Textures for completed pieces

I have finally managed to create some textures that I like for my finished pieces.  It has taken a while because working with porcelain this thin is fraught with complications.  However when it goes right it seems worth all the failures.  So I thought I would share some of the textures for Frankie Boase's big idea with you here.
I have also been looking at the work of Phoebe Cummings which I find really inspirational.  http://www.vam.ac.uk/things-to-do/blogs/phoebe-cummings-ceramics-artist-residence Well worth a look.  She is the artist in residence at the V and A in LOndon at the moment and I am going to do everything I can to go and visit her there.

Grid references for my art trail....

I have been researching how I can use geocaching to get people to visit my art works and have decided on seven locations along the Truro and Fal Rivers.
If you want to find out about Geocaching you can look on their website: http://www.geocaching.com/  Basically Geocaching is a bit like a treaure hunt but it is huge.  There are caches everywhere but I am not aware of anyone linking them to an art trail in the past so this is a bit of a new idea.  Obviously I will need to clear the whole idea with the organisers before I can use them.  I hope they like the idea!

So there are now a set of 7 grid references which people will need to find.  I will give more information on these and the GPS co-ordinates once I have the ok.

Here they are....

Bishop's Wood: (832491)

Tresemple Pond: (855446)

Turnaware Point: (838383)

Messack Point: (845357)

Castle Point: (841327)

Carricknath: (845320)

And finally St Anthony's Head: (845312)

More will be revealed soon.  The art works are now being made, research into design having been completed and artists books will accompany each piece when they finally go out into the landscape.

Land art concept begins to take shape....

People's connection with the land is a vital relationship;  "We worship and loath it, sanctify and destroy it." Kastner and Wallis, (1998).  In landscape we see the space which we occupy and we also see ourselves, in what we do to that landscape.  My land art will trace the route of the River Fal, a vital piece of water from the beginning of man's occupation of the area.  The natural environment of the river; its geology and ecology, has been fundamentally affected by man's activities within that landscape.  But instead of walking the route as Richard Long might do, or leaving ephemeral pieces created out of driftwood or rubbish washed onto beaches, my art will invite people to visit and to comment on the landscape and on pieces which I have placed along the way.  It will be those visits which create the finished art.  UNLESS YOU WALK MY ART WILL NOT EXIST!  Watch this blog for the development of the pieces and of the route which you must walk to create my art works....... all in good time!

Ceramics experiments

So I have now got my first trials back from biscuit firing.  I am really pleased with the way the organic matter has burned out leaving the texture but there is a long way to go before these are right.  They need to longer, thinner and more fragile before I will be happy.  Still these are a start.  When I do get the technique right the vessels that I make for this project will be inspired by the River Fal in Cornwall.  And then.......

Update on the big idea.....

I thought it was time to update people on my big idea so here are two images of the pieces that I am working on for the first 3 weeks.  The are slipcast porcelain, very thin!  The idea is to take textures from near the river and create vessels from the textures.  I have not quite got it right yet,  The porcelain is too brittle to shape properly but I feel as if I am on my way.  The flatter 'dish like' shape actually has pieces of reed embedded in it which will burn out during firing.  Hopefully I will be left with something imperfect and highly textured.  Then I will use oxides to colour parts of it before a second firing.  I am really excited about the outcome of the first firing, which I should know by tomorrow... Fingers crossed!

INTERACTIVE ART PROJECT

This is the start of something big.  A project to create a work of art which will be interactive in the true sense of the word.  Based in Cornwall this project by Frankie Boase, will allow people to discover and become involved in a project in a unique way.  You will have to wait and see exactly what is involved but for now all I will give away is that it is going to involve my favourite river, a website, a blog and some geocaching.  I can't wait to get started but you will have to be patient at the moment and so will I.