Back To Work

One of the new ways my ceramic tiles are making their ways to new homes...in mosaics!

After my doctor–prescribed three week "pasture rest," I got back to work in earnest, getting knuckle deep in mud once again. I was particularly eager to finalize the various new applications for my tiles and get them up on Etsy pronto. At the top of that list were mosaics, an art form I'd long admired and which my handmade tiles were perfectly suited. Just like with beads, mosaics married mud and glass together with splendiferous results!

So the opening photo (above) is one of three large 9.5" x 9.5" mosaic pieces I put together, and here are the other two...

 

All three sold in the blink of an eye, something I really didn't expect. I thought they'd sit for months! It was so cool to put these pieces together, choosing just the right components and oozing the grout into the spaces. Forget spatulas or cloths—for me fingers are the best grouting tools! squish squish squish

I must admit that trepidation creeps in when I put new ideas up for sale only because I'm not so sure folks will think they're cool, too. Because I have to also admit that my various creative excursions can be quite random such as, for example, the new Shadow Horses...

On top is a pressing of my Welsh Cob (Section D) sculpture, Dafydd. The middle is from my RESS bas–relief piece. On the bottom are two separate pieces pressed onto one slab, those being Imp and Vixen respectively.

Also offered are sets of "undressed" pieces for the buyer to festoon as they wish. I encourage folks to dress 'em up themselves and resell those finished pieces. It's even been suggested they'd make super pendants for necklaces. So true! It's fun when we get to "play together," and when you do, please send along pix so I can feature your pieces on the blog! And some of these showcased Shadow Horses are still available.

These "cameo" pieces were created by pressing my selected sculptures into a slab of clay using a "squish n' roll" technique. How you squish n' roll influences the profile and manifestation of the details, making each one unique. Then the pieces are bisque fired and then glazed, with the glaze being strategically wiped off the high points to make the details "pop." And into the mature fire they go. It's a meticulous, time–intensive process, but the results are really cool. I especially like how the glaze accents the reversal of the sculpture to produce a unique kind of bas–relief.

But the curious thing about this project was that certain sculptures really lent themselves to this approach while others totally faceplanted, and for reasons I can't really explain. Totally counter–intuitive reasons, really. But it was sure fun finding out who was squishable and who wasn't! As expected though, only the transparent, glassy glazes worked for this project since the more opaque glazes totally obliterated the detail.

Now I'd really like to try some oxides with this idea along with making molds from some of these "negatives" to give me "positives." There are lots of uses for the positives, especially for a certain new series I'm currently designing. As a hint, I have a deep fascination for ruins that feature horses in bas–relief (like the Elgin Marbles) and I want to pursue that idea in earnest now that I'm getting a handle on tile pressing and free sculpting stoneware and porcelain. Lots of ideas brewing for that. In fact, if they don't explode in Big Al, the first offerings along those lines, featuring the Shadow Horse effect, may be available soon in the store.

Anyway, I offered quite a few Shadow Horses in this current Etsy cornucopia and waited in bated breath because they're so, well...weird. Boy, was I happy to find that many of you appreciate weirdness, too! But I'm not sure these critters will become a regular item in the store because they simply consume too much time to make. They're really better suited for periodic romps when the mood strikes.

As for the name, I decided to call them Shadow Horses rather than "cameos" only because I liked the idea of them being the "shadows" of the originals. Like anti–matter. Like ghosts. Considering it further, it would be fun to try this technique with the entire body of one of my sculptures, which I somewhat attempted with this piece. And I gotta say—I can't wait to see how Dante squishes!

Another random addition to this first 2012 offering were these fun magnet grab bags, made from impressions of my various works in mid–fire porcelain. Most of them were made for use as glaze test chips, but I got the idea for magnet sets mid–stride and so invested more time to make them presentable after they served their purpose.

 

Some are still available!

While lots of fun to make though, they ended up eating more time than expected only because the rub–off glazing technique takes so much work (and I'm so darned picky). It eats up lots of glaze, too, and on top of that, between the touchy clay and the even touchier glazes, I lost about 50% of what I actually made. So I'm not sure if this idea will be revisited anytime soon. Test chips perhaps are best left as throwaways. Though there is the idea for mosaics. Hmmmm....

