Fish Project

The past weeks, Christie's afternoon sculpture/modelling class has been working on a fish project.

Fish can be built in various different ways, but for this project we decided on building the body using dishes as moulds. The clay was rolled out in an even thickness.

Anne - rolling out clay with a rolling pin and 2 sticks

Afterwards the clay was placed in round salad bowls.

Christie - smoothing out the clay after putting it in to a bowl

Next step: Dry the clay so that it isn't quite as soft as when it was rolled out. On Sunny summer days this is done outside the natural way - but we have not been blessed with good weather the last weeks.

Irene - drying her clay

When the two halves are half dry, they are taken out of the bowl and smoothed on the outside.

Titia - smoothing her 2 halves

Now the exciting bit starts - "glueing" the 2 halves together.

Celina and Irene - "glueing" the fish

Next step is to add all the details to change the "ball" made from the 2 halves