Tuesday 26 March 2013

Progress and Setbacks

Since I posted about finding a technique I wanted to explore, I had a bit of a setback.  I did a series of experiments and made various samples and, all of a sudden, it stopped working.  Cue a mild attack of panic and a series of unsuccessful experiments, followed by a quiet afternoon trying to remember what on earth, what tiny, seemingly insignificant thing, I had done differently before. Fortunately it dawned on me, I had an anxious day waiting for the test kiln firing to finish, but it worked... phew!

So I've been putting together some little glass-and-wire fences.  Or maybe trees.



The next issue to sort out was the wire; the first one I used broke when it was twisted tightly. The next one was a bit flimsy;  although I do want to channel broken down fences, not so much that I can't get the thing to stand up at all...


On to the next wire; this one is quite a bit thicker and I did think it might be too thick, but I'm pleased with the way it has turned out.  The pieces have a nice sturdy feel to them and I do like the black colour of the wire.  Although I might attack it with a little salt and vinegar and see what happens...



And so, on to the next challenge, to sort out the image printed on the glass.  Currently it's a bit too 'all over' for my liking.

16 comments:

  1. they look great, I especially like the curve of the shadows in the last pic. somehow the shadows make the piece look alive *cue spooky music*

    the images on the glass in pic 2 makes me see silver birch trees.

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    1. I see silver birch trees too... I think I like that image the best, I need to get painting and see what I can come up with!

      Have you read Marianne Dreams? Not trees but rocks...

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    2. I hadn't heard of the book, but google has - I've just watched a clip from the first episode of the TV show made from the book and it looks VERY scary! http://www.aldridge-web.com/listings/123.html

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    3. I do remember the tv series, I think it was on the 'wrong' channel so I didn't see much of it but the bits I did must have made a great impression on me, I can still remember the rocks! I read the book a few years back, can definitely recommend it.

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  2. I see silver birches too, and something else that I cannot quite put my finger one..but very lovely.

    Alix

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  3. This is really interesting work :) And I also see silver birch trees!

    This reminded me of a photo I took of a great slate fence, I'll have to see whether I can dig it out...

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  4. I can see silver birches too, all lined up the way you often see them. Love the fall of light through the glass. Really beautiful.

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  5. This lovely piece reminds me of childhood games on a beach near home...so nostalgic.

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  6. Thank you all! The starting point for these was definitely beachy but they do seem to have become quite birch-tree-like along the way, will have to see what they want to do next!

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  7. Very interesting and experimental work. Good luck with your project.

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    1. Thank you Jackie! Not quite sure where it's going yet...

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  8. http://pinterest.com/pin/248964685623060459/ well i pinned your cool little experiments. FUN STUFF.

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  9. oooohhhh my :) I love this! And your photos! :) Very pretty! Glad you figured out what you did differently :) these turned out beautifully! ♥ Dawn

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  10. This is so lovely ~! I love the photos you took and the shadowing :) Reminds me of fences and birch trees :). So glad you realized what you did differently to keep on making lovelies! :) Happy creating! ♥ Dawn

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Helen Smith, artist and maker in glass, print and stitch.

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