Thursday 23 December 2010

The new challenge: 100 days in the unknown! Half Way

My 100 days into the unknown has stopped for the moment but will resume right after the holidays.




I am now half way into this process and this is the most interesting part of it. This research that started with a bit of experimentation because I felt I needed it into my art has become something much deeper than this, it as become  my inner artist.
Earlier in the year , I did also a little bit of experimentation but at this stage, it didn't really bring me anything very new to my work so may be at that moment in time, I wasn't ready for the discovery.
This time, when I started this new experimentation phase, i didn't think again that it would change my work much although I started to feel different about my work and started to question more but I can now say that it will. I am not too sure what is the difference between the earlier experimentations and this one but my vision  and  my direction in my artwork is changing.
At the moment, everything is a bit shaky ( in term of the work produced) but ideas are forming in my head faster than they are in producing the work:) I am still faced with learning new method of working, new materials, new ideas and how to form them and I think that will take a bit more time but I am making sure that I keep my sketchbook  updated my my thoughts and ideas, even if I am not ready to make the pieces yet.
For the moment, I need to reflect on how I am going to use this other half of the challenge. I am still reading few books to help me in that process, mainly technical books. I need to go through my sketchbook again and reflect on that first 51 days of experimentation and see how I can take this further....

......so in the meantime...

I wish you all a MERRY CHRISTMAS and Happy New Year 2011!!

Friday 10 December 2010

the new challenge: 100 days in the unknown! Day 51

few days have been since day 50!

I have been waiting to receive some new tools and some new materials, little samples of some very funky new material but i will reveal those much later.

I also need to consider getting a wood burner for my studio next year ! too cold in there to work..can't do below freezing temperatures, in fact can't do below 5 degrees:) so didn't manage to do too much over the last couple of week.

I am still reading my book about Barbara Hepworth but I also bought a new book about graphic designs techniques as I feel this will also hep me a lot in my research.

a fair amount of little works came back from the kiln...nothing broke! will be testing different glazes next...

another little maquette
shape number 1 in clay ( red clay that once cooked becomes black!)