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Weekly blog 3

5/19/19 Throughout this week I have achieved a lot. I might even say the most progress was made in these past 5 work days. While my work days have been decreasing in length, the value of what I accomplish on campus increases everyday. After learning the process of bees waxing steel sculptures, I was able to finalize many of my metal pieces including a stool I made between the fall and spring terms. I was able to put that stool in the Proctor art show which I was happy about. I am also very happy to have finalized my flower pots and kayak sculpture. The garden sculpture will be left un-bees waxed so it can get a unique rusted, weathered look. Unfortunately, this week’s surprises were not the good kind as the ceramic pots I made for that same sculpture were damaged in the kiln along with a vase I threw. This is not an enormous concern though because I still consider the garden sculpture a great success. I am preparing to finish my second major project along with a little desk lamp ov
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Work Day 17 5/17/19

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Today began in the forge by bees waxing all of my currently finished sculptures. I started with the stool I constructed spring term. A blow torch was used to heat the steel and then melted bees wax was poured over each sculpture. I used a towel to dry the artworks and wipe off any excess wax. I only have a photo of the stool for now. As far as ceramics go, I am wrapping things up. I am done making new pieces and all of my current pieces have been glazed and re-fired. All that's left to do now, is finish combining any of the collaboration projects with a steel aspect.     Featured above are the half dome shaped parts of my second major piece, the lampshade which will sit on a steel base, and a black and plain bowl. Unfortunately, the pots designed for the garden sculpture will not be making any kind of showing at express fest on account of the fact that they exploded in the kiln. However, I still see this as an absolute win. This is because I plan to ge
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Work Day 16 5/16/19

I began my day by heading into Slocumb to glaze the last of my ceramic pieces. Unfortunately, I took no pictures of what I did in Slocumb today. The pieces I glazed were the second major project, a black and white collapsible globe like structure, a simple bowl, and a lamp shade to be put on a metal base. I spent about a half an hour in the studio before heading over to the forge. Once again, I came out with no photos but this time because my phone died in the forge. I spent my time finishing my set of flower pots and kayak sculpture. I cut a cockpit in the kayak and rotated the blades on the paddle to replicate a right-handed paddle, rather than a left one. I completed welding the legs onto the steel rings of the flower pot holders and ground the excess steel off. Tomorrow I should be able to bees wax these so they are finally finished. Today's hours: 2 1/2 Total hours: 51 1/2! Hours completed!
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Work Day 15 - 5/15/19

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Today was very similar to yesterday but without the trip to concord. I spent about an hour in the forge working on the same pinch pot designs as yesterday, but my time was cut short because the forge needed to be closed. To still make good progress on my senior project, I decided to begin work on a new pamphlet design with a couple pictures of some ceramic pieces.   The first is a burger themed set of coasters I have made for my family, the second is just kind of a universal container for... anything you can put in it? On a final note, the vase that I put so much effort into throwing the other day exploded in the kiln. I saw it coming a mile away though because the vase was less than a foot high and still weighed like 100 pounds because the walls were so thick. Today's hours: 3 Total hours: 49... one more hour required but there is still much work to be done!
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Day 14 5/14/19

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Today was focused on my forge work. I spent about two hours working on another one of my smaller collaboration projects. This piece is a series of three small pinch pots held by steel legs attached to rings.     I used a very thin steel rod to heat and hammer into a circle. I achieved the shape by hitting it around a horn for a more uniform curve. The legs were actually quite easy, as I cold forged most of the bends. I only needed to heat the steel to smooth out any unwanted ripples in the rod. I welded each leg on and ground the excess steel off the top. I have one completely finished and need to make legs for both others. I also made an excursion to concord to pick up some sheet copper to use on another one of my projects, serving spoons. Today's hours: 4 Total hours: 46
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Day 13 5/13/19

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Today was a very successful day in the forge! I completed the four support legs of my garden sculpture. To do this I cut four bars of steel to be two feet in length. I heated the middle of each bar enough to bend in a vice and then bent one end in the opposite direction, creating a zig-zag shape. The second bend is a smaller length so I tapered that into a wedge to fit to the side of the hanger. The other, longer end was tapered into a point to stick into the ground. All four legs are the same and have been welded onto the base of the sculpture. This stands about seven feet tall out of the ground. I also spent a little time in the ceramics studio to trim and smooth my flower pots for this project. Today's hours: 5 1/2 Total hours: 42
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Second Weekly Recap

5/11/19 I made a ton of headway on all of my pieces with week. I got the vast majority of my first major project done. It is a garden sculpture being made to be put in my front yard. The design is of a steel hook sculpture that looks kind of like a coat hanger. It is a pole that stands about six feet tall with three large hooks sprouting in three directions, at varying heights. On these hooks will be three ceramic pots for any kind of flower. At the base of the pole will be four right angled bars that can stick in the ground as stakes to provide support for the sculpture in any direction. I have all the hooks done and only need to attach the supports to the bottom of the steel component. The ceramic pots still need to be trimmed and fired, then glazed and fired again but this is an easy process that mostly takes time rather than the effort of originally throwing a pot their size. I made solid progress on the ceramic portion of my second major piec
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