Friday, August 20, 2010

in the groove


It's been a long time since I have spent this much time in the studio. I guess the last time was the first half of 2008 when I was preparing work for our one person show at our local gallery. I've done less than half a dozen pieces in the two years since. With the crash of the economy in late 2008 and our expectations of finally breaking the collector barrier dashed and the gallery that had been taking our work to the big shows dropping us from the repertoire, well, it took the wind out of my sails. That and having racked up a considerable debt going to these shows for the previous five years that we no longer had expectations of paying off with the cast work sent my focus back to the etched architectural work. Fortunately we had some of that to focus on.

Two years. I wondered at one point if I would ever get back to it. I made a few half hearted attempts but quickly lost interest. Today though, I see the work stretching in front of me. I have a growing pile of finished waxes and more still to complete and many more to start. I'm working on a small box right now that I am trying out a new approach on. I've been trying to come up with a way to do some larger pate de verre boxes without a lot of grinding and recasting and I think I have a way to do it using inlays. I've done this on a few pieces, very simply, with good results. This little box will be a bit more complex. I also have two other series of pieces I have started on. I might even try a few more sculptural vessels, a form I abandoned years ago for a variety of reasons.

I'm not sure what I am going to do with all the finished work once I have it. It will take some time to complete. The shop is still spread out between here and Houston but I want to start casting the small components. I guess we'll be making a foray into the city pretty soon, if for no other reason than to get the materials to start making molds.


11 comments:

  1. Sounds like things are picking up? These are such beautiful pieces of artwork. I can't believe they were dropped from the show.

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  2. Although I don't understand the technical terms I can follow your thought processes and progress.
    Even if you have no ready market for your pieces, I understand that an artist has to work at their craft.

    I caught up with the last vignette, a beautiful piece of writing giving the flavour of this particular part of the expedition in a few words.

    As always, my admiration for your work.

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  3. When you're in the groove, you keep that going, whether it becomes profitable or not. Love to learn about your creative process.

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  4. I'm glad you've been diving back into something you love!

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  5. I sometimes have to just back out of my sewing room for a bit, it becomes too routine and I am less than excited. I love it when I am so excited to see the finished product. I am usually inspired by my granddaughters........

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  6. I can hear the enthusiasm and the passion in your voice...enjoy your work and your creations

    Happy days

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  7. I love Gail's comment

    I hope that a market niche opens up for you
    as my Nana used to say - when you least expect what you've been longing for there it is

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  8. I'm happy to read such a positive post, hope things are starting to pick up - we keep having mini flurries over here...

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  9. How many artists have been unsatisfied for reasons as yours and yet, they must create or there is an emptiness to heavy to bear.

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I opened my big mouth, now it's your turn.