Teraphim ANU glass studio student blog

Recently through the 'Glass Central Canberra' blog I found a reference to Teraphim: Mysterious object theory, a blog for glass studio students at ANU. They are both part of my regular blog reading and I recommend them both. It is tempting to start one for the SCA glass studio..maybe something to think about over the summer break!

Books and Tevita Havea

I had a simple mission. Picking up 'The Boat' by Nam Le from the MCA bookshop took a matter of seconds...(they ordered it in for me in less than a week..WOW). Inspired reading is back on at the MCA after a couple of months gap. Next on my l ist was to pick up some fiction from Borders using a voucher I still have from my birthday. Except Borders in the city has gone and so has Lincraft where I wanted to buy some boning..GONE. Ok so I can buy books elsewhere..though not with a Borders voucher. So I went off to Galaxy where they had MOVED all the books! (about three bays along) I used to know to the inch where everything was. Since I was near Galaxy Books I though I may pay a visit to Tessuiti a fabric shop which had also MOVED..but not a couple of inches. This is what you get when you don't go shopping for months.

Giving up on the center of Sydney I headed up to GIG gallery in Glebe to go to the opening and artist talk for Tevita Havea. Imagine..a whole room of his work..wonderful!

Maureen Cahill introduced Tevita to a small gathering of friends, family and glass artists with the exception of a few real punters. Was it the time of the opening..Saturday afternoon? or the fact notification was less than a week?


After inspecting and admiring Tevita's work and the new selection of works next door at GAG we enjoyed an afternoon tea at Sappho's book shop across the road.

Casting into light: Larria

Well here is the Larria project... Nadine is cold working it. The other light from our group is the branch and bird that Deb is holding.

Red morning

Dust had invaded Sydney overnight. This is a picture from about 7am. Earlier it was truly red.
View from the balcony.

Unveiling the beast and Object theory

An early start was balanced with a cafe breakfast in Balmain. I removed the Larria mould from the kiln and stuck it in the mould room while I waited for it to cool down (a few hours). Deb and Jon were in the hot shop when a box of delights was opened in the courtyard. A box full of discount priced frits and powders in delightful colours. Poor Deb you could see her toes twitching in anticipation to have a look.

I finished off the MCA work sheet and I have started knitting some copper wire in preparation for our sand casting project.

At about 12 Nadine and I decided that the beast was ready (or not) to be unveiled. Several cuts (shared), the employing of many different tools and furious work later we revealed the glass within. Not as bad as we had feared. My camera is playing up at the moment so no photo's, sorry...until I work out how to get them off my phone.

After Object theory Nadine and I had a disscussion with Marcus about how to go about cold working all the leaks off. Deb is checking out our lighting options, I like having an interior decorater on the team.

So the idea from tomorrow morning is: it will soak in water and vinegar and have a scrub. Nadine is off to spend unwisely at the house of jewellery and get a suitable diamond bit (saucer shaped) to go on the engraver to slice off the bits of glass we don't want. Marcus suggested leaving the 'pourer' on to act as a base while Nadine works on the top. Smartly he also mentioned putting some sponge in the middle to give a soft landing to the bits falling off. and to work in sections...not leaving it all hanging on one last thread.

Meanwhile Dougie is having a very strange day at work...

Agar dish and computer drawing

MDAA from 10-2 a quick drop off of books and updates to Deb, a bit of quick research in the library and then off too computer drawing where I gave Amelia a new kind of skin.

AGAR DISH

mmm I may need a bit of time to describe this fully.

I started the day by making cup cakes (at 6.30am). Got to Uni in time to put the bungs in for the kiln (about 9). At 10 Andrew walked past with a prospective student and delayed our sensibility shift proposals by 15 mins which was fine with us.

The prospective student 'Rosie' ended up being one of Dougie's literature class mates. She sat in on our presso's (andrew's word) gladly nibbling a cup cake. We chatted a bit afterwards about the course and applications. She seems very interested in glass and has done a few short courses so I think she'll be snapped up.

Deb got one of the tiny kilns going to put the extra Blackford(?) Crystal in case the beast had soaked up too much glass...as it was we didn't need it.

Marcus' class ran through the Lampworking Kilns and the new Kilns.

'Sensibility Shift' the bowl in the top left is the final design.

Resources for research on Anne Dybka

http://www.cspgifts.com/dybka.html
http://www.womenaustralia.info/biogs/AWE2715b.htm
http://www.bluecatheaven.com.au/Mos%20art/CrowGirlGallery/valeannedybka.html
http://www.nga.gov.au/Material/Index.htm
http://www.nga.gov.au/Material/ArtistBio/dybka.htm
http://www.nga.gov.au/Material/details/dybka.htm
http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/database/?irn=66414&search=bowl&images=&c=&s=
http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/database/?irn=88206&search=Anne+Dybka&images=&c=&s=
Hirst (2005). "2005 Ausglass Honorary Lifetime Membership Award: Anne Dybka--A Celebration of Anne's Achievements.". Journal (Glass Art Society) (0278-9426), p. 16.

SLEEP

After sleeping in I got up, made & ate brunch. Sat on the sofa with a cup of tea and promptly fell asleep again until 4.30. Watched a u tube docco on Nick Drake which was of course rather sad and then...you guessed it..went to sleep again.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Studio day

A hot day 30c

Started off blowing with Kirra, a good influence I think as I felt I achieved better glass blowing than ususal. I made a bowl and a tumbler. Charlotte had brought some icepops which were a welcome relief at 'half time', music was provided by Kirra which I enjoyed.. 'The cat Empire'.

