Our newest studio mate has arrived!
It’s been a few years since we’ve had a furry companion in the studio but we’re so happy to welcome Bowie into our pack. He’s a rescued 8 month old mix of shepherd, husky and cattle dog (we think!). He’s super sweet, smart and full of puppy love.
Hope you get to meet him in person soon!
Very excited to announce that I’ve just installed a new (to me) larger kiln in the studio! I was able to buy it used from another artist who was downsizing their studio. My husband named the new kiln Hugo because well… it’s huge! Can’t wait to start loading it and firing it up!
This means that I’m now selling my older big kiln, details are below if anyone is interested in it!
For Sale
Used Skutt Automatic KM-1027
208 V
31.7 Amps
3 Phase
2350 F/ Cone 10 Max
7 cu ft
23 x 23 x 27d (opening)
$1200.
Includes:
2 Full Shelves, 5 Half Shelves, Large Selection of Posts, ~10’ of Wire, Receptacle, 40 Amp Breaker for Square D Box.
Condition:
New elements, Thermocouple, Relay Switches, Plug and Receptacle.
Some damage to bricks, missing/broken peep hole plugs, has envirovent but doesn’t work- could possibly be fixed.
Now that the ceramic parts for this site specific installation are completed, it’s time to start working on the infrastructure. Each of the ceramic pieces will be epoxied to a steel rod that will be anchored into the ground supporting the pieces and also allowing them to float off the ground about a foot. This will give an ethereal vibe to the piece while also allowing the forest floor room to regrow beneath the work.
There are over 300 parts but about half of them are large enough that they require two rods to support them, so that totals to approximately 450 rods that need to be fabricated, plus some extras of course. I ordered 1300′ of steel rod that needs to be cut into 30″ lengths, the ends are ground so they are not sharp and then I’m welding on a washer to the end of each rod where the ceramic piece will rest and be epoxied to the rod. It’s simple, but it is A LOT of parts to make.
I’ve also started to pack up all the parts and make lists of everything I’ll need to bring with me for the installation. And trying to prepare and plan for all the ‘what ifs’ that might happen. Luckily, I can already tell that I’ve got a great team meeting me on site and that even if all doesn’t go as planned, we’re going to make it work and make it beautiful!
Installation is now officially scheduled for early August, and I’ll be posting the progress on my Instagram feed if you want to follow along.
I ~think~ I have enough parts for my site specific Spore Patterns installation at the Price Sculpture Forest on Whidbey Island in Washington. I’ve lost the official count of parts but there’s definitely more than 300 pieces here, some are still raw clay, some glazed but not fired and most are finished. Next steps are to start working on the steel rods that will support the ceramic pieces to get them floating off the ground. Getting excited!
Just a heads up that the studio will be closed for just a few weeks!
I’ll be heading south to work on some projects on our property in Baja. Looking forward to some desert adventures, warm ocean waters and catching up with my south of the border friends.
I’ll still be available via email if you need me, the online shop is open 24/7 (shipments will go out when I return but local pickup can be arranged sooner) and all in process projects will still finish on time- promise! I’ll post here on the dirt occasionally to keep you updated.
hasta luego amigos!
It’s really about a dozen different things but sometimes it feels like five million.
When I shared three work-in-progress posts in a row and they were all on different projects, I realized that it might be hard for y’all to keep up with what’s been going on in the studio. Sorry about that. I really like to use my blog, emails and social media accounts to share all the behind the scenes triumphs and failures of life in the studio, but it doesn’t work well when I’m all over the place.
It made me start thinking about my process and why I work like this. And for better or worse, I realized that there’s a few reasons for the madness.
One, I get bored easily. I like challenges, problem solving and trying new ideas out. But, that is only one part of studio life and the art making process. So, I have to mix it up and keep moving from task to task.
Two, I like to work. I will gladly spend all day, every day in my studio. (But don’t worry, I play just as hard as I work!)
Three, clay can be slow. It seems like I’m always waiting for something to dry, something to be fired or a kiln to cool off. So it’s good to have different projects to bounce between while you’re waiting for another.
Four, I get excited about new projects. Which kind of means I’ll almost always say yes to a collaboration, exhibition, or project. But I’m good with follow through too, so it doesn’t mean other projects get dropped from the roster, the to-do list just gets longer….and longer.
And five, sometimes, I just get inspired to make something that’s not on the list of projects. And I have to follow that inspiration, trust it, and make time for it.
Is this good for my art practice? I don’t know. Maybe I’d make better work if I focused on one thing at a time. I just don’t know, this is just how I roll. Yet, I will also try my best to slow down and share as much as I can with you. Thanks for being along on the journey with me.
I’ve just launched ebooks of both my art books in the online shop for only $10! Hardcover books are available too!
~Studio Secret: Book #3 is in the works!!~
*this one is available FREE when you join the email list! If you’re already on the mailing list but don’t have your free copy, let me know!
I’ve been slowly plugging away at these pieces, trouble shooting and learning as I go. This batch was the best yet and honestly they look so much better in person than photographed but hope you can get a sense of their potential.
There’s of course still some kinks to work out with the resin, the frames, and the lighting but I’m really excited about them and I know that when I dial it in, they are going to be amazing. If you missed the last post, read here first, but otherwise enjoy this quick video of creating these pieces one layer at a time.
Just a quick update on the Lichen Series: Spore Pattern installation that’s going to be installed in the Price Sculpture Forest this summer. I’ve been steadily building pieces in the studio and decided that I had enough to start laying them out on the floor of the studio. These are all in various stages of drying, firing and glazing but laying them out gives me a good idea of how many more I need to make and what the final piece will look like.
The large circle in the center photo above is about 10 feet across with a 1 foot center opening and there are almost 200 pieces placed down. I’d like the final piece to be about 2 feet wider, and there are still some holes to fill with parts, so I’m estimating that I’ll need to double the amount of parts but I’m getting closer to the finish line. Can’t wait to see it all together and installed!
I’m finally ready to reveal a fun collaboration with sculptors Lucia Bruer and Franco Di Majo entitled Bling!
It all started with the pile of Rock Candy pieces in the studio. Lucia was visiting the studio one day and said, ‘Wouldn’t it be fun if they were gigantic jewelry?’. We both looked at each other and knew we had to see this idea through.
We decided to make two rings, that would appear to be stuck into the ground at the bottom and have their big gems crowning above.
Lucia enlisted the help of Franco and they started planning out the logistics of making the structure for band of the ring. Then we designed the layout of the band so that it mimicked the shapes of the ceramic rock candy. We also designed the bezel it would sit in with similar angles. Next up, there’s a lot of welding to do but it was really exciting to get a vision of what it would look like assembled.
We’re hoping these rings will be installed at Sierra Azul Sculpture Garden early summer, details to follow.