Crash cooled creations

I have been continuing experiments with trying to make a kiln formed vase, and I made a couple, they are perfect, the paint effects are divine and I am really happy with them. Here is one that has two layers one painted blue, one pink I love the effect.

But the next time I made one, I made the original circle smaller and it fell right though the ring

Actually I had quite a few fall through which was a bit discouraging. So I slowed the temp rise down to 100 degrees/hour, and watched them through the peep hole in the kiln as the temp rose from 700 degrees up. This one is rather daliesque, and I keep feeling if I have to catch it as it falls off the table. I am always fascinated how glass creates such organic shapes it you let it free form.

Next try….

As I was watching, I saw the glass slide off the ring on one side, so I crash cooled the kiln, as I wanted to keep the shape it made as it slid off the ring. The colours are really vibrant. as I have used a paint called antique red which has gold in it.

I realised that if I crash cooled the kiln I could keep the shape of the piece just after it fell, but before it collapsed further.

So now I have something completely different to explore, as I love the moment when I watch the glass slide through the ring and fall to the bottom of the kiln. Its at that moment that you have to open the kiln and let the cooler air halt the heating process and fix the piece into that serendipitous form. Every shape is  different, here are some more…

Now I have the perfect work to put in the Heater show at the Yarra Sculpture Gallery in July. The show came about as the gallery is freezing in winter, and the curator started thinking about how artists would convey their ideas about heat. Well this is mine, it’s that magic moment when things start to transform from one shape to another. Especially how the original shape starts as ordered and simple and the heat always reshapes it into organic one, that seems to be captured in time.

Too Hot…oh no.

I have been continuing to experiment with drop through mould and painted float glass.

I have spent the last two days making little disasters in the kiln, and learning a lot from them

1. don’t watch a movie while your waiting for the kiln to hit 770. Stop and start action really loses enjoyment of the plot (not that there was one). Popping in and out, racing down to the studio, then back again, doesn’t really work, one needs to be there watching for the last 50 degrees. I programmed it to high and missed the peak, the results were obvious..

Way too hot!!!

2. after you have crash cooled the kiln, check what that naughty controller is actually doing rather than what you programmed it to do. I still not sure but I reckoned it heated up again, just because it could.

3. The kiln has hot spots, I have mainly fused plates on a flat surface at these temperatures, so the fact that kiln is hotter at the front, remained a secret until now. Here is one red vase, looking rather daliesque. It fell through the mold at 760 degrees, while the one at the back had only moved a few inches

Slid through and kept sliding

However I’ll not despair, as the paint effect on the back one, is the most brilliant pink and gold, so tomorrow I’ll try again

Waiting for Glass paint to dry

Waiting for paint to dry!!!

I’ve started this page, as something to do while I’m waiting…waiting…waitin’ waiting for paint to dry, the kiln to get to 770 degrees, all the intermissions between the beginning of making a piece and gazing at the finished masterpiece. Of course I could vacuum the floor or weed the garden, but they are going to get done anyway so don’t count.

I am firing some drop through vases today, I had always wanted to make something like this ever since seeing Dominic (?) pieces at Eagles Nest Gallery. So I started experimenting as I am stuck at home and cannot work on the recycled bottle ideas until I the gas bottle filled (I’ll explain later). I have small pieces of sheet glass around as I never throw anything out. So these are my first pieces

I knew I had to watch the kiln and wait to turn it off once the glass dropped through the mold, but I didn’t know then that I have to crash cool the kiln. I turned it off and left it. As you can see the continuing heat made the glass continue to fall, but it is a great whirlpool look, but the stems are so slender that the other two could not support their own weight. I used onglaze paint in between to circles of float glass, The paint effects are a lovely surprise, as the glass stretches the glass only holds the faintest tinge of color.

The white one was 5mm float, painted on one side only, this has a beautiful spiral effect, but it is quite rough and the edges are not rounded as it is not hot enough I fired to 770 degrees. The purple one was placed on fluted bullseye mold and the glass has lovely rippled effect, I am interested in following this idea, in a sculptural sense as it looks the most organic. I did three layers of paint green, white and blue on the smaller one and the melding of the colours is very harmonious, It held together as it had smaller fall to the kiln floor

I have to go and put the new pieces in the kiln now, the paint should be dry by now (I hope)