Firedartz's Blog

Nothing going on yet

firedartz — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 03:42:09 +0000

It’s been a good holiday, but next week is back to work. Teaching, and preparation all coming slowly back to life.

A Little more slumped glass

firedartz — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 23:34:23 +0000

Here are the latest – at last, and probably the last until next year. It’s time to turn the kiln off and turn on the oven. Christmas has caught up to me. Just wish I could catch up to Christmas. Next things on my list are the family Bon Bons; sitting on the studio table waiting to completed.

Slumped glass with gold

Close up of glass & gold Pendant.

Probably the last until next year.

firedartz — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 00:14:24 +0000

I never seem to have enough of these at Christmas time, and although there are many designs in my head – time is running out to get a few more of them into the kiln. Watch this space.

A little watercolour

firedartz — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 00:40:17 +0000

a few weeks ago the Wisteria was out in full bloom in our back garden.

It just looked so lovely; and signalled the end of winter, start of lovely warm weather; I rushed to paint it.

Although I meant it to be very free, and impressionistic, it took a while and I’m never happy with what comes out, but I’m unashamedly sharing what I did, and as always open to crits.

TOTEM

firedartz — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 00:55:56 +0000

After a trip to New Zealand, I thought about painting a cylinder vase as a Totem Pole. But none of them were tall enough. So I took 2 vases and cut one in half; painted all three separately, using lustres, gold, and quite a few different techniques, then added some glass, and arrived at the APAT TOTEM.

If I turn this piece sideways, it becomes Mexican -

I theenk………….

Fatuous Fashions

firedartz — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 05:28:21 +0000

When I first saw these vases I thought I would paint them as Nuns. However, watching a couple of shop assistants sniggering triggered this idea. So I bought some dolls wigs, and went to work on the vases. And called it “Not in your size Madam”

It was some time ago and in today’s hard market place I think fashion sales assistants are much kinder. The people where I shop are hard working and very helpful.

And yet, on last nights news there was a related story doing the rounds.

More on Crocodoodle-doo

firedartz — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 02:25:31 +0000

So many questions about how she is made and what she is made of I thought to give you a couple of pics that may answer your questions:
The very first step was of course a drawing – long gone and altered many times.

Then she was wrapped with builders tape and covered with epoxy filler.

I had quite a few rejected plates that I broke into small pieces which I then decorated with enamels lustres etc. and fired.

The curve of the pieces mostly matched the curves of Croc so of course they were painted on the back of the plates.

The head and legs caused some consternation and experiments. We started with glass but finally decided on heavy cardboard paper Mache.

Three Little Fishies (and a Mumma Fishy too)

firedartz — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 05:44:15 +0000

When I first thought about putting porcelain & glass together I saw a vase displayed with some smaller vases, and the old song popped into my head. I played around with the vases and kept adding bits of glass until they could stand up alone. Bit of a balancing act at first, but it was the beginning of a new world of porcelain for me, and I found it impossible to look at porcelain and not see sculpture images.

Lustre Vase

firedartz — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 06:00:47 +0000

This lustre vase has a faint Art Nouveau look with it’s drooping trees. First paint the trees in dark lustre. After firing add a full coat of a paler colour of your choice.

Croc-a-doodle-doo

firedartz — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 05:51:00 +0000

It was fun making this piece and I couldn’t possibly do it without my husband Morrie. He made the frame, and also glued all the bits of porcelain. I painted and fired many little pieces of broken porcelain. We used the back of plates to get the curves needed. And we added some fired diachroic glass bits to give her some bling. Of course, she had to have her nails a decent shade of red. Also used diachroic glass for her fiery eyes.