Red Hot Mama- The Saga Continues

Featuring-
Mending Moments in Ceramics
The Road to Artomatic-My Installation Progress
My Evening at Wholefoods


Red Hot Mama- The Saga Continues


It all started Thursday, a work day to allow me time to finish sanding my purple speckled piece and work on this red hot chile o'mine. Thing were going well, using my grinder and my new diamond point bit, I defined her body, the lines creating her hair. Mommy and her cats seemed to have moved to my neighbors yard.  I could see them over the fence, and felt free to sit in my backyard to work without feeling like an intruder. Afterwards, I put red hot mama on a sandbag and began to file. Mistakenly, I decided to chisel a little piece of stone from between her legs...then it happened.  The top of her broke off, sliding slightly sideways in slow motion.  My lips formed the words "oh shit!" seconds after the words came out of my mouth. Fortunately, it was just the top part and I had two pieces instead of many. No large chunks missing. There are no words to describe the sinking feeling in my stomach, not knowing if I could save her and finish her in time for Artomatic. Time was ticking, and I had to quickly search for a solution that provided maximum adhesion along with water & heat resistant. Basically something that could handle the process of finishing her off.


Friday morning I headed to home depot. After going on-line to sculpture house to find what would work to fix my stone, I decided to get an epoxy, and ended up with liquid nails, a product I have used before, so I gave it a shot.  So far so good.

 I felt so bad that this p.i.t.a. was suffering so. But I still needed to get rid of excess stone from between her legs and around her body. Will try a different size grinding tool to make that work.  The crack runs across her back and down the sides of her body and across the back of her legs.  Liquid Nails doesn't ooze, so I can sand the crack down. Can't totally get rid of it, but it wont look like it was broken.  Her suffering is short lived, we are back on track and I'm shaping her arms and hands. I now use a few braces to secure her if I need to chisel. To reduce further damage and suffering for us both, the rubber bands criss-crossing her body firmly hold her in place while she is gently chiseled. I am sensitive to the needs of my womyn. They represent me, so they must get the ultimate treatment, no matter how much they blow my mind.

  


Since Friday, she has changed little. I've done clean up work, smoothed down the crack of the break to blend it with the rest of the stone.  All has been well, until this chick decided now she has to flake pieces off in various areas close to or along the crack line. Give me a break! No don't! this breaking stuff seems to be catching, I have this chick cracking, flaking and just being a pain and my ceramic pieces are back from being fired and I have to fix an arm on one of those.  For the next few days I will have to be diligent working on her, otherwise, she will not have an appearance at Artomatic.


Now that her shape is defined, her apple bottom flows into the curve of her leg. There is a sexy little twist to her body that arches her bottom up, causing her knees to bend slightly. A side view of ample bosom shows on her right side, a tempting tease to the fullness of the rest of her. Thick legs support all her rear glory, while her arms, slightly slender, supports the weight of her upper body as she lays on the stone. Her hair is tussled over her face in luxurious waves.  At least that's what I envisioned, she has different ideas. Red hot mama is not giving up the goods to make my vision a reality. It must work, so the struggle to complete her continues. Its a thin crack between love and hate, and I love to hate her, the dance electric intensifies.

Mending Moments in Ceramics

This is the chick whose arm I had to fix. A mix of wood putty and flesh tone paint will fill in the cracks and make it look like new.... a little trick I learned when something ceramic breaks.  Since I don't glaze, breaks are a challenge to fix and hide.  How I finish it will also play a role in how well the cracks are hidden. I invested in some Martha Stewart Metallic Glaze, available at home depot in the paint section. The glaze is sheer color that will allow me to work from a light base to a darker glaze. Its has a acrylic base, so it can be thinned down with water if needed to keep it thin enough to make adjustments or changes.  Starting off too thick will leave no room for mistakes.  The jars are 12oz and are meant for small work, like creating decorative molding or end pieces.  We shall see how it works on clay. Gel stain works for terra cotta colored clay, but I want to try layering the colors. Shes another red chick in the making. Good! just what I needed!!!

