No, not because
of that. It's about the piece I'm working on, the heron box. The only
thing that has gone smoothly with this is making the models though
I'm sure I griped plenty during that process. The first two pieces
cast didn't have quite enough glass in them to the point that one at
least will have to be reinvested and re-fired with the appropriate
amount of glass. The other, the heron head inlay which otherwise came
out good, for some reason the glass in a certain spot didn't quite
melt all the way. I think. It may have to be reinvested and re-fired.
So now I have to fill the egg mold and the sticks mold. I agonized
half a day Tuesday over the egg trying to decide if one of the samples
was 'enough' of what I was seeking from it. Finally, fuck it, I just
forged ahead and went with it.
I
wasn't agonizing just over the egg mold but the sticks mold as well.
I agonized over that all fucking day to the point of being paralyzed
by indecision. It's not that I've never done sticks before. I have
and actually have three left over from other endeavors that I've been
including in my agonizing.
Because I can only guess at the formula
that produced them and not because I don't have records, I have
notebooks full of records...stick 1, stick 2, stick 3, …, stick
11...but without a picture or a sample piece I don't really know how
the formula translates. Was it too pale, too dark, just right? I have a
dozen or so colors involved. Ambers, browns, grays, whites.
All
day.
Paralyzed
with indecision. When I walked the dog I thought I would be better
served in casting the box first because if that disaster of a mold in
three pieces fell apart in the kiln then all this agonizing would be
in vain. Though I suppose I would probably go ahead and cast them
anyway. So much has already gone wrong with this piece. Finally
that was what freed me. Fuck it.
I selected three different
grays and clear, two sticks one combo, one stick one combo as well as
I can manage since most of the voids to fill with the frit are
encased in plaster and I can't see how well they are packed. If they
are packed. I'm actually using a pipe cleaner to push the frit into
the spaces.
So
I finally started on it Tuesday evening (didn't have time to work on
it at all yesterday) and plan to finish today, one tiny spoonful at a
time.
So tedious. You could also use bamboo skewer sticks for the hard to reach places. Just take it one day at a time. Play music and relax while doing this. Don't go crazy about it. It will get done.
ReplyDeleteI can hear your frustration. I am sure they will be beautiful when you are done.
ReplyDeleteI don't know why, but the thought of doing sticks in glass seems amazing to me. I can't wait to see them -- sometimes just getting after it is all that's needed. You may be more pleased than you can imagine.
ReplyDeleteI'm not even sure all the glass will melt down into those tunnels, that the piece will cast completely at this point. We'll know on Monday or Tuesday.
DeleteYes, I can well imagine this. Frustrating. I hope you have figured it out by now.
ReplyDeleteOf course, to the ignorant observer, everything here looks amazing and inspiring and near perfect.
As I learned from the movie "Risky Business": "Sometimes you just have to say, what the fuck."
ReplyDelete(Not that I think "Risky Business" is a particularly good model to follow for life lessons overall.)
I hate it when that happens. I do marvel at those sticks, however. They are fecking fantastic!
ReplyDeleteArt, that's usually how it goes...one tiny spoonful at a time.
ReplyDeleteAre you saying that you can take a piece of already fired glass and put it with unfired and they will meld?
This is going to be a very nice piece, especially because of the effort you've put in. In other words, a lot of fucking work!
When done, this piece is going to be beautiful and...priceless. I mean seriously- woman, you have put your heart, soul, blood, sweat and tears into it.
ReplyDelete