Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Baring my soul for Spencer Tunick
This Monday morning at 4am I will be under the instruction of Spencer Tunick for his installation called 'The Base' at the Sydney Opera House.
Very, very excited!
Spencer Tunick has been documenting the live nude figure in public - with photography and video - since 1992. My favourite work (above) was commissioned by Greenpeace in 2007 - an installation created with bodies slumped on a glacier in Switzerland (Aletsch Glacier 6).
For an insight into Tunick's work, visit:
http://www.spencertunick.com/artwork.html
I will share my experience with you next week once I have bared all!
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Notions of O-Nine
Above is a photo of me 'cushioned' against one of the biggest kilns in Europe! I am toasting to a year that has zoomed by - one that has been the most special year of my life!As I swallow any fears of being 30 now, I am CELEBRATING!
I am celebrating the people that have inspired me, those who have generously shared their wisdom, their love, experiences and the warmth of friendship throughout 2009.
Specifically, I want to thank Ray Cavill - a mentor and friend, Ky Curran, John Hunter, Joshy, Anders Gydum, Marie Weichman, Vi-Mary, Donnie, Sandra and Kenneth, Row in the UK, Marky, Carls, Doodle, Mr.Michael, my sister Sal and my Mum, beautiful Bell'e.
Cherished in '09 is the opportunity for me to spend time with these people - to learn, see new places, taste new cultures, laugh and love.
I wish everyone the very best of times in 2010 and hope you are happy and healthy. Thanks for the support of EMS ART.
More good stuff to come!!
Em
xxx
Monday, November 9, 2009
Raku Koalas
One of the most fun things I did at the International Ceramic Research Center was our Raku firing. For anyone who has not seen this before - it is a process of heating up your sculptures or pots until they are red-hot, taking them from the kiln and placing them in combustible material - usually in a lidded container for special smoking effects.
Anders Gydum (DK artist) and I embarked upon our raku late in the evening - after Anders had worked most of the day to re-structure the kiln to fit the height of my pieces (thanks again!!!).
Above is one of my pieces being lifted out prior to being placed in saw dust. Dropping them into water for accelerated cooling is also good fun!
Although we applied some raku glazes, the pieces we created were suitable for the complete unpredictability of raku.
Here is my raku vase 'Brisbane River Lady' - the glazes are even more stunning in real life!
My series of tiny raku sushi plates (below) - formed using timber.
Might be good for small chocolates or cakes as well!
Ander's series of Koalas came out just beautifully. These two wheel thrown pieces were my favourite.
And for something totally different...
A sculpture I loved in Copenhagen - perfectly positioned on the water.
I can relate to the expressions in this work.
It is called 'Siddende unge mennesker' - meaning 'Seated young people' - by Johannes Hansen
Anders Gydum (DK artist) and I embarked upon our raku late in the evening - after Anders had worked most of the day to re-structure the kiln to fit the height of my pieces (thanks again!!!).
Above is one of my pieces being lifted out prior to being placed in saw dust. Dropping them into water for accelerated cooling is also good fun!Although we applied some raku glazes, the pieces we created were suitable for the complete unpredictability of raku.
Here is my raku vase 'Brisbane River Lady' - the glazes are even more stunning in real life!
My series of tiny raku sushi plates (below) - formed using timber. Might be good for small chocolates or cakes as well!
Ander's series of Koalas came out just beautifully. These two wheel thrown pieces were my favourite.
And for something totally different...
A sculpture I loved in Copenhagen - perfectly positioned on the water.I can relate to the expressions in this work.
It is called 'Siddende unge mennesker' - meaning 'Seated young people' - by Johannes Hansen
Monday, October 19, 2009
Fruits from the labour of love
I am back in beautiful Brisbane! Big hello to anyone I have not visited yet - it has been a busy couple of weeks (all that catching up to do.....eating sweet mangos and Cadbury's chocolate I didnt have in Denmark!)
Although the Jacaranda's are blooming and the enormous stormy skies have been just the home-coming I expect in springtime, unfortunately I've had less time than I thought to finish my "Denmark story".
