September 2011

So last weekend, September 15-18, I attended the first Iowa Clay Conference, and did a pre-conference Soda Fire with Brad Schweiger.  It was practically better than NCECA, it was more intimate, and you did not have to watch a demo from a giant screen 200 ft away.
Pete Pinnell and Brad Schweiger did two demos on how they make they work, both using the wheel as a tool, and the vessel as the premise for their work.  There was also another demo by Susannah Biondo-Gemmel, and Jen Rogers.  Their demo was on mold-making for slipcasting and press molding- an overall good refresher course.
I think the best part about the conference was the workshop and the shows surrounding the conference. The River2River juried show had some outstanding and beautiful pieces. I was proud to be a part of that show, and to see the richness of ceramic arts coming from the midwest. I also visited Clary Illian's studio and see her new series of pots.  We also visited AKAR Gallery in Iowa City. I had never been to Iowa City before, and for the life of me I cant figure out why they put Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport.  Davenport is a shiny piece of dung, and Iowa City is probably the coolest thing in Iowa.  It is a huge college town, home of the University of Iowa, full of artisan shops, restaurants and bars.  We also visited the ceramics studio of University of Iowa, and holy crap I have never seen a studio that big.  There are like 4 or 5 wood kilns alone.  The indoor kiln room is probably the size of the UHA ceramics studio.  I dont know if I would like going to such a big school, but there are so many more resources and equipment there.

Overall, it was the best weekend I have had for ceramics in a long time.  The same piece that was selected for the River2River show, was also selected for the Hartford Art School first juried alumni exhibition.

I am currently finishing up four pieces and have plans to enter 2 more ceramics exhibitions before the end of 2011. I will also be updating my website soon, as i wrap up my work for the 2011 year.

here is the link to the powerpoint of the River2River show if you are curious to see the work from that show.  click here

Summer 2011

Summer is winding down, and it has been more productive than I thought it would be, considering I work a bajillion hours at my job and it is hot as hell inside and out at the garden center.

I managed to finally finish a piece that I started a year ago when I moved here.  I entered it into two shows, got rejected from one, and accepted into the other.  The show that it will be in is called River2River, and it is part of the Iowa Clay Conference this fall, from September 16-18, 2011 in Cedar Rapids, IA.

I am pretty stoked about this conference, because I probably can't afford to go to Seattle for this year's NCECA conference.  I don't know if it is the first Iowa Clay Conference but it features artists from the Midwest region with a keynote address by Clary Illian, and demos and slide lectures by Brad Schweiger, Pete Pinnell, Jen Rogers and Susannah Biondo-Gemme.

There also is a Pre-Conference Soda Firing with Brad Schweiger that I signed up for. I don't know how many people are doing the firing but I know that it is full, so I am excited to meet people and see what people are making.  I am still under the impression that most of the ceramic work in Iowa is all atmospherically fired pots, so I am hoping to figure why people love to make them so much or prove my theory wrong.  It is most likely that my work is what does not fit in here, but I had that going for me in Hartford too, so I am prepared to feel uncomfortable.

Here is the schedule for the soda fire:
" You will discuss glazes and techniques with Brad Thursday morning and get your work glazed.  Thursday, prior to loading, he will have a couple 20-30 minute presentations about both historical and contemporary practices in soda to show you.
Thursday afternoon you will load the kiln and start it, candling it overnight.
Friday morning, the kiln will be turned up and Brad may have another presentation or may do a demo for you in the morning while the kiln is bumped up.
·     Once the kiln is in “cruise” mode, arrangements have been made for you to visit Clary Illian’s Studio, AKAR Gallery, and possibly the permanent ceramics collection at the U of Iowa.

·         You will return to the kiln to fire it off and add the soda. 

The kiln will be unloaded Sunday during the conference and be put out for everybody else to ooh and ahhh over."

  To the workshop I have to bring approximately 1.5 to 2 cubic feet of bisque-fired CONE 10 work, which is currently being made and/or drying.  I am excited for my first workshop out of HAS and would like to thank my momma for her monetary contribution to this activity as well as conference fees and my hotel.

