiting on the frame.  Mark, bless him, went in over the weekend to get that done (otherwise I might actually have had a nervous breakdown).

It's still at the factory, as it was given it's final coat of paint this afternoon, and I couldn't take a picture as I only had my phone, which isn't very clever in low light, but I can reveal it's a rather lush shade of green.

Meanwhile I made some extra panels as a back up, none-coloured, in case any of the enamel firings went wrong.  As you know, I liked them clear, so I decided to make a second piece with three clear panels, and using the skills of Ian of Leafbone in the next studio/shed to ours, to make me a beautiful wooden stand to display them in.

Here's the result:

Triple Glass Panel in Wooden Stand

I think it looks rather special, and hopefully will be able to capture it in position somewhere at the Sanctuary tomorrow.

Diary of an Exhibitionist #7

So, it's been a few days since I posted - mainly because there wasn't a lot to show since the first clear panel came out of the kiln. Of course, I could have rambled, or waffled, or downright confused you about some of the ideas going through my head.

Having seen that first panel come out, I really did like it clear.  But I kept coming back to thinking it might look a bit, well bland, if I don't add something.  I decided to carry  on firing clear panels anyway, make sure I have those first.

Meanwhile, I did a couple of Photoshop experiments to try and get some idea of what it might look like muli-coloured vs single coloured vs plain.  In a mock-up, my original idea of colours shading from one to another, like a rainbow (but not necessarily in rainbow order!) looked, well rubbish!  I much preferred one plain colour, blue or red perhaps?

I decided I was going to go with the red, to contrast with the green of the trees that will still be in the glass house. Frame in perhaps a red oxide. Yay, Dawn has made some decisions (if you know me, you'll know that isn't always my strong point!)

So, all fired up, feeling smug, I went to the studio the following day. Earlier the previous day when I'd done my mock-ups, I'd already ordered a selection of bright colours, of course they arrived, and OOOOH they're lovely!! I simply *had* to try them out. (Luckily) I only had small pieces of glass to try them out on, so I was restricted to a small sample of greens, one of blues, one of reds and a yellow on white base. I figured it was actually a very good idea to test fire them any way.

When I got the samples back out the following day there was a bit of an uh-oh moment.  Red looked great, but the moment I casually mentioned to a studio colleague that it looked a bit like blood, that was it!  And actually, we both really rather liked the shades of green.... so I have been to the studio today, and green it is, first panel in the kiln, fingers crossed that the kiln fairies are kind tonight....

(But whatever you do, don't ask me what colour the frame is going to be yet!!)

Diary of an Exhibitionist #6

First sample is out.... YAY!  No bubbles, no sticking, a very slight bit of warp which we can live with.

I am quite pleased, but it has put me in a little bit of a dilemma... originally it was coloured glass, then it was plain with coloured edges... however, I really rather like the simplicity of the clear, uncoloured glass....

Diary of an Exhibitionist #5

Made it down to the studio this afternoon, and it was actually quite warm in there (anybody who has called into Shed 2 will know that this is uncommon!)

Moulds all dried out, a couple stacked up here, and yes that is SOME of my glass stash behind....

And one has gone back in to (Kiln) Bill with a layer of glass on top... fingers crossed for no bubbles, glass sticking or warping of moulds....

Diary of an Exhibitionist #4

Oooh, time is creeping by SO fast!

I've been busy in the studio this week, preparing moulds - hopefully I've made plenty, just in case!  Got my glass, and a couple of spare sheets on the way (just in case).

Moulds have been prepped, carved, kiln washed and I left them drying yesterday.

Another change of plan on the design!  Talked to Mark last week, and said how I'd still wanted a spiral... and it turns out, it might be a bit easier to do than a straight ladder... so new design idea is a bit like a spiral staircase, with the panels coming out from a central pole...

This is where I have to take a leap of faith, both in Mark's skill and my own visualisation and idea, as we really, really don't have time to prepare a mock up - unless you count the little cardboard model I made the other day!

