Box

Started with some very basic thrown forms as a means of generating simple cylinders as a base to build upon. This is something I need to develop as part of my making tool box.

Opted to make boxes that would contain the wrist bands that I save from the birth of my children. This also offered the potential to contain the other momentums I kept from their childhood. One of the requirements of the box is that it is textured, so I started to explore the potential of laser cutting old photographs as a means of initially adding texture. Image development: Illustrator: image trace. Simplifying the photos to give clear parameters for the laser cutter. I included my grandchildren as I could potentially incorporate them in the designs in some way and wanted to be prepared for this eventuality.

Photoshop exploring simplifying filters (charcoal, torn edge and stamp)

Bitmap trace positive and inverted using Inkscape. If viable on laser cutter hopefully these will offer an embossed and indented surface to explore.

Initial experimentation with laser cutting the images.

Positive and negative rolled into clay. Happy with this technique as a way of translating a photographic image into texture on a clay surface.

Development/design process started with clay (circle) slabs and thrown forms from last week. Working intuitively with the clay to help initiate ideas for eventual box. This started to evoke ideas around family trees and some rudimentary boxes started to emerge. The surface included texture captured from laser cut portraits and mono print drawings, text and mark making. Several of these went straight back into recycling, as their function was to help with the design process and for this purpose a photograph will suffice.

Used some of the previous samples to test glazes. This glazed worked well at picking up the subtle textures.

Turned to some contextual research which always helps. Jo/lie Ngo: playful forms and colours relate to the theme of nostalga and childhood momentums. Also like the way they have incorporated layered planes, a technique that could be developed to house images and text that evoke the theme.

Julie Liger-Belair: collaging a variety of images and textures (opportunity to incorporate decals). Could also be interesting to explore the potential of a wall mounted box and a more surreal visual language.

Margot Samel: ceramic, collage and found objects. Using the house as a motif could offer an interesting canvas to explore the words and images that are personal to our family.

Further laser cuts exploring positive and negative. These are taken directly from jpeg photographic images with just the contrast exaggerated. Due to this less controlled/defined than the initial cuts.

Considered experimenting with porcelain as the material offers a delicacy that relates to the objects the boxes will contain. Also the translucency could work well with the imprints. This initial contextual research focussed on the potential fluidity of the material as well as the effects of upon its translucence and how various edges can be employed. Piece 1: Kaz Huette. Piece 2: Anja . All others: Leah Kaplan.

Initial samples with porcelain. Mainly concerned with the physical properties of the material, how it responded to the laser cuts and how to form simple shapes. I also experimented with different porcelains that I had available.

The pieces are once high fired. I like porcelain without glaze as it almost glazes it's self when fired high enough and the surface as such a nice finish, it doesn't need anything else. Below are some small samples with the light coming through. This is such a beautiful effect and has lots of potential moving forward as only some aspects of the surface become apparent as the light hits them. So you could play with the ideas of hidden images or double meanings in a piece.

Started to think about also making a 'box' that was more designed or predetermined. For this, I turned to the original clay sketches produced at the onset and developed some drawn studies. This one got my attention as the lid was almost a roof or shelter for the box, which fit with the theme of parental relationships and sentimental keep sakes. I made a model to translate the drawing to form and also I used it as an opportunity to have a go with a new clay. This was a paper clay which for this kind of build I wasn't happy with.

Then I noticed the similarities between this form and a fallopian tubes which got me thinking about the other female reproductive bits and the Alien films when the massive Alien plops out the eggs. This made me smile in relation to my theme, so obviously I decided to go in this direction. Initially started with the black clay, but this wasn't right, the form was out and the material consumed the subtleties of the texture. The screen printed surface, was added not in the context of this project, but because I wanted to test the screens and how the clay would respond to the slip.

Attempt number 2. Went for a smooth white earthenware. Not ideal, but certainly better than the black for adding different surfaces. The 'boxes' have the imprints from the laser cut portraits and the womb/lid I embellished with the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus (obviously an slightly idealised version of the feminine) and ready made decals of spiders, birds and flowers, all in red (representing the natural/bloody aspect).

After initial firing, I intent to do some glaze tests before the final firing to ensure the two elements come together.

Test tiles: 1: Christmas Red Thick, 2: Christmas Red Thin, 3: Rosso Red (glaze), 4: Bright Red Thick, 5: Bright Red Thin, 6: Crimson Thick, 7: Crimson Thin, 8&9: Rosso rubbed away (different thicknesses of surfaces), 10: Clear Glaze. Clear glazed: P2837 applied to all except 3, 8 & 9.

Final Finish. Selected the Christmas red as it was the closest match. I didn't get on to well with this clay, buts stuck with it to completion as I wanted to realise my idea. The cracks in the boxes are filled with a gold paste as a nod to the tradition of Kintsugi, the celebration of flaws and imperfection.