casting failure!!

[Colin & Helen]

I was so looking forward to making a scluptural piece of art for a local art prize - and guess what, the system failed.

The first cast was fine and although the finished result needed a lot of cleaning up, the glass had the look of aged bronze which I could live with. However, the mold of the second one collapsed in the firing blocking the airways and stopping the glass from filling all extremities of the mold. This resulted in a missing portion of the form. If only I had used a softer glass. Both forms were of a dress/body and would have been really great if they had worked together.

Still, I now know from experience how difficult casting can be and that there are so many variables that can work against you.

But I always have plan B and have submitted a painting (in the style of Kadinsky or Gorky) which I have called 'Apocolypse 2003' very apt!!

Oh well, back to the drawing board as the poet said.

Helen

[watershed]

do you do any reinforcing, inside the plaster? Not the chicken wire on the outside, something on the inside? I've just started to do that with my pipes.

Greg

[Delores Taylor]

I was so looking forward to making a scluptural piece of art for a local art prize - and guess what, the system failed.

The first cast was fine and although the finished result needed a lot of cleaning up, the glass had the look of aged bronze which I could live with. However, the mold of the second one collapsed in the firing blocking the airways and stopping the glass from filling all extremities of the mold. This resulted in a missing portion of the form. If only I had used a softer glass. Both forms were of a dress/body and would have been really great if they had worked together.

Still, I now know from experience how difficult casting can be and that there are so many variables that can work against you.

But I always have plan B and have submitted a painting (in the style of

Kadinsky or Gorky) which I have called 'Apocolypse 2003' very apt!!

Oh well, back to the drawing board as the poet said.

Helen

Sorry to hear that Helen, would fiberglass chop in your mix have helped?

[Gale aka artistefem]

Helen....I feel for you girl. Here's a big double ARGH!!!!

This is the same mold failure scenario that's forced me to straighten up my wicked casting ways. No more waiting until the last minute, right up to the deadline to fire the block. I've had one too many "learning experiences" that missed the mark.

Will you try to remold and fire the failed piece again? Would love to see this project. The bronzed glass surface sounds especially interesting.

[Colin & Helen]

Thanks for your imput and everyone.

The bronze effect was caused by mixing black, iradised black and aventuriene green. I had hoped that the colors would have been more obvious rather than an all over bronze look, but that one held up in the mold. The other dress/body mold was constructed the same way but the glass used was white, opaque blues and pink. Col has told me that because I was working on a hollow form and we couldn't pour from the top because of the hight, the mold was constructed at a 45degree angle. Because it was a hollow form, part of the inner core which was not reinforced, broke away and fell to the bottom of the mold blocking the air holes.

Phew, there must be an easier way of earning a living!!
I think I will keep on trying till I get it right.

Cheers
Helen

The photo isn't the best .

[Gale aka artistefem]

Helen.......how tall are these forms?

With the war presently on my mind, these pieces give reference to the long-held thought of woman as vessel and childbearers - with all the attendent patriarchial baggage. Sorry gentlemen - no insult intended and I'm certainly not lumping all men into this catagory.

It's a fact that women when faced with crisis will find a way to cooperate and communicate for issue resolution and men are more likely to pick up arms and go to war. It's a basic difference in our gender programmings.

The blue piece speaks to me of the fragile and sacred nature of life and the bronze piece visits the ancient, yet ongoing role of mothers who lose children to warfare.

Helen, this is probably 180 degrees away from your intent of visual communication, but for me, these pieces are very evocative of womens place in our society.

Thanks for sharing these.

[Delores Taylor]

Thanks for your imput and everyone.

The bronze effect was caused by mixing black, iradised black and aventuriene green. I had hoped that the colors would have been more obvious rather than an all over bronze look, but that one held up in the mold. The other dress/body mold was constructed the same way but the glass used was white, opaque blues and pink. Col has told me that because I was working on a hollow form and we couldn't pour from the top because of the hight, the mold was constructed at a 45degree angle. Because it was a hollow form, part of the inner core which was not reinforced, broke away and fell to the bottom of the mold blocking the air holes.

Phew, there must be an easier way of earning a living!!
I think I will keep on trying till I get it right.

Cheers
Helen

The photo isn't the best .


It appears from the photo that the core had no bottom. It appears as a real dress with an opening at the top that runs through the dress and a opening at the shkirt. Is that correct? If that is accurate it is a lot more complex than one end being flat so Colin has a defined space to pour into. To make it easier on Colin you could enclose the bottom of the dress so then he could pour the core in from the top tiny little hole which seems still a challenge but only because of the size of the hole not the complexity. Tell Colin good day and that the hole going through the hole dress is really cool and looks like a fun project. It's a deceptively simple look that is technically challenging investment. Obviously the one succeeded so Colin has that aspect covered. Did you fix a really nice dinner after that investment????

[Colin & Helen]

Hi Gale and Dolores

I know the dressess are 'loaded' in symbolism, but really I just made them because I like the form! I have made them out of chicken wire for an exhitbion and so glass was another material to use. But obviously much harder to manipulate than wire.

They are not very large, about 12 inches so they were easy to handle.

I didn't pour from the shoulder strap end because they were very fine and would have required cold working after removing the spur and this was a bit too hard!!!

Neve mind will try again some day to get it right.

Cheers
Helen

[charlie holden]

This is meant more as an inspritational reference than an intimidating one, but if you're interested in cast glass dresses you should take a look at Karen Lamonte's work. She spent quite a bit of time in the Czech Republic learning casting technique from the masters to be able to do these.

http://www.karenlamonte.com/

[Colin & Helen]

Thanks Charlie for the link, yes Karen's work is truly inspirational and well um, I don't even know if I could even come any where near her technique and beautiful shapes. However, I plod on, trying to do better each time, and work in my rather naive style (of which I am famous!!!)

Thanks again for your imput

Cheers

Helen

[LesleyNolan]

The work is very much like Judy Hill. She creates hollow dresses and paints the interior of the dress. She then has added raku heads and limbs. They are self portrait in nature.
I was lucky enough to take a class from here in Jacksonville, Florida. Some great techniques that I am ashamed to say I have not followed up on. However, I have not forgotten them.
Lesley

[Colin & Helen]

Thanks Lesley for you imput


I checked out your webpage. Oh wow! Your work is fantastic!

I will creep back into my little shell (well, until the next sojurn into glass scumpture!!)

Cheers
Helen