PMC, for me?

Well, in a sentence, let me sum it up for you; "I suck at it!"
It was a challenging weekend for me. The local art center here flew in Terry Kovalcik, senior PMC instructor at Rio Grande to teach the workshop. His work is great! http://www.terrykovalcik.com
And he had a great workshop planned for us which included making pendants, texturizing, making bails, tube beads, hollow round beads, molds, oxidizing pure silver, making colors, polishing and more.


I never worked with clay before so there was much for me to get used to. I'm used to bending and twisting metals, shaping and using pliers and the like. I found out that you really have to have a good feel for clay.
Terry said to use light pressure. Go lightly on oiling your work surface. Go easy on oiling your hands. So I did. And found out that I had to keep reapplying oil to my hands as they kept soaking up the oil!
You must have an idea plan for your piece. I really didn't. So I found myself over-working the clay, and it was drying out and cracking. Moisten and repeat. Must work faster. The student next to me had 5 years experience in pottery; she had 4 or five pendants cut out, and I'm still trying to roll out the clay correctly!

(Students busy at their work.)


Then we're off to the drying hot plate!

And just when I feel a little bit secure with my attempt at a pendant, in pre-stage drying, we're on to tube beads! But wait a minute, I'm still trying to throw the clay correctly!
And where's that damn olive oil? I need more oil!

The second day was better for me, although I must say that a third day would have made a difference to us all who attended. Some of the students (including myself) had to leave with pieces not finished, and some not fired. At least I did get all my pieces fired.
Here's what my weekend produced: a frog pendant and tube beads oxidized with colors, (sad looking tube beads).



My attempt at a fortune cookie, a lotus flower charm, and a 3 circle pendant. The fortune cookie never got a bail, and needs to be polished, the other 2 pieces I plan to oxidize and polish. I'll post before and after photos so you can see.


How do you like my new blog layout? I think the black is a softer feel/look to the eye and maybe a little bit sophisticated too!
AND....over the weekend Benn bought me a new computer! Yeah! I have speed at last! Maybe I can learn how to use this one correctly and be able to connect to all those who I haven't in the past! (you know who you are!) Ah, but let's not get our hopes up too high!

Comments

Unknown said…
I love the look of the "clay" metal. Wow, what a cool process! Thanks for posting the experience! Congrats on the new computer!!

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