Friday, June 26, 2009

teaching the craft of art

clay tile models


The reason we went on this jaunt to the north with which I have been entertaining you all this past week, is to give an intensive 6 day workshop on the pate de verre method of casting glass.  Rather than repeat myself, all y’all that didn’t read about it before, can here.  The first three days are long and intense.  I started out taking pictures intending to document the class but soon failed to remember to use my camera, like after the first day.  Too busy trying to remember everything I was supposed to be passing on to the students.  I did get a few pictures though and the students (3) did take tons of pictures throughout the class but so far they have not sent any to me.


The first day they make clay models for a tile (3 3/4” x 3 3/4”), invest them and fill the mold so they can go into the kiln that evening.



set up for investing (mold making)


cleaning out the mold


filling the mold with crushed glass


The next two days are spent on wax models for a small cup (3 3/4” x 2”).  


Day 4 we have a slide show of our work and the students can make more clay tile models and invest them (over the next 3 days) to have finished molds to take home.  I also demo other wax working techniques and they get their tile out of the kiln and clean it up.  Day 5 is reproduction molds and lectures on mold making and firing schedules.  Day 6 they get their cups out of the kiln and clean them up.  I demo finishing techniques and talk about cold work and equipment.


finished tiles


finished cups


It’s a long six days and I am always wrung out at the end.

6 comments:

  1. I know the process must be long and arduous, but the final results are absolutely beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Those are soooo beautiful. You should let us know how they can be purchased. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. These are lovely and I'd love to be able to make something like this, but I am profoundly uncreative.

    ReplyDelete
  4. It's a tedious process, but yes, a beautiful result.

    Nancy, these are the finished projects of the students from the workshop. My personal work is sold through galleries. You can check my website, the singles and multiples galleries, for contact info under each picture.

    And Madam, I beg to differ. You are extremely creative with words. I could never write like you do.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Nice work Ellen! I'm was not familiar with that technique before now.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Beautiful - I think the long time spent creating them makes their value heightened.

    ReplyDelete

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