I am off to the studio in a couple of hours, will try and remember to take some photographs of the moulds this time!  And hopefully the first piece of glass is going in the kiln, please, please, please pray to the kiln gods for me!!

Diary of an Exhibitionist #3

Just as quick update as promised earlier, some mock up images when I was trying to decide, coloured, clear or mixed. Please DO excuse some of the brightness, it was only to try and give myself a rough idea how each might look

Diary of an Exhibitionist #2

Wow, where does the time go?  I'll tell you, into planning and working things out!  This is a bit of a quick post and run - hopefully I might have a few images to put up later this week.

So, where am I up to?  I've spoken to Mark at Steelcraft Fabrications, who's kindly going to make my metal framework.  Poor chap, put him through the mill about with all my crazy ideas.... I wanted to do some sort of helix type affair, but when he did a mini mock-up for me, it wasn't so easy as I'd envisaged (bear in mind I am not a welder!)  - I realised that, with that kind of complex structure, it would take a lot more planning and designing than I now have time for.  I've got to rely on Mark's considerable skill and experience for him be able to create this framework for me without having the final glass panels to work with... not an easy task!

I've been a silly billy and done my usual thing - allowed time for the *making* yeah yeah, I know how long my mould making takes, etc, but I forget to factor in how many times I need to put the kiln on - chances are, the glass is going to be ready only a few days before the whole piece has to be delivered, so, we're working a bit blind on the frame.

With this in mind, I think I will go back to the original idea of keeping it quite simple - of course, I am not easy to please, because, whilst I want this lovely metal frame making, I don't want it to be the main part of the finished piece, if you get what I mean?  I am an glass artist, not a metal sculptor.  So poor Mark, has got to make me something that holds the glass how I want, isn't too overbearing, but is good and strong, all without having the glass to work with (mind you, he says he doesn't actually WANT the glass in his workshop, he might break it - that WOULD cause me to panic!)

So, what else?  Well, as I said, hopefully pictures soon, but talking to a colleague the other day and she reminded me of the beauty of using clear glass - so I think I will be going back to that, rather than the coloured panels.

Again, it's a slightly practical solution too - I haven't got time to make up a maquette to make sure the colours would work with each other - and I am also enjoying the experimenting with enamels to colour the clear glass - here's an early sample:

Using similar texture making techniques as I have done with the coloured glass, but using lovely clear instead, and adding touches of colour.  Decision made!!

Diary of an Exhibitionist #1

Late last year, I applied to this years Sculpture in the Sanctuary at Reg Taylor's Garden Centre in Southwell.  I'd visited it in 2009 with my son and some friends and I thoroughly loved it.  Here's a blog post I wrote about it after I had been and some pictures, conveniently put into a slideshow: Sculpture in the Sanctuary 2009

The organiser liked my work and I was very excited to have been offered the chance to exhibit there this year, so I went up last week to view the potential space.

As last time, as well as lots and lots of sculptures in the gorgeous Swan Sanctuary, there will be work in glasshouses, and this is the one I hope to display my work in:

A view of the glasshouse - look at all that light

That spot to the right of the path looks ideal

This was taken on a slightly dull day - as you can imagine, in summer, when the exhibition is running, it will be flooded with glorious sunshine. A lot of the lush, more established taller greenery will be staying, but the gravel beds on the floor, currently filled with lots of pots will be a lot clearer for our work.

I am thinking of some kind of free-standing structure,several panels, quite tall, so that for the top, you have to look up, and the light from the glass roof will shine through and highlight the texture.

One of my original textured panels

Maybe not green, with all that lush, but this sort of texture

Perhaps bold, contrasting colours

I'll probably be working with texture again, although I'll be thinking about the project brief/working titles over the next week or so to decide on what that will be.  I do think this kind of texture will work really well though, in colours, as with the right kind of light it will cast lots of interesting patterns and shadows.