Tiny Tiny

The smallest of these forms (the white one) is only about 1.5cm diameter.

I'm still really happy with the black form. It's such a beautiful tone and sheen. So. More greys and blacks on their way... I just have to pierce them first!

Until next time,
~Daniel

P.S. Please feel free to leave a comment (negative or positive). I'd love to know what you think about my artwork!

Watch This Space

Here's another photograph of the pink forms... with the sheen instead of a shadow. I have about six pink forms now. They have a nice relationship, but I'm still not too sure how I feel about the colour.

I also got a nice surprise out of the kiln today... some tiny yellow forms (possibly looking into their use as jewellery), and a black one that I had glaze fired. The yellow is quite vibrant and strong, but still with a hint of subtlety and pastel-ness. I was impressed with the depth of colour and of the black especially. As usual, I used a body stain kneaded into the clay with a clear gloss glaze.

I'm looking forward to making more black and grey ones - for their visual and conceptual worth. Hopefully I will have some gradient between my white forms (that I'm still making, however sporadically) and the black and grey, so as to show relationships and familial interactions. Also the concept of emotional change and endurance - the fading of one feeling into another over time.
Having grey forms will hopefully be especially strong - suggesting (on top of the general idea of piercing as pain and annoyance, and relieving that pain through the cathartic creation of art,) that pain is not always black or white - it strengthens one's character and enables new directions and experiences. No pain, no gain?

EXHIBITION NEWS
Coming up in the following months, I will be in these group exhibitions:
"Project B" - Tradeshow @ Judith Wright Centre, Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley
"Reflex" - USQ GraduArt exhibit at USQ Gallery and Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery.

I'll have to dig up the dates for these soon... time is running out! Busy times ahead!
I'll also soon have more images of my artwork, including some black and grey forms.
Watch this space.

Better Photographs!

Finally! I am happy to have some better photos to show of some of my forms with the piercing on the outside of a circle (as opposed to vice-versa, as was prominent in my work from earlier in the year). These newer forms (if I haven't mentioned already) are made from a PORCELAIN paperclay body, so they are even whiter and crisper. My piercing is getting refined more too - more, smaller holes. It is more time-consuming, but I think it is more intricate and beautiful.


I also have some pics of the pink-ish coloured form. (As I've said before, I'm experimenting more with colour and form... so hopefully this is the start of something good!)

I'm not sure how I feel about the shadow with the coloured forms... It almost seems a bit too much. Maybe the shadow is just too stark in contrast. I suppose I could try the form on a high-gloss surface, with a reflection? I didn't like the white / cream forms in that arrangement, but it might work better with the coloured forms.I guess as with everything, it's a balancing act to find just the right finished product, and the photo to compliment it. I do think the first photo captures the sheen of the clear gloss glaze beautifully though.

Exasperation / Inspiration

Where would an artist be without inspiration?

Sometimes it is so easy to get wrapped up in (and sometimes exasperated with) the work we are making... it is really great to just research and look around - trawling through blogs especially, can be time-consuming but very rewarding. Obviously seeing artwork in person is even better though!

An artist that is currently "informing my arts practice" is Ikuko Iwamoto, a London-based artist that makes beautiful yet dangerous functional and non-functional artwork. She explores and reveals "an invisible, microscopic world... of detail, of mathematical pattern and organic chaos, of beauty and repulsion."

http://www.ikukoi.co.uk/

http://ikukoceramic.blogspot.com/

http://www.ikik.biz/gallery.html

Another great ceramic artist that constantly strengthens my practice is Cass Edney. Cass shares a studio space with me, and is constantly making work! The hard work she puts in is evident - her work is intricate and beautiful. Her forms challenge functionality, referencing both the handmade and the mass-produced.

Check Cass out here.