1/22/2017
it is a start
I used stainless steel wire fabric. I have fired the material in my barbque grill to break down the stainless finish sprayed it with an intense cleanser and then left it outside to rust.
day 2
Human chain - Galveston a commissioned piece
I have been commissioned to create a human chain for a fabulous Galveston home. It is important to me that I get this perfect. It is harder than I anticipated because the sun light in Galveston cast a green tint on everything. I made the first piece and then went to Galveston with the owner and the last two pieces of the triptych were great the others had too much yellow in them. My friend the owner gave me a pillow from her sectional in order to help me get the colors right
Below are the pieces I did, the one that worked is the next to the last one.
a ghost print
“Score” - a change of plans
3/6/2018
The entire time I have been building the armature, I have been wrestling with which media to sculpt it in, concrete or plaster. There are pros and cons to both.
Pros and cons of Concrete and plaster-
- I have a lot more time to work with the concrete, before it sets. Working in plaster is very fast and does not have to hydrate while it cures.
- The color of concrete is not as bright as plaster.
- The concrete I would pour at home, and then allow it to hydrate for five days between layers. This would tie up my welding space, and keep me from starting a new armature.
- If I make it out of concrete at home, then I will have to hire movers to get it to my studio at Glassell, in order to photograph it, and then pay to have it moved again, as we are moving out of the building in May. That is a lot of extra expense.
- I have never made a large plaster piece.
Plaster it is, now is the time to try new things.
one last look before I start mixing the plaster.
The left foot- plaster and cut up pieces of wire and broken wire cloth.
The right foot and leg.
Detail of right leg
“Score” - more violins and bows
3/7/2018
I was ready to start plastering again and a friend had set up a piece of her art in the middle of my work space in the sculpture room. No worries, I decided to work on some of the additional pieces that will be added as the plastering progresses.
A few bows and a violin
Human chain commissioned piece
“Human chain H20” it took me 6 attempts (that is X 5 pieces in a pentaptych) to get the colors perfect.
“score” - what to do with the extra concrete
I always end up with extra concrete and hate to waste it it so I made a quick bird armature to put my extra cncrete on.
A giant peace pigeon or possibly a swan, or a fancy chicken.
score- new base.
I changed the base. I purchased a 1/4” thick by 24” X 24” piece of steel and welded his feet to it. The steel weighs 40 lbs. the more bottom heavey he is the safer.
In order to weld him to the base I had to take all the paper out. Tomorrow I will re stuff him. 🤪
Studio visit/a birthday surprise event
Theater director Lily Wollf purchased a lenticular for her husband. They are in town from Austin today and she is bringing him by my studio for a visit. Little does he know that she bought him the piece. I have it wrapped in the corner with a giant brown paper flower on it. I will serve wine and show them around and then she will give him his gift. I love being able to help with the surprise.
this was a lot of fun.
International Water Media Exhibition - merit award
I think this was there 42nd International Water Media Exhibition.
I am not sure how..........
Shake shake shake chocolate IV- soap bubbles walnut oil and coffee
30” X 22”
I am not sure how, but somehow my piece 'Shake Shake Shake IV” was selected by the juror Ian Stewart for one of the merit awards. The opening was very crowded and it was hard to see all the work, but the pieces I saw between all the faces were stunning. I will have to go back to study them.
FYI: my chocolate pieces were inspired by Karen Brandt’s dog Hank. I hope Hank is feeling OK. She commissioned me to draw him shaking a few years back. I think I did five or six, and she picked her favorite.
Score - #24 adding wire
I have attached the bailing wire. In order to keep it out of my way when I apply the Concrete I have wrapped it up into balls.
MD Anderson Boot Walk to End Cancer - donation
donations to fundraiser.
silver lining
found object paint and silver leaf
A quick experiment with plaster and recycled wire
The armature
The lath
The other side
Score - the finish ???????
I have thought and thought and thought about how about the specific application of Concrete and wire on the piece. Last week I did a small piece to experiment with the materials. For simplicity sake I used plaster instead of white Concrete and every type of wire in my arsenal.
I am considering this application. It has a thin layer of plaster over the lath. Next I added the wire that creates the volume, movement and energy of the figure. Some of the wire is covered in the concrete.
The wire I used on the tail feathers and wings I plan on using to create the sound made by the violin.
detail of the wire used for the tail feathers that look like the sounds made by the violin
welded wire-
another example of the wire from the experiment that I like for my sound from the violin.
Pareidolia - peace pigeon project #?
peace pigeon - pareidolia
found object - stone
10” X 6” X4”
Pareidolia- a psychological phenomenon when the mind perceives a familiar pattern where non exist.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pareidolia
http://glasstire.com/2018/02/26/first-sculpture-handaxe-to-figure-stone-at-the-nasher/
Gust- porcelain
4 more. I now have a total of 12. By May I plan on having 16. I need to get cracking.
Score - #23 safety safety safety
The last thing I need is to have the sculpture fall on me while I am working on applying the concrete. Those violin playing fingers would surely put a hole in my skull.
First I have started stuffing the legs of the armature with paper. The paper will keep the concrete from falling through the lath to the floor.
The lower part of the legs will be mostly solid for balance. The rest of the body will not be solid
Detail of the armature stuffed with newspaper.
.
I have, (actually my husband Curtis helped) me attach the sculpture to a piece of plywood and attached the plywood to an 800 lb dolly. I have a piece of plastic over the dolly to keep the concrete off the plywood. The dolly will allow me to gently move it if I need to while applying the concrete and will make it very difficult to tip over.
half stuffed and secured to the 800 lb. dolly that is covered in plastic. .
Detail of the open chest area that I am using to get the paper inside the piece.
End of the day- it is99% ready to for me to apply the Concrete.
#HoustonCreatives: the local artist that inspire us
instagrams works 🙂
Thank you Voyage Houston for taking the time to give me and other Houston artists a shout out in this week's publication. I am always learning new things about my favorite city when I check out the articles.
#HoustonCreatives: the local artist that inspire us
Thank you Voyage Houston for taking the time to give me and other Houston artists a shout out in this week's publication. I am always learning new things about my favorite city when I check out the articles.
Mas pruning
I pruned his shoulders back again. I would like to have plenty of space to create arm movement and the energy created by the music with the baling wire and wire cloth.
Cutting down the shoulders for a second time.
Pruning his left shoulder
I have also decided to cut the armature on the left side of his face leaving room to create volum and movement with the wire.
And a little facial reconstruction.
There was a piece of armature that the violin bumped on his chest, I cut it so I can have more room to maneuver the violin.
chest cut apart
I will live with it over night and see if I need to prune a little more in the morning.
“gust” dip #1-2
Slurry only
slurry only
the slurry is dry
Dip # 2 slurry and Fine silica