So what happened with all that firing? Below is a photo from the kiln yard, as we unloaded work from the Olsen kiln - the first thing that was striking was the common colour across all the work - tangerine one might call it!
My good friend and room-mate Marie Weichman (U.S artist) with Olsen work
Above is one of my large sculptures - 'Dwell in Desire' which gives a good sense of the colour results.
Discussions of the results suggested that this type of flashing had never been seen in work from the cross-draught kiln. We speculated that the process of reduction cooling - with moisture added to the kiln - could have had an influence.
This is 'Grace' - she sat in a different section of the kiln,
close to the side chimney - yet captured similar levels of ash and flashing.
I love the colour - it is reminiscent of my time in Skaelskor - strangely like the colours of the sky on many afternoons at the beach.
Below are some more images of my work that came from the same 3-day firing. You might notice a common theme where I touch on currency, wind and water - some distinct aspects of Denmark's 'personality'.
'Money in the Wind I'
[wall hanging]
'Money in the Wind II'
[wall hanging]
Above 'Tømmer Fad' - Timber Platter
Below - side view
'Money cups' Porcelain Vase
'Go With The Flow' Large Stoneware Platter
'FOOTPRINTS ACROSS MY LAND' [wall hanging]
Although the Jacaranda's are blooming and the enormous stormy skies have been just the home-coming I expect in springtime, unfortunately I've had less time than I thought to finish my "Denmark story".
So what happened with all that firing? Below is a photo from the kiln yard, as we unloaded work from the Olsen kiln - the first thing that was striking was the common colour across all the work - tangerine one might call it!
My good friend and room-mate Marie Weichman (U.S artist) with Olsen work
Above is one of my large sculptures - 'Dwell in Desire' which gives a good sense of the colour results. Discussions of the results suggested that this type of flashing had never been seen in work from the cross-draught kiln. We speculated that the process of reduction cooling - with moisture added to the kiln - could have had an influence.
This is 'Grace' - she sat in a different section of the kiln,close to the side chimney - yet captured similar levels of ash and flashing.
I love the colour - it is reminiscent of my time in Skaelskor - strangely like the colours of the sky on many afternoons at the beach.
Below are some more images of my work that came from the same 3-day firing. You might notice a common theme where I touch on currency, wind and water - some distinct aspects of Denmark's 'personality'. 
'Money in the Wind I'[wall hanging]
'Money in the Wind II'[wall hanging]
Above 'Tømmer Fad' - Timber PlatterBelow - side view
'Money cups' Porcelain Vase 
'Go With The Flow' Large Stoneware PlatterAnd some more pieces with more of an Australian patriotic flavour...
'FOOTPRINTS ACROSS MY LAND' [wall hanging]
'Patriotiske'
[wall hanging 2of 3 in series]Sunday, October 18, 2009
Lessons
'Sure I am of this - that you have only to endure to conquer'
Winston Churchill
It is worth a mention that I spent my last few days in Skaelskor making some wheel-thrown pieces - with lessons from the wonderful Anders Munk Gydum.
...And yes, for the assymmetrical-Em (when it comes to tableware anyway!)...we both required endurance!
Above you can see one of my petite little pieces in the raw state - destined for the raku kiln. 
I carved small birds into some of the pieces as they were a feature everyday in Denmark! I would be woken by their sweet singing in the trees around the Sculpture Park and they'd be ever-present in the sky in mass flocks - flying in patterns.
Look at this arrowhead they formed overhead as I pedalled along the beach road!
Final Firing in Bourry Box | Denmark
Whilst preparing work for the Olsen kiln, I was keeping some aside for my final experimentation in the Bourry Box - fondly known as the 'Skaelskor Express'! The first firing had been 25 hours, the second firing just 21 hours and the third was almost 22 hours. What we wanted to achieve was a lot more ash on the artwork - so we opted to use the Ash timber only. We also removed the brand new grate that had been installed in the kiln - turns out that the iron bars were having some effect on the amount of iron resulting on the surface of the clay. At least that is what we presumed had gone wrong in the previous firing.