The Road To Artomatic- My Installation Progress

Friday I made it to my space to paint my tubes.  It was an undertaking all its own.  My motto is to work smarter not harder, but it wasn't until near the end that I figured out how to do that. Painting tubes almost your height can put a strain on a persons back.  I like to believe I have youthful energy, however, my body will beg to differ on how much youthfulness really exists. So I pulled up a chair, put on my old gloves that have three fingers exposed to the first knuckle.  I bought them that way. My old Shakespeare 2008 work shirt and proceeded to paint the tubes.  It wasn't until tube number 4 that I figured out if I paint it halfway down then turned it upside down and painted the rest, not only did it go faster, but I got a second coat of paint on without having to paint it twice. It could have gone faster, but about an hour into working, I met Diana the 3rd floor monitor, we talked and I convinced myself to go to Starbucks for a pick me up. The other floor monitor, whose name I forgot went with me.  Shes a photographer with two small kids.  More power to her. I admire those who can raise multiples, it seems so overwhelming, but I digress.

After my sugar infusion of coffee, caramel frapp and whip cream I was off, ready to get'er done! Had my ipod on trying not to sing, like anyone would hear me.  I am totally surprised that I was the only one in my section which still looks deserted.  People are waiting until the last minute and I'm trying not to be in here at the last minute. So I will hopefully be finished by Friday.  At first, my dilemma was getting something to fit on top of the tubes that I can sit my pieces on.  Today, I solved that by getting purple foam insulation sheets, which I can cut with a sawsall into circular tops, and paint them white. Hopefully, I can get more tubes, this week.  Bought out the ones at home depot. Time to raid Lowe's! Twelve would fill the space well. I stayed until 8:15 painting these cumbersome pillars.

Diana, 3rd floor monitor

I also have an idea for a center piece.  An older half life size armature that sort of looks like stone, but the top is sunken in slightly and can hold pieces of stone chips.  I often save some of the larger chips that break off the stone, if they are large enough, they are used to make necklace pieces.  I'm not a jewelry maker, this is something I do for myself or as a gift. It would add a spot of color to the other wise all white columns. 

center piece

Purple chick w/no name

My purplish deckle piece is now sanded and polished. It was a nice experiment, however the deckles make her look busy and too much detail is lost within the color flecks. If I use this stone again, my figure will be more organic looking and larger. This is the chick with no name. My time with her was so short and barely memorable.  I was amazed at how soft the stone was once I began carving, and cutting. She decided to be husky, her back robust and strong. She is a flat butt sista, most of her curve is in her hips. Her face at an odd angle, almost disappearing amongst the lines in the stone.  Her hair lines cross the grain lines in the stone, they too almost fade within the busy pattern.  She was an easy piece to do, my only issues was her flat bottom and her legs. An issue I resolved to be satisfied enough to let her be.  What to name her I don't know, While I work on my ceramic pieces. I will gaze at her and think of something.  Only thing that comes to mind is "Cant let go," cause she seems to have  G.I. Jane grip action happening w/the stone. The ease in which I did her, makes it hard to deal with the red Hot mama drama. Whatever her name or title turns out to be, she will be at Artomatic.

I plan to go back to the space on Wednesday, hopefully I will have my tops cut and my other tubes ready to be painted.  I want to be done before last minute weekend madness starts.

Purple chick w/no name

My Evening at Whole Foods

My Saturday was spent picking up my ceramic pieces from Creative Clay Studio in Arlington, VA.  a great place to go purchase clay and have your pieces fired.  Bought some new clay that I can have fired in the gas kiln and it come out looking like stone, cool! Saves my the trouble of having to manipulate the surface, (which is always fun) to create a stone or wood effect. After that the tasks of shopping for new jewelry for my piercings and a new hat for summer, go Kangol!, I had a wonderful dinner at the usual hangout spot Fridays near Foggy Bottom and had a few drinks at the special Cinco De Mayo Day price then proceeded to Whole Foods before going home.  Took some pictures since they were so nice and accommodating. Thank you Whole Foods, you got good cookies!

Had such a nice day, Sunday is a work day and obviously a blog posting day which has turned into a blog posting morning. Will have more about my installation, ceramic pieces, there are 13 of them! and of course the Red hot mama drama saga.  Got to work her out and polish her off!    Tune in next time for the updates, same blog time, same blog channel!