New Work: Cloud over Siloam
20 August 2008 5 Comments
This is the first finished work in the new series of clouds. It’s a low-fire white clay with a clear matte glaze mounted on salvaged, laminated cedar. I’m moving, as necessary, to different clays with more grog. This piece made it through the bisque firing OK, but — strangely — cracked profusely during the glaze firing. It stayed together though and I thought it presentable.
The cedar is sanded mostly smooth on top and textured on the sides. Epoxy joins the two pieces. I like the broad grain in the wood, stained with a dark walnut color, and its contrast to the clay. I’m not too fond of the angle at which the clay rests on the base, although this isn’t something you can see in these photos.
It was intentional on my part to let the cloud hang over some of the edges of the terrain, so where the wood is affixed wasn’t sanded completely level. Either I wasn’t careful enough, or I just don’t like the idea.
Time will tell.
I like the direction of your cloud pieces a lot. Very cool to see a cloud solidified. I would love to see that shape made 15 or twenty feet tall. Maybe you could enter some art in public places competition and get a grant. I could see a public plaza with 6 or 7 of these sculptures towering above the pedestrians as they strolled among them.
Keep up the good work!
Jim
and thanks again for the platter!!
This is nice – I’m glad you’re still working with the idea. Really nice.
Jim,
I’ve always wanted to do installations. Clay isn’t the best for this but would be very fun to do. If Jan Kaneko can make a 13′ tall sculpture why can’t I, right.
Oh yeah, I don’t have a kiln with that kind of girth. Maybe someday.
Glad you guys like it. Good for me to hear at this point, essentially still very early for me getting back into a concerted artistic mindset.
I’m with Jim, I think these would be very interesting as very large pieces. I know that would change everything in terms of the materials, but…
Neat concept, and I think the ceramic portion of this one brings to mind a towering storm cloud very well.
you can build a temporary kiln to fire big things. let me know i can help you out. we’ll trade. you help me finish my foundry and i will help you build a massive kiln!