Made Possible Exhibition Night

This exhibition cum Christmas party was held upstairs at Lisa's studio.  The Bakehouse is actually a warehouse where in a previous incarnation, bread was baked downstairs and wheat was stored upstairs.  There is a trap door on the floor to allow goods to be 'thrown?' down.  The venue is wonderful, very high ceilings and Scott, Lisa's husband did a great job in putting up the hanging system, under time pressure. 

On the very evening, it poured, which put a dampener on things.  However, those who came enjoyed themselves.  Several people expressed their interest in my gumnut ceramics.  I think it is one of those things that people either hate or love.  I also had some interest in my waterscapes, which was very nice.  It is lovely to be told to continue painting, that people love looking at my paintings.  I sold one of my little canvases.  Don't believe that many things were sold, so it was quite pleasing.

In any case, it was an enjoyable evening and if the weather was better, and the timing not so close to Christmas, we would enjoy better success.  Another show is scheduled for July, with the theme "Shady Ladies", where we have light fixtures and the like.

Miniature paintings

While its quite true that my social life is a blur, I must admit that the impending group exhibition for the Fri night girls art is spurring me to produce. I was also inspired by Judith Johnson's 9 inches by 5 inches panoramas when I went to her exhibition.


Small paintings are easy to find wall space for and are usually much more affordable. I did these two quite quickly. The first is a landscape of Peel where my artist friend Catherine has a property. The other is a vineyard in Milthorpe. I liked the way the rows of vines converged on the house, which was backed by huge trees.


There is much to do and so little time! But dear readers, the exhibition is at 54 Renwick St Marrickville on the 19 Dec between 6 and 8pm. All are welcome although Lisa requests no kids at that session.

Sculpture and other clay masterpieces

The firing has now been completed for works in clay and here are the results. My Shrek container is quite audacious. I rubbed iron oxide on the texture to get the effect.


The gumnut/ Shrek ears are a bright orange red inside.


And then there is the nude model; this time with a head and arms!





The final thing I brought home (there are quite a few items still at the studio) is this flower frog which turned out a delicate green blue.


Of course if I were a methodical note taker like my studio mate Lilli I would now have meticulous records of the glazes and underglazes. And be able to replicate the effects. Ahhh.... To be so organized!

More gumnut inspired ceramics

Here is a pix of my pot with flower frog lid. It is very idiosyncratic and inspired by mushrooms and lunar craters. This specimen is not yet bisque fired.


I made a smaller frog which I won't make a pot for. Too hard...


Also made another pot that has gumnuts on top. However the lid won't be a frog as it's very difficult to get the holes through the stem to be large enough to fit flowers through.


I plan to glaze the nuts a bright green with the inside a dark burgundy. The pot itself I think will be a celadon green and it's inside burgundy.

Completed clay figurines

After what seems like an interminable wait, my clay figurines are ready and they look great! Pottery is slow work because things have to be bisque fired then underglazed and glazed before being fired again. Access to kilns not being necessarily easy to arrange and the need to group pots for an economical firing all add to the time. Add the suspense of not knowing whether a piece will survive the firing and the mystery of glazes (it's a bit of a hit and miss what will turn out).... and you understand the achievement.





The beauty of these figurines is that I finally get to model in 3D what I had previously tried to draw in 2D. It's actually very satisfying although quite a challenge. I have not had a life model just some photos or sketches that I extrapolated from.


My next challenge is to include arms and a head. I also took some raku clay home and am going to persuade my daughter to model for me (clothed of course)!

My first clay sculpture

After a couple of weeks away from the Fri girls art group, we are back and my first sculpture has survived the bisque firing. Here is a photo (drum roll)


Apologies for the background clutter. It looks pretty good for a first piece : modelled using a sketch. I've put a green underglaze and done a second one of a sitting figure this time. Hopefully there will be 3 in this series which I can display somewhere in my crowded display cabinet.

Ceramics

Was invited by a friend last week to an exhibition of ceramic pieces. It was very interesting because I used to throw pots and had thoroughly enjoyed it. These pieces were mostly coiled and hence much heavier than thrown pieces. They had a quirky organic shape and feel. I was particularly intrigued with 2 enormous vases in terra-cotta with a white slip and sgraffitoed figures. On closer inspection, they were of women masturbating! Not exactly lounge room material.


This picture is of a Christmas pressie I bought in the same vein as those vases. I just love it's shape.