Mississippi Mud Studios

Since my appendectomy almost 6 six weeks ago, I had only been to the studio once to pick up my pieces from the wood fire.  :( I have been working on a piece at home and have plans to enter a few shows this summer. I signed up for the Iowa Clay Conference which is in September. Go here to find out about the conference.  I recently purchased a Canon Rebel SLR camera package, so I thought I should post some pictures I took with it.  Below are pics of Mississippi Mud Studios, the ceramics studio I belong too. I cant wait to finish the piece I am working on and am very nervous, but I will post pictures of that shortly.

Electrostatic Flocking Applicator

Okay so I was on www.craftflocking.com getting ready to order some flock, when this new fancy and affordable Static Stick appeared on their webpage.  only $119.95.  I am very pleased with the results, it takes only a few minutes to get professional surface. You just have to take your time, and be careful where you apply the glue.  If the glue gets on an area where you don't want flocking, you need to wipe it off immediately.  Once the flocking is applied, it is extremely difficult to take off, especially on a wood fired surface because it is so rough (or at least mine are).   What I like about this applicator the most is that you can either use the AC adapter or a 9 volt battery.  The battery part would be excellent for demos, since the cord is only 4 ft long.

here are the specs courtesy of craftflocking.com:

13.5(bat) to 18 Kilavolts electrostatic field.
Self Standing for easy loading.
See through applicator cup.
Copper Charging plate to induce static charge in flock material.
Works with Flocking Fibers as well as model scenic grasses from Notch™ and Woodland Scenics™ materials as well as many more!
Screw on cap.
The static stick can be powered by a 9 volt battery or a wall adapter.
110VAC US Wall power adapter included.
Hi-Power transformer custom manufactured for this product.

The package arrives and Daisy investigates.

Scooter's Static Stick

1lb Green Flocking

Getting Started. 

Unscrew mesh screen and add the flocking

Attached to the yellow wire is a T-pin, you take the t-pin and touch it to the glue on your surface.  Then you hold the Static Stick upside down and push and hold the red button down on the side of the stick.  This negatively charges the flock particles

bought this at hobby lobby,  dries to a clear matte.

Adamah fired mountains, pre flocking

wood fired mountains #2

green flocking applied to 4 sides of 5 in wood fired mountain

green flocking on backside of little mountain

Instructions that came with the Static Stick

 I will post more pictures of the mountains as I work on them.  If you have any questions about the Static Stick leave a comment or shoot me an email.

Hollie

One Year as A Post-Undergrad

It has been almost exactly a year since I graduated from UHA. So far I have moved halfway across the country, moved in with Zach, got a full-time job at a garden center and became a member at Mississippi Mud Studios. I was accepted into a juried show and won an honorable mention, got a cat named Daisy, gone home for a funeral, went to NCECA in Tampa,  had my ruptured appendix removed, and participated in an Adamah firing in Dodgeville, Wisconsin.

Zach will be halfway done with Palmer College of Chiropractic in almost a month.  He has four trimesters left, and probably a Study Abroad tucked in there somewhere.  Then to the East Coast!

I am working on finishing the body of work I started in August and applying for a few shows and a residency. An affordable electrostatic flocking applicator just entered the craft flocking market, which would yield professional flocking results.  With an electrostatic applicator, the flock particles would be negatively charged, and attracted to the adhesive, so they would stand on their ends instead of lying flat on their sides, like with the shaker or puff method.  Thank god and I hope this thing works, because the squeeze bottle method makes your hand hurt.

NCECA was a great time, it was refreshing to be back in your own world, when everyday life can suck the fun out of art, or suck the art out of art or the life out of art ya know.   Plus it always rules to see Walter and Diane in the same day.

The woodfire I recently had work is located at:   bethelhorizons.org 

My Studio Space

Shelves and my green wall

Mountains in Progress

Mountains in Progress

Land Sculptures- bisque