updating the clay work, color test, the transparent glaze is too thick, next time beware; 2 to 3 layers thinly.
Horse Head broken, due to too dry at the bottom part, I should finish it within 3 days.
porcelain seems not really suitable for my sculpture but the cracking look like rhino, elephants’ skin.
Today setting up the assessment, to show the whole process that we did from Sep2013 until now. Space are limited, hopefully the showing are clear and easy to understand~
Preparing the assessment, here’s a simple timeline that illustrate what I did in Unit 1 project.
Filed under MADM Unit 1 Assessment, Working Process in Uni
Continue the sculpture making, first showing the colour testing, by pigment under glaze, and transparent glaze on top
Bald Eagle, out of kiln finally, 3-4 pieces fallen off, next time stick it harder!!!
And new animal making by new material, Stoneware, Raku original. with more particles inside the clay, better for sculpture.
and until now….the zebra’s head is coming…..but…someone broke it…:(
is really sad…..well….okay…..rebuild!!!
yesterday process
today process:
After 9Oct group tutorial, I got some feedback and ideas. Since some comments like….my work are only some art pieces, not really helping the society….the animals…. I a thinking if I could show the installation in Feb show, with different animals having different donation box specific to one organization. This week discuss with Shane, he gave some suggestion base on this idea, 1) donation box related to real money may not a good idea, what if using token, audiences act like voting to different animal box; and on the other hand, I got a web for donation…..final sum of the money will be divided into proportion shown in the token voting. 2) any interactive method to let audience join the art? like they donate once will let me build one more line on the sculpture?! 3) donation got return…which could be a gift or daily product for audience, so that they could use everyday and be reminded~
Another issue we discussed is about a confusing question always in my mind. Barnaby always said I am not enough passion about saving animals….just making use of the project to be an artist….I do not deny that I would like to be an artist but doesn’t mean that I don’t want to save them. Shane pointed out, he also got many art and event, he likes environment, through the art and event he raise the audiences awareness. He position himself as an artist. Suddenly my mind seems cleared…I just position myself as a maker, sculptor first, it doesn’t mean I do not love animal…..in a way, I make sculpture or installation to raise people awareness, that’s why Barnaby keep asking design daily product I just not willing to do. Thanks Shane!!! All is about how you position yourself, could be a furniture designer, movie director, illustrator, whatever….I just position myself as sculptor!!!
Finally we talked a bit art and design…designer design things to change the world….this is what I got from Shane…on the other hand, Oscar (other tutor this year) said designer position himself in the world, what I think is in the Earth, inside the Ozone layer, they design things to help or change society; while Artist position themselves outside the Ozone layer….making art pieces to tell stories….. (he said “the World”…while I visualize it by “the Earth”). I do agree with them and still, finding a way or a word to describe what I feel about art/design issue.
Recently trying to use the clay for my structural animal form. different units were used, to make rhino, tiger and eagle’s head. What I am using now is just earthenware. Asked and searched for the clay, better use stoneware which is harder, or try the  Crank, which is kind of stoneware, with bigger particle inside, that’s suitable for sculptures. Rhino was fired, seems good, only a one or 2 joints cracked while the tiger was damaged before firing, the joints not really well. The eagle looks good waiting to be dried out and fire.
for rhino, using bars, it blends easily under pressure. That could be a different style but looks good as well. If go on developing this style, all bars should be blended.
tiger by different polygons, 3-sides or 4-sided randomly. the polygon-clay was wait for a day to be drier. otherwise that is difficult to maintain the shape. off cut wood used for support. However, experts like Billy and Amanda suggested me to use newspaper next time; 1) clay will strink when dry, wooden pieces would make it crack while newspaper is flexible. 2) newspaper could be fired together and burnt out afterwards while wood is not a good idea to go together. Finally I was really careless when moving the tiger to fire…..damaged the base but will fire it though. Thus when I begin to make next time, better use a piece of newspaper under it so that easier to move.
after the two works…..this time making a bald eagle’s head is better. clay is harder and more patient into the work.
For my reference, sculptors found, really amazing works~ both of the using some basic unit or recycling method to build sculptures.
David Mach: http://www.davidmach.com
Andrew Chase: www.andrewchase.com
Introduced by the candidates of artcube competition, there was a competition about endangered animals, called Ark. applicants have to hand in a pair of animals art. Well, that’s why I haven’t join finally, mine are always alone at this moment.
but seems the gallery is showing show works about that~ I have to go!
http://www.widewalls.ch/the-ark-group-exhibition-bear-cub-gallery-2014/
I would like to write something related to my Unit 1 project. So, problems or questions come out would be: materials, presentation form etc. So I am asking ” How the animal sculptor choose a material”
here’s some of the interesting animal sculpture:
Kendra Haste who uses galvanised wire
http://www.kendrahaste.co.uk/about/
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Yong Ho Ji who uses tires
http://yonghoji.com/db/index.php?/herbivorous/rhino/
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Ben Long who uses scaffolding structure
http://www.benlong.co.uk/scaffolding-sculptures/24-2
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James Doran Webb who uses drift wood
and another artist using drift wood, I could compare between them~
Heather Jansch
Nice talking with Tas again these days during ceramic practice~ he recommended me to go search for two artists, who doing some sculpture with nice structure~
reason why he recommend me is the sculpture method, making a support inside, and covering with fabric or some other soft material. is type of sculpturing method.
one is French, Xavier Veilhan
the other one is from Human Factor show in Hayward Gallery, will go to have a look and found out!
Vinex2013 