Priscilla Mouritzen checking the side spy-holes - with her theatre-like protective lense - 1217 degrees!The firing took 3 hours more than we expected it to using our type of timber and stoking patterns. We expected to complete by midnight however as 3am approached and the temperature was stubbornly remaining in the early 1200's, it was time to clear out the build up of embers in the archway of the firebox. This would hopefully achieve a better draw through the kiln.
Things steadily came together and despite the fact cone 12 still stood tall in the side-stoking area, the heat in the back of the chimney was over 1325 degrees so we were happy to close up and get some sleep!
The results were impressive - below you can see a piece by Leena Juvonen from Finland . Leena tends to use direct prints in iron oxide. In this one, she has beautifully transferred her own fingerprints - enlarged - and complemented by subtle Bourry Box vapours in protected areas of the kiln.
Also, Ingrid Kaern from Norway had success with her tableware which captures the ash in all the right places (below)!
My shield with the Viking carvings was unfortunately damaged in the firing - and I also lost some work to breakage during the packing of the kiln. Nevermind - I did have some raw-fired pieces that were a success and the colours on the shield I made once again validated my attraction to this type of kiln! Throughout the residency, I always maintain that my experimentation in firing is just as much about the kiln process - as it is about my completed works.
Bring on a Bourry Box of my own!!??
Things steadily came together and despite the fact cone 12 still stood tall in the side-stoking area, the heat in the back of the chimney was over 1325 degrees so we were happy to close up and get some sleep!
The results were impressive - below you can see a piece by Leena Juvonen from Finland . Leena tends to use direct prints in iron oxide. In this one, she has beautifully transferred her own fingerprints - enlarged - and complemented by subtle Bourry Box vapours in protected areas of the kiln.
Also, Ingrid Kaern from Norway had success with her tableware which captures the ash in all the right places (below)!
My shield with the Viking carvings was unfortunately damaged in the firing - and I also lost some work to breakage during the packing of the kiln. Nevermind - I did have some raw-fired pieces that were a success and the colours on the shield I made once again validated my attraction to this type of kiln! Throughout the residency, I always maintain that my experimentation in firing is just as much about the kiln process - as it is about my completed works.
Bring on a Bourry Box of my own!!??
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Some Resources I Have Found Handy
As a special thanks to the Ceramic Student Association in Brisbane for their contribution to my freight costs, I thought I would provide some resources for my fellow artists, which I have found of interest:
Good reading:
'Japanese Wood-fired Ceramics' by Marc Lancet
'Fantastic Art' by Walter Schurian
Good reading:
'Japanese Wood-fired Ceramics' by Marc Lancet
'Fantastic Art' by Walter Schurian
Both titles available from www.boomerangbooks.com
or on lend from me when I am home :)
Above - the Fred Olsen kiln in action at Guldagergaard, Denmark!
or on lend from me when I am home :)
Above - the Fred Olsen kiln in action at Guldagergaard, Denmark!Good viewing: Ron Mueck DVD - I saw this 25 minute production, based on sculptor Ron Mueck - who was exhibiting in Denmark and in Aberdeen (UK) when I was there. Inspiring account of his processes, techniques and materials. Available from www.nationalgallery.co.uk
Good Googling: http://www.archiebray.org/ A place I may consider in the future(recommended by an Irish artist I met, Michael Moore, who has done a residency at the Archie Bray).
Good Googling: http://www.archiebray.org/ A place I may consider in the future(recommended by an Irish artist I met, Michael Moore, who has done a residency at the Archie Bray).
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woodfirer/collections/
The Collection of images from Priscilla Mouritzen, the Chair of the Board for the International Ceramic Research Center. Amongst a display of Priscilla's own wood-fired work, this site includes images from the woodfiring throughout summer here in Denmark.
The Collection of images from Priscilla Mouritzen, the Chair of the Board for the International Ceramic Research Center. Amongst a display of Priscilla's own wood-fired work, this site includes images from the woodfiring throughout summer here in Denmark.
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