a little order

I have spent the past few days moving into my new studio. Many thanks to my friend Cheryl for helping me with the heavy lifting and the mind bending physics it took to figure out how to get my desk through the doorway. Girls are great when it comes to moving. We don't compete for who can lift the most and when something doesn't work we use our brains (and not our brawn) to figure out a solution. Don't fret boys, nothin' beats you and your wonderful muscles.

I spent all of Saturday organizing all my bottles of glazes and whatnot, figuring out where the best place for the shelving to go, the work tables most advantageous position and coming up with space efficient solution for a casting table. I was going to have one built but after giving it some thought I figured out a better and cheaper solution. Ikea to the rescue! I will show you what I came up with once I set it all up. Whoa, and have a look at all them there molds. I made all those babies myself. I love them all stacked so neatly on my pretty new shelves. I put up my favorite picture of Ganesha who has graced every studio I have ever had (except for the one I was just in...no wall space to hang him). He is the remover of obstacles and hell, I need all the help I can get for removing obstacles in the studio. I put him over the casting area thinking maybe he might do some extra time and be the helper of lifting heavy molds as well. Beneath him is my collection of wooden paddles that I have gathered over the years and of course my test tiles hanging there on the wall like tantalizing pieces of candy.

I have tricked you a bit, only showing you the most organized corner of the studio. I still have a lot more situating to do. It it is going swimmingly though and I already feel happier in my beautiful light filled studio. I'll be back soon with more details of my progress.

For now happy Monday friends!

the plaster & I

Mold making and I don't always get along though I persist in making us life long partners. If you asked the plaster's opinion (if it had one) it would say I was out of my mind and that I am delusional about my abilities and mathematical skills. I say, I like math and think I am quite capable. I think that I can figure out the weights and measures that making the proper plaster mold requires but alas the delusions endure and I am often faced with head scratching concentration and confusion only to give it up and rely on the "other" less sophisticated method of making plaster molds which requires no math at all, just the ability to move fast and eyeball it. I know I can do it the correct way but am often feeling pressed for time or just plain anxious to get the job done that I don't take the time to figure it out. When I want a perfect mold, lets say for slip casting, I hire someone else to do the the job. Though deep down I really want to do it myself. The plaster, says "give it up already, would ya!"

Once again I am about to embark on a mold making adventure and I am determined to get it right. I've decided to stay small (some two part vase molds) that won't require large quantities of wet plaster as I am also known to have a deluge of wet plaster flood out of my coddles. I am really not sure why I persist in this endeavor. It seems silly after so many failures at something to not just give in and say, look I am just not good at it...but I want to succeed at this. I actually love the whole process of making the model and preparing it for a mold (which is a lengthy process that requires precision). It's the plaster part that messes me up. Everything else I have figured out just not the plaster. So wish me luck. I'll be back to let you know the results. By the way, I did make all the molds in this here photo, though these are not the kind of molds that require much skill, just the fast moving eyeball it method. "Yeah, so what" says the plaster, "lets see you make a real mold!" I'll show you...you pesky plaster, as long as it is up to me we will get along. So there!