Onward! Another debut was a new shape: a circle! Adding spice to the mix, unique flourishes were pressed into the clay by hand, along the border between the edge of the square stamp and the edge of the circle. That was a blast! It was such a hoot to grab everyday objects to see what kinds of effects they'd produce.

 

Here's a new circle porcelain piece still available in "the festoonery."

New, too, were the porcelain coaster sets I offered. This one got snapped up quickly.

This coaster set is still available. The results are hard–earned, lemme tell ya. The loss rate during production is alarming—between the mid–fire porcelain and the eventual glaze effects, I lost one for every one I made. But I think I know why, so I'm hoping the loss rate on my next batch won't be so outrageous.

The almighty circle also made its way into mosaics such as this piece here, which is still available. It showcases a rather rare stamp design, the "draft horse" version of one of my Dancing Horse stamps. I liked how the black frame set off the tile so well, so I intentionally chose dark mosaic bits to let the tile shine.

Overall, I really ended up liking the circle shape a lot. It has good "palm feel" and reminds me of a medallion or medal. Of course with that came a blinding influx of new ideas, but as per my new motto, "manageable bites," I instead made notes for next year.

Also new were various framing schemes for these new pieces, such as these... 

 

The top two pieces are sold, but the handsome bottom piece is still available.

What may not be readily apparent in these framed pieces is that these are 3" stamps adapted into 4" tiles. For far too long (than I care to admit), I anguished over how to achieve this result quickly and easily since nearly all tile accoutrements are made for 4" tiles. But it was imperative to maintain the smaller 3" measurement to keep the Dancing Horses (and pieces like them) affordable as single pieces. 

All that extra space along the edges tormented me for what seemed like ages, and I spent quite a bit of mental energy cogitating elaborate workarounds. Somehow I had to avoid duplicating all those stamps in the larger 4" size because not only would that have been prohibitively expensive, but would also eat into the precious studio space that's becoming a rapidly diminishing resource around here. 

So in typical Minkie Modus Operandi fashion (of "just do it and figure it out later"), I blindly dove in when I finally got my 4" tile cutter. It was the staring at flats full of 4" squares imprinted with my 3" stamps that did the mental trick, and the solutions instantly popped into my head. As natural as breathing. So natural, in fact, that I'm still sorely irritated at myself for over–thinking the problem!

What's more, the natural solutions are infinitely more flexible and interesting than any of my conceived workarounds! Blarg. Dur–hay Sarah! Can you be any more stupid? No wait! Don't answer that! Anyway, it's good to know that all tile accessories are now within grasp, in an easy, affordable and adaptable way.

Anyway, back to the Etsy store...also offered were new designs, such as this piece...

The new Solar Stallion in stoneware in "Rust," offered as a small colorway edition of twelve.

The glaze for these twelve pieces is actually an iron oxide applied and then rubbed off—a lot of rubbing off. So while I love the rustic touchy–feely finish, the process is the kicker. See, the glazing method is tedious enough, but mix that with a rather irksome glaze and, well...let's just say this finish won't be put into production. The problem is that the oxide tends to smear and re–stain rather than just go the heck away, meaning that these twelve pieces took a lot of work!

The complement to this piece, the Moon Mare, has been delayed since her design needed retooling and thus a new stamp made. But stay tuned! She'll be available later this year. [It should be noted that these pieces were originally designed for my Runehorse line, but took on a life of their own and inspired an entirely new series. So the "Rune Horse" stamp on the back of these current Solar Stallions will be a bit of a novelty very soon.]

Another unique item in this sale is a festooned Dancing Horse in porcelain, with a brand new hole figuration of one hole on the top and two on the bottom...

This particular piece is a reverse impression of the actual stamp, taken from the matrix board provided by the stamp manufacturer. If you notice, this is the old "head down" version of the current "head up" version now in production. This piece turned out so gorgeous, I'm sorely tempted to keep it! It's still available...for now.

But not to be outdone, lots of regular items pepper the store shelves, from the Dancing Horse singles to all sorts of festooned pieces. Also back are the popular Prancing Pony magnet sets, such as this one...

The four–piece Prancing Pony magnet set, "Summer Camp," which is still available. 

