TGIF

A week ago, I spent Saturday learning a new enameling technique (more to come in a future post). 

Immediately following was a whirl wind week!!  Project one finished by students, graded and turned back to them by me.  Grades posted online. Presenting the next project.  A pop quiz on color schemes (to help them think through their colors for the new project). Students beginning project two.  Me meeting with my mentor teacher for the first time (after forgetting to meet with her yesterday- OOPS).  And so on....

I now wait for my husband to come home so we can go camping!!!  HELLLOOOOOOO Fall :)  Of course this is the night he has to work late, so instead of brooding (too much), I will share some lovely work ;)

Here are some examples of the first project :D

These are 1"x2" copper pieces.  The project was used as an introduction to enameling and some of the techniques.  Enjoy, as they have done a wonderful job!!

Sgrafitto means to scratch through.  The students would apply a base coat (flux, opaque, or transparent) and fire the piece.  Then they add a second layer.  Before firing, they scratch through the top layer down to the one below.  Easier said then done, but here are two exceptional examples...

Students were asked to look through magazines to find compositions they could turn into a stencil.

They then spent time adding transparent colors over FLUX (a clear enamel) and transparent colors over white.  This helped them begin to understand transparent vs. opaque enamels, layering, stenciling, etc.

Wet packing is taking the dry enamel (think very fine colored sand) and adding some water to it to create a paste-like mixture.  Tools are then used to add color bit by bit, precisely where it is wanted (think stippling with wet, gritty paint).  Before drying the piece one can drag a toothpick or other tools through to create more of a color swirl.  The piece is then smoothed out, dried and fired :)

 I'd say we're off to a great start!!  Looking forward to seeing what they come up with next :D  Stay tuned...

Picture Day

Growing up, we never bought school photos.  My mom took really good pictures and loved to print and share those with family, so there was really no need to have the somewhat cheesy posed ones.

There were some years I never even saw what mine looked like, since they didn't print them if you were not buying them.  Other years, I remember, they would send us home with a teaser- a few printed pictures that you either bought or brought back to the school (what a waste).  I'm sure that tactic worked for some people, but not for my mom!

This year, for the first time in my memory, I have copies of the school picture taken.  Since I'm a teacher they gave me some for free!  The best of both worlds :D  Yesterday afternoon I enjoyed writing love letters to some people in my life.  I included in them these silly little trinkets.  Thanks school pictures for inspiring some much needed love to be sent around!!!

The one I am ESPECIALLY proud of is pictured below.  My friend Jane is one of the few people my age who I know consistently sends mail through USPS.  She typically makes her own envelopes out of lovely magazine photos.  She's even been known to make strange things in postcards.......... Naturally, I followed her lead.  This one's for you Jane ;)

Hit the ground running

We are already halfway through our third week of school!!!  My students have really been working hard and getting a lot accomplished.  Soon I will post some samples of their work.

Today I gave another demo on an enameling technique I learned over the summer called wet packing, or wet inlay.  They were all very excited to see another way to manipulate the enamels.  They ask great questions, and overall seem to catch on the first time something is explained.  It's great!!  (I think I am getting spoiled)

Good questions they have asked to me today (and answers I found):

1) Why is there a little pit in the color here if I put the coat on evenly?
     - used too much holding agent
     - the enamel was on too think
     - a gas released from the metal underneath during the firing

2) Why is there black on here that was not before?
     - fire scale is popping off the trivets or firing racks during firing (clean with pickling or file)
     - If red/orange, many of them react with copper and turn black (put down a thin base coat first)

Something I have been wondering and noticing... Should the surface of the piece always be completely covered the first time it is fired?  For example, of I am using stencils, should I put a thin layer of flux or white on first as my 'primer' and then proceed with the colors on top?? OOOR, should I do part of the stencil, fire it, do the other part and then fire it again?

Students have been doing it both ways.  It seems if they have a base coat, it ends up pretty thick at the end of things.  If they don't though, fire scale flies up off of their piece and lands in the colors.  Also, a black edge os formed and they sometimes do not like that.

I suppose, without asking someone with more expertise than me, I should have them put a thin coat of something on first.  More research will be done.....  

Art in Object

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Object-by-modology/164978350377997

Above is a link to Object by modology's facebook page.  They have some really funky treasures inside.  Some original furniture and art pieces mixed with some vintage furniture and home goods.

I was introduced to Object during the CSArts Cincinnati adventure.  One of the shareholders, who really enjoyed the sleek modern feel of the white stippled piece she received, told the guys at Object about my work.  At the next party they came together to ask if I would like to sell my work in the shop.  YES!  Of course I do, thank you for seeking me out :)

I put several of my slip-cast pieces in Object this past Saturday (the white and green ones pictured to the right).  Now to wait and see how they are received by the purchasing public :D  Fingers crossed!!!

Thanks Rachel and Andrey for this opportunity!

Take two

This is my second week in the classroom, and it already feels so much better than the first one!  I also enjoy the fact that I teach the same thing two days in a row.  That way, if I explain something poorly in the first class or set something up funny, I get to improve the second time around :)

Woo hoo second chances ;)

Here's my best example of this so far: I went through the steps of how to enamel and then let the students try it on their own.  All of them got finished with each step about the same time, which made things over crowded.  It also meant they were hovering around the kilns (which made me nervous since they are set at 1500'F).  It was overwhelming and I was not sure how to stop the madness.  I felt like I was working retail on Black Friday!!

Day 2- I split the class in half.  I told one half to work on stencils while the other half enameled.  I also told the girls who were enameling to take turns and not have more than 4 people at one station.  SOOO much more peaceful, and therefore I was much more helpful and effective as a teacher!

Again, Woohooooo to second chances ;)  Hope you get a second chance sometime this week!!

-Kara