Deb arrived to steam some moulds and put the beast on as well to make sure that it was as wax free as possible. We had some issues trying the displacement method to work out the amount of glass as this particular mould is heavy and awkward. I had thought it may take about 3kg of glass, but the water kept dissapearing. This led me to the conclusion that there were some holes and that the water was leaking into spaces in the void.

Needless to say I felt very deflated, it is all very well to lose your wax in the lost wax process if you get something in return. Not only that it IS an assesment piece with a due date rather soon..no time for re doing it. I was also concerned about the kiln it was in and the piece it was next to in case anything went wrong, we had thought we wouldn't put it in. Marcus however lifted our spirits by telling us to put it in any way...and suggested that today we could put some more glass in a hot box ready for top temp in case it looked as though it would need more glass..which Deb is bringing today as I don't have any more clear.

It's funny that you don't thinkthat anyone notices what you are doing..but as we were asking Marcus..he says "yep i'm familiar with that piece (my wax model)" and I think..you are? Any way fingers crossed.

We moved Deb's birds and branch mould from the faulty kiln to another one..let's hope this one goes ok. Then I went to the library to finish and submit my Image research asssignment...phew.

Nettie was doing an interesting demo for the second years which I stopped by to watch for a while, though thier concentration was broken for a while by the appearance of a cockroach.

After a shower (yes they even have hot water here) I changed into unsweaty un plastered clothes, turned on the kiln and cauthe the bus in to town.

Met up with Dougie for sushi (some where on Hay street) and a sundae at passionflower..which was a lot bigegr than expected. The amusing thing about it was the name. "Nutty* bannana chocolate" *may contain nuts. I mean shouldn't it CONTAIN nuts if nutty is in the name?

On our way to the 'studio' at the Opera House we bumped into Simon Darcy and friend Fiona.
Oracle the performance we went to see was amazing. Inspired by the 'rite of spring' the dance was as energetic and enigmatic as the music.

When we got home I redrew my 'Sensibility shift' proposal

Pics to be added later.

Mould making

finicketty!

Computer drawing

MDAA most of the day and then Computer drawing at 4pm. Practice on how to add fake sunbeams

All the nodules on

So almost finished the wax model for the light, I think Dougie managed to capture the determined gleam in my eyes..even if it is some sort of wired 'red eye'.

More larria

Larria light

So the 2 halves are joined and now i'm playing around with how many 'nodules' to put on. each one will have to be sprued and the ones towards the bottom will have gravity issues, so there is a limit to how many to go on. I have been pulling bits on and off trying to get the right pattern.

Contemporary dance

We enjoyed the matinee of 'New breed', 4 dances by up an coming choreographers. Next week we have free tickets for the "oracle'.

Online comics

Well I've always had a soft spot for 'graphic novels', Neil Gaiman's Sandman series springs to mind of course and some of his other novels thatare more than illustrated... stardust is a favourite illustrated by Charles Vess..who is also an artist favoured by Charles De lint. Recently through that never ending path of site hopping (demonstrated in the previous meander of writers and artists) I have come across a few that really appeal..some surprising.

Visually gorgeous with a plot I can't even begin to pre guess is "King of an Endless Sky" By Kurt Huggins and Zelda Devon published by Tor. Kurt and Zelda have a blog called "teetering bulb"

If you like Sci Fi and fantasy art then check out 'the art department' blogged by Tor's Art director.

The second that I have found my self addicted to is the surprising choice..Redstring is a Japanese high school story produced by Gina Biggs.. apart from wanting to know how it all turns out story wise, I admire the composition of each page and the occasional footnote to explain little bits of Japanse culture.

Review week: Review

Today was our actual review, which I managed to be late for (unplanned). Luckily my attendance is usually prompt. That was executed by Andrew fairly quickly..he has fair idea how we are all going.

Spent the rest of the day partly following Kate around who was doing some screen printing..our impromptu lesson in screen printing on glass got sprung by Janet who wasn't pleased to find 4 uninitiated novices in her grounds. However she offerd an induction for us next wednesday so we can use the Print media facilities. Pretty good for someone who was spending her day off at work.

Marina had suggested a way to join the two halves of the Larria light... with tooth picks. Splinters of tooth picks steadied the parts enough for me to start smoothing the wax together. It is now one entity. More smoothing and nubs to add. But I am well pleased with the progress.

Review week: MDAA and waxing

A day at MDAA and an evening of polishing the two halves of the Larria light wax model.

Review week: Hawaii BBQ

Lots of food, drink (cooling in the pool) and hibiscus island inspired attire. Andrew and Marcus can be seen reclining on the plastic lounges though eventually the esteemed seating was taken over by students.

Review week: Hot shop

Hot shop practice for a few hours this morning and afternoon though I wasn't sure if Jon was going to get there..as he got stuck in the same traffic I did..but later.

Nettie Blair our new Artist in residence turned up today (well it could have been yesterday). A few years ago I took a weekend course in glass blowing at the Jamfactory, and our teacher was Nettie. She's very good, glassblowing and teaching.



Annette Blair 2006.
Collection of Comforts # 2
Blown glass, enamel
52 H x 30 W x 18 D cm

Review week: Larria wax model making: casting into light

Deb made a plaster cast of one of those metal kitchen bowls. On friday we poured the shells.
I joined them up briefly to draw the pattern on the two halves and I have started carving out one. I like the shadows allready.

Goodbye Magenhil

Between 5am and 6am

Happy Father's Day

Dad was rather chuffed with his 'smaller than average' beer mug. I must say it looks better with beer in it!

Dooralong blossoms

Pouring the wax shell : casting into light