To shake it up, I included some porcelain Prancing Ponies to experiment with the medium in this manner. After all was said and done, however, I decided that porcelain is better suited to limited offerings rather than regular production. Stoneware it is then, and the new fancy stoneware clay I recently got is beckoning!

So this weekend I'll be getting the sold items packed up to ship off to their new homes as well as finishing up a couple of side projects. I'll also get back to those promised porcelain bas–reliefs (scheduled for sale in about two weeks) and continue with the CBCM Reflectives.

Exploring the mosaic theme further, I'm considering incorporating some of those bas–reliefs and perhaps a CBCM "Reffy" or two into mosaics as well. Then I'll redirect my attention to getting Dante underway and completing new sculptures for 2012, including some clay originals. Very excited! I can't wait!

So as needed as that pasture rest was, I'll tell ya what—it's great to be back up and running again. Back to the good ol' blessed routine. The creative habit. Now the wiser, this addiction is a good thing made even better with a more reasonable pace and less complications. Purpose. Simplicity. Clarity. Serenity. It feels fantastic. Hello, world! I'm back!

"Be regular and orderly in your life, that you may be violent and original in your work." ~ Clive Barker

Back To Work

Dirt, Sand and Metal

 Detail of Petals and Ponies, one of the festooned Dancing HorseTM tiles still available in my Etsy store.

I believe all art is about the elements—the elemental state of nature, the elemental sentience of existence, the elemental essence residing in all life, and the elemental ties that bind us together. The inner core. The base ingredients. Art is about life itself.

This is one of the reasons why working in ceramics is so appealing. What can be more elemental than dirt, water and fire? Mix it with imagination, dedication and passion and we rouse what is elemental within us. Art is forged in the gut. It's good for the soul.

Along with its elemental simplicity, clay also represents an ever fascinating, dichotomous blend of low–tech and hi–tech, serendipity and mastery, partnership and submission, function and art, timelessness and regeneration, of old and new. Ceramics evolve, yet remain true to its base elements.  

I believe the the same can be said for the work of any dedicated artist, no matter what type of art they create. Indeed, it's a philosophy I apply to all my work, and just as much to my giftware.

This four–piece Prancing PoniesTM set, River n' Rock, was one of the many popular magnet sets offered. Each one is about 2x2" and based on a shape of either a circle or square. New upcoming designs will incorporate the triangle and oval to make the whole collection synch with the Dancing HorsesTM. Next time I may festoon these little guys, too. Tiny tiles + tiny beads = big fun!

Speaking of which, it was a madhouse here these past two weeks with beading, packaging, photographing and uploading. Why? Well, for Fuchsia Freakday, of course! Last Friday I opened my Etsy store for a big ceramic giftware sale, featuring my Dancing HorseTM tiles and Prancing PoniesTM magnets.

Offered was the usual undressed Dancing HorseTM tile, this one being AC-1 ("AC" meaning "Artist Choice"). This was my favorite tile from the entire fire, using an oxide that was rubbed off to reveal the design. I was very tempted to keep it.

In particular, there were some unique features about this sale that one could regard as landmark. For starters, this was the first time I offered my Dancing HorsesTM festooned with beadery. Mud and glass together at last! I've been a lifelong worshipper of glass beads. Hey, they're wearable bits of art glass! I've collected quite a gleaming mass over the years, like some sort of devout Bowerbird, especially during my PMC workshop last year at Shipwreck Beads. 

So it was a thrill to finally combine two loves into one shiny pile of giddiness. Learning how to make my own glass beads is actually on my five–year "to do" list so I can incorporate them into my giftware and (future) jewelry. My friends Jonathan and Joy sell their gorgeous handcrafted beads and beaded creations on Etsy—how cool is that?! With inspiration like that, who can resist?

Also new to this sale was the offering of undressed tiles with different hole configurations, this one having three holes. Collectors are encouraged to festoon their undressed tiles in their own special way and different configurations provide more options for their creativity.

Another landmark feature was a predetermined store "opening," a specific date and time when it would be instantaneously stocked and opened for shopping. Based on the rather stressful situation with my previous porcelain sale, this time around I wanted to hide my items until they were all uploaded, then "unhide" them at the appointed time to open the store. Many thanks go to Amanda for her astute instruction on how to do that, and it worked like a charm! It was a far more pleasant experience for both shoppers and myself. Thanks tons Amanda!

