What Have I Made?

These two halves are in the flirting stage!

Here the two have become one!

Fantastic! I am happy for them.

What have I done in my studio this week?

Once again, it is experiment time. A new challenge has arisen. I have a problem to solve. I have a piece in mind that has a large round element to it. Literally a ball about the size of a basketball! Simple right?

I know, you are wondering what I’m intending to do. No, it is not a piece about sports. But for the time being, considering the challenge, I am keeping this a secret.

I must first solve the problem of making this ball. There are probably two main ways to do this. One way would be to make a ball out of solid clay. Then, let it dry to the point where the outside is leather hard. Do the dimple test, and then cut it in half or thirds, depending on its size and scoop out the innards. The outside shell pieces left are then sealed together and there you have it. A round ball. So simple!

I have chosen, in this case to go another route. I purchased a $6.00 bowel from a discount store, near the size of the ball I needed and as you can see, used it as a form for the two halves of the ball.

What I began to realize as I was making up these halves, how “un-ball-like” these two shapes really were. The bowel I had chosen had been very deceptive. It is actually not as “round” as a ball should be! Now, I was aware that the very bottom of the bowel had a flat section so it could stand. That I would simply fill in with clay to make it round. Which I did with the first half, after it was dry enough to remove from the bowel form. No problem.

Then I levelled the edge of each half and sealed them together. Making not a ball but the vague form of a flying saucer! Even after filling in the flat part of the second half, still I was seeing a flying saucer!

While I was in the store I should have taken a second bowel, placed them together and would have seen immediately how un-round the overall shape would really have been!

So, is this now it? Can one do anything with this to make it round?

Maybe I continue with another line of pieces, having to do with “space ships”! Maybe something from Star Trek...that enemy “Warbird” was awesome...

ummmmm!

To be continued.

“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?...”

Isaiah 43:19