Finished up the main supports for both sculptures and welded all the tentacles for the Humboldt Squid and the Nautilus Shell. There are some heavier duty hanging washers welded to both frame backs. With the thicker round stock I used for the squid, the piece is a bit heavier than normal. I'll use reinforced hanging wire looped through the washers that will hang nicely on J hooks. Still to be done is the 
bead embellishments and the actual wiring of the clay pieces to the steel frames... I'm always way too rough with the finished clay work! I've managed to break off fired clay loops for hanging, crack fish in half, breaking off fins, cracking tiles while pulling wire through the drilled holes too roughly etc. Trying to force ceramic is not the same as "horsing" steel! I'm thinking I'm going to use a lighter gauge copper wire to "hang" the Squid and Nautilus Shell from their steel frames. I'm also contemplating adding a couple of Rockfish (from the plaster cast molds I made last summer) that I have to each sculpture.
I like the splash of color added to the Nautilus Shell and I like the additional sculptural clay element when added to the Humboldt piece.
bead embellishments and the actual wiring of the clay pieces to the steel frames... I'm always way too rough with the finished clay work! I've managed to break off fired clay loops for hanging, crack fish in half, breaking off fins, cracking tiles while pulling wire through the drilled holes too roughly etc. Trying to force ceramic is not the same as "horsing" steel! I'm thinking I'm going to use a lighter gauge copper wire to "hang" the Squid and Nautilus Shell from their steel frames. I'm also contemplating adding a couple of Rockfish (from the plaster cast molds I made last summer) that I have to each sculpture. I like the splash of color added to the Nautilus Shell and I like the additional sculptural clay element when added to the Humboldt piece.
7 comments:
Great seeing your process! Love the pieces and the combination of steel and clay in your work.
Fabulous piece Cindy. Where is it headed - Half Moon?
Hi Patricia! thanks for the post. I have enjoyed figuring out ways I can combine both mediums but it has been a bit of a challenge. It's been a god creative exercise as well as a brain workout!
Hi Vicki! thank you! I'm not sure yet... probably Half Moon because packaging and shipping pieces like this has been kind of a pain. Everywhere the metal meets the clay I have to take extra care for packaging -and I have never been that patient to do a good enough job! I'm pretty spoiled to just be able to drive them up the street to Half Moon Creek Gallery which is probably what I'll do.
In my reply to Patricia it should read *good* creative exercise ;o)
Hi Cindy, these look so good, I like the addition of color with the fish. It is nice to read about your process - all the planning and thinking that must go into it. How heavy would you say these sculptures are after they are finished? I know I'd be afraid to pack a piece with clay and steel for fear it would be broken in transport.
Hi Linda, thanks for the post. Yes, I suppose I do put a lot of planning into each piece, that's a good point you bring up, I have taken that part for granted. I'm guessing the Humbolt piece was about 25 lbs. but I hung it successfully before it went to the Gallery. Fortunately, Half Moon Creek Gallery where I took both pieces yesterday, is just about a mile away and I was able to drive there. The Gallery and I talked about the importance of these pieces probably needing to go to local customers because shipping may be problematic until I can figure a way to "detach" the more fragile parts... definitely more planning needed!
That's fantastic!!! I should give you the sci names of some of those critters...:)
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