Still, I'm not exactly a deadline kinda artist. I'm much more free and fluid and free-flowing and...and...oh heck...OK, I'm prone to distraction. From too many ideas and too many ongoing projects. I've become a real–life Jeremy Hilary Boob. 

But I can say this: having an opening deadline wasn't only really exciting, it was a healthy exercise in time management. Or to put it more accurately: it was a mad rush! Midnight oil was burned by the barrel and early morning coffee was chugged by the potful. Sometimes ya gotta bust yer artistic gut to clean out the creative gears!

Another landmark aspect of Fuchsia Freakday was the debut of the Prancing PoniesTM magnets. I really love a cool, unusual, handcrafted magnet as my decorator crab-like fridge, metal shelves, and file cabinets testify. They're a delirious blend of function and art in a tiny package, and they're a super means to test new glazes to boot. So I was tickled to see the huge response to them—they were snapped up like acorns by a rampaging squirrel army! The sets were particularly popular, so that tells me I'm on the right track.

After all the hard work and preparation then, I'm delighted to report that the sale was a wild success! Thank you! It was so successful, in fact, that I plan to make Fuchsia Freakday an annual event to coincide with Black Friday. Next year, I'm even going to incorporate an exclusive, day–specific item! Spice it up a little. There are still some items available, and being handcrafted, unique pieces of art, they make novel gifts and stocking-stuffers for the discriminating horse lover.

 

Here's one of the two-hole festooned pieces, Whirligig. Not only is it fun to come up with beading patterns, but titles, too! And this glaze is one of my very favorites - consistent, easy to apply, pools well and has a rich, smokey lavender color. If you look closely, it also creates a 3D effect with the swirls. So cool!

I'll be actively expanding my giftware items in 2012, introducing new designs, new lines and new items (including jewelry and mosaics). So amid the ongoing chaos from porcelain ornament production, I'm also finalizing loads more stamp and tile–pressing designs, along with creating more bas–reliefs. Like I said—Jeremy Hilary Boob.

A Cool Cocktail, one of the three-hole festooned pieces off to a new home.

The thing is, though, many of these new tile designs were actually done last year. Well, at least the equine figures were. That's the easy part. It's the logistical production part that's hard. For instance, what will be the flourish or theme? How will the designs work together but stand alone, too? Will I use a stamp or tile press? That's a pivotal decision because it predetermines the design, production and nature of the final piece. Then what size? What shape? What clay? What will be the target price point and how will production be designed to meet that? Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, how will all this limit or expand various other applications of the design? It may not seem like it, but this process is actually tremendously difficult.

 

Here's one of the four-hole festooned pieces, Dancing in my Dreams. This piece is still available!

Interestingly enough, though, creating the pieces for Fuchsia Freakday clarified design issues and resolved production problems in roundabout ways, so all those previously stalled designs are now flowing smoothly. At last! Blarg! I can't tell you how good it feels to finally have forward motion on them!

All that Glitters demonstrates that the fun can be doubled when tiles are festooned together!

There's also nothing like a first–time sale of new pieces to teach you humility. Leading up to the big day, I had all my ducks in a row...or so I thought. All the boxes, promo flyers, listing methods and verbiage, packaging...yada yada yada. All was at the ready! Go me!

I soon discovered that no amount of prep can prepare for the actual play of events. In the scramble to jump through my own self–made loopholes, for example, I was forced to make many a return trip to my local box supplier, each time thinking, "OK, I have everything I need now—I'm all set!" Aaaaaand each time returning for something I never imagined I would need, with Mike (the owner) quipping, "You forgot something again didn't you!"

It doesn't stop there! We can add more! Here's Bouquet.

   

Now some of you have asked how I come up with my ideas and, well, going back to the elementals, they're born from an alchemy of imagination and spirit, with a bit of whimsy and style thrown in for good measure. But, essentially, the bottom line is this: What kind of horsey gift would I want to give or receive? From that perspective, coming up with ideas is really quite easy. When we create from the heart, isn't anything?

 

Finding a rich, pretty golden yellow Cone 5 glaze that also pools well has been quite a quest, but I finally found one! Here's The Bright Side, one of the four-hole festooned pieces that sold on Fuchsia Freakday.

But giftware designs are also guided by specific goals necessary to create a coherent line. I put quite a bit of thought into each one to build something cohesive, continuous and versatile; to be able to evolve, yet stay true to its core. For that reason, these ten goals guide each new design:

These "Ten Commandments" make giftware a load of challenging fun to concoct, on every creative front. I mean, not only is the process a logistical puzzle, but designing these pieces asks me to see the subject with totally new eyes.

Giftware thus opens the door for expressing the subject in so many different ways, and that keeps my body of work fresher while becoming an addiction of perpetual inspiration that pulls from multiple outlets, not just realism. All this congeals into a positive feedback loop that informs the rest of my work in ways not possible by other means.

I'm Finally Warm, in response not only to the color of this piece, but to the space heater now residing in my office. It's still available in my store!

Just as importantly, giftware spreads the accessibility of my art while also revealing a side of me otherwise not so obvious. So while my sculpture work is a dialogue between me and the subject, my giftware is a dialogue that includes the collector, too—and that's a really cool conversation!

Here's the grand-daddy of them all - a "four up," Rosemary & Thyme, inspired by the wonderful British series I was watching at the time. 

I can also say that Fuchsia Freakday is my rebuttal to Black Friday. I mean, geez, "Black Friday?" I get the point, but it sounds so dreary! I have such a blast creating these pieces that I figure my version needed a bit more pep. I also choose to offer handcrafted, one–of–a–kind pieces made right here in the good ol' U.S. of A. with heirloom methods, in contrast to the typical items shoveled out by the crateful on Black Friday. And you don't even have to park your car!

The Dance, my favorite of the festooned pieces, and one of my most favorite things I've ever created. I held it back from the sale, at first tempted to keep it, but then realized it needed to live with a certain someone special I had in mind.

So all in all, this sale has been a joy, a reaffirmation, and a learning experience. Speaking through an elemental language is gratifying in more ways than one. It's a blessing that teaches new lessons and inspires new ideas, permeating the studio with the wisdom of core ideals to invigorate and reawaken. Yeah, I'll be busy next year. Just the way I like it.

"Ad hoc, ad loc and quid pro quo. So little time—so much to know!" ~ Jeremy Hilary Boob

Dirt, Sand and Metal

The Eye of the Storm

Nine little molds patiently waiting for the chaos to ensue.

By the skin of my teeth I finished the ninth and final mold for the 2011 Christmas ornament, pulling it apart from the original just twenty minutes before we left for a weekend jaunt to a horse show.

They have to dry thoroughly, so I could probably start pressing around October fourth. I'm determined to fully stock my Etsy store by the first week of November for Christmas shopping, but we'll see how that goes! As we all know, life seems to enjoy throwing ringers, and I'm certainly no help. I generate my own like a fractal equation. Wish me luck!

Here's my studio floor after mold-making, strewn with clumps of dried clay and plaster shards. The remnants of my madness, and a metaphor for what's to come.

"This suspense is terrible. I hope it will last." ~ Oscar Wilde

The Eye of the Storm

Spaghetti Monster Be Praised!

Success!

Oh thank goodness - it worked! Above is the second press mold and it popped off easily with the tweaks. Seven more to go.

What a tease...the plaster looks like a block of Fluff! 

Here's the ornament inside the mold box with freshly poured plaster (above). My mold boards are clear acrylic, which allows me to see what's happening inside. The boards are like a Chinese puzzle box until you get the hang of them, but this simple "L" design works great. I have this long version, but also a shorter version for small pieces. It's not technically necessary, but much handier. 

The boards are placed alongside the edges of the backing tile and clamped into place. Then the seams, where they meet each other and where they meet the backing tile, are caulked with earthenware clay to prevent plaster from oozing out.

But placing the boards alongside the tile edge resulted in a mold a snidge too thin for my liking, even though I mixed three pounds of plaster. It'll work just fine, but I'll have to be careful. The forces involved with tile pressing are pretty strong thanks to Sir Squish, my tile press. This fantastic press works like a charm because he's geared, and so a modest pull on his lever results in a lot of force on the mold. So much so that I've unintentionally broken a couple of rather hefty molds! 

But we want all that force because it ensures a good impression and a dense compaction of clay particles. This is my (silly) theory, and it is mine... ahem....AHEM...I think "shocking" the clay helps to dampen warp. I wonder if by smashing the particles through a slab roller (such as my Derby) helps to shock them into a new alignment, and then smashing them again in Sir Squish reinforces that alignment. 

I suggest this for two reasons. First, I've noticed zero warp in my round ornaments, no matter how big they are, implying that a lack of the "suspension" span between any corners prevents a sort of "pull" those corners could exert - but it also implies something about the particles and how they were aligned in the process. And second, I noticed in the fire of the 2010 ornaments that only those pieces that lined the side of the convection vents between the broken shelves warped - all those away from those vents, in the middle, were perfect.

Here you can see the clay caulking along the seams.

Anyway, what I decided to do to create a beefier mold for the next pour was to pop the boards up onto the backing tile. It's something I've been meaning to try, but I was a little worried about the boards sliding around.

Oops! A bit of a spill there on the right. I need to find a new mixing bowl for plaster. The one I'm using is rigid and large, so spillage is unavoidable. I need one strong enough for plaster's weight and the effects of mixing, but also flexible enough to squeeze in a spout when pouring. It has to be cheap, too, which is why thrift and dollar stores are great suppliers.

I was so happy to find this approach worked great, so I'll be doing this for the rest of the molds. I want a really thick block while also minimizing the use of plaster, and this piggy-back approach delivered.

We don't want to get thinner - we want to get fatter! Mission accomplished.

You can see the difference clearly in the image above. The thicker block on the right will let me press much harder.

You may be wondering why I'm making so many molds for an edition of one hundred, which when divided, allots about twelve castings per mold (excluding the ninth back-up one). Well, the first reason is that I want to be able to choose the best molds for production, those with the least amount of bubbles or other hiccups that require clean up later. The other reason is that for some inexplicable reason, some molds work better than others in terms of pulling, and I'd like options in this, too. Same methods used in making them, but oddly enough, each mold has its own personality and you don't learn it until you use it.

Mostly, however, it's because of the clay itself. Clay is abrasive while plaster is rather soft, even when cured. So every time I press clay into a mold, the clay abrades the plaster, progressively wearing down the fine details and edges of the cast. The moisture in the clay also compromises the mold, and after about six or eight castings, it can be too damp to use and must be set aside to dry again. I want each casting to be nice and crisp, so I'd rather pour a few more molds to ensure each collector gets a faithful piece. I also don't want to be slowed down in the casting process - when I get in a groove, I go. Creativity has its own inertia. So setting a wet mold aside and grabbing a fresh dry one keeps production humming along.

Technically, I should be able to get about twenty five to thirty pressings from a single mold. Ideally, I'd be using Hydro-Stone® instead of regular molding plaster because it's harder and would yield more castings, but its mixing process is still something I have to perfect. So for now I'll leave that for another day and groggier clay.

I'm really excited to see how the black porcelain turns out. Black is a rather unconventional color for Christmas, I know, but can you imagine how it'll look with its purple ribbon and the glow from tree lights?! Fitting for a Friesian I think! 

"The painting leads the painter, and it becomes an intuitive experience." ~ Ardath Davis

Spaghetti Monster Be Praised!

Last Sabotages First

The one and only mold for the Unicorn.

This week is a mad dash to make ten open-face press molds before Thursday. One for the Unicorn (above) and nine for the 2011 porcelain Christmas ornament. They need to dry for about twelve days, then I can start casting.

The Unicorn was straight-forward. Mix, pour, pop apart. Done. Yes. No hitch. That couldn't be said of the ornament, however. Of course it couldn't. Silly me! It had to present a problem right out of the gate, in the making of the very first mold! Mix, pour, pop apart. WHAT. ACK!

Let me backtrack. I don't plan on making rubber masters of these ornaments because the integrity of the limited edition is important to me. So each of the 8-9 press molds needed for the edition of 100 are cast directly off the clay original. This means that if damage occurs to the original during this process, I have to fix it before I make another mold. Easy enough with oil clay. It does mean though that all I have is the original, so if it gets hosed beyond sensible repair, there would be no 2011 ornament.

On top of that, thinking it was efficient and clever, I simply resculpted the old 2010 ornament clay original, filling it in and paring it down to create the blank block I needed for the Friesian (which also means the 2010 ornament truly is done since I no longer have an original to mold). 

What I'd forgotten, however, was that in the process of making the last press mold for the 2010 ornament, it got pulled off its backing, too. All the heat generated by the curing plaster and the subsequent pulling had eventually loosened the oil clay from the backing tile and that bond had to give sometime. But since that last mold was a back-up freebie, I slap-dashed it and simply affixed the clay original back onto the tile with double-sided tape, then proceeded to make that last mold. This trick works great for resin or rubber, but barely for oil clay, for obvious reasons.

So flash forward to now: as I pulled the first press mold for the 2011 ornament apart from that 2010 backing tile, this happened:

CRIKEY! There it is, stuck in the mold. Those bulges along the edge are the casts of my thumbprints from squishing the "caulking" clay into the seams of the mold boards. Kinda pretty. You can even see the streaks left by the double-sided tape on the clay.

Good gravy. It was wedged in there really good, too. When I screw up, I certainly do a good job of it. At least I can find satisfaction in that.

But what to do?! Tearing this thing out meant it was a wash - the damage would be too great and I'd be left with one, untested press mold. Great. I needed to do three things, and fast:

1. Get it out of there as undamaged as possible.
2. Affix it back firmly onto the backing tile without using double-sided tape.
3. Figure out why it got so stuck in there in the first place. If it happens now, it'll certainly happen with the porcelain, something we definitely don't want!

To attend to #1, I remembered Barb's advice about using the clay plugs to get the pressed clay out of the mold. So I warmed up some oil clay under a lamp* and gingerly duplicated that technique. With a bit of tugging (oi - it was really in there), I got it out with surprisingly little damage. Practically none. Phew! A thousand thank-yous again, Barb!

[*I heat my clay under a drafting lamp, using the bell of the light to contain the heat.]

Addressing #2 took a bit more doing. The backing tile is slick - glossy slick. This makes is easier for the plaster to be pulled off and for the tile surface to be cleaned in preparation for mold making. It also means that affixing a soft, smooshy clay piece firmly back onto it would be a tricky proposition. I just couldn't squish it on there!

So after thinking about it, I decided to do two things. First, I would smear a thin layer of heated, soft clay onto the backing tile in the rectangle mounting area. Really squish it on there good with a tool, too, then place it under a lamp to keep it soft and sticky.

Then I'd take a BBQ lighter and gently melt the backside of the original, avoiding sag or distortion, just until the backside became glossy and melty. Quickly grabbing the backing tile out from under its lamp sauna, I'd gently press the two together, like those glues you apply to both surfaces before attaching them together. When I actually did it, it worked like a charm. Phew x 2.

As for #3, it was clear the problem was a design flaw. As perpendicular and pothole free I thought the edges were, apparently they weren't. There's some degree of suction between the original, backing tile and plaster, which makes pulling them apart hard enough, but any edge not absolutely perfect has just enough extra grab to be a bigger problem. In short, any minute flaw along the side edge creates an imperfection for rigid plaster to grab.

Now I wanted to avoid the deep bevel the 2010 ornament had because it introduced some annoying problems for pressing. That was why I made the edges of this 2011 ornament straight up and down. After this mishap, however, it's clear that a bevel to some degree was required, if only for mold-making and demolding. Afterward the bevel could be pared down with a blade as a kind of mold flashing, and I suspect a dough blade would be the ticket. We'll see how that goes.

After all was said and done, here it is re-affixed, repaired, and retweaked with a slight outer bevel:

(Right) A new smearing of edging to create the slight bevel and to fill the gap between the bottom of the ornament and the surface of the tile. A gap will suck plaster behind the ornament, creating a "hand" that would tear the piece when pulled out. It doesn't matter if the edges are slightly wavy now, since they'll be cut away in the cleaning stage. (Left) All cleaned up. The glossy areas are parts that needed to be fixed and resmoothed with GooGone. So altogether - phew x 3!

This hiccup caused the loss of half of yesterday, so today will be busier than anticipated. And here I thought I knew just about all I needed to know simply from last year. I mean - how hard could this simple thing be? Ha! I have a sneaking suspicion that this piece has its own lessons to teach me, and trickier ones at that. That's ceramics for you. Let me just say it's a good thing I got an early start this year. 

"Never play a thing the same way twice." ~ Louis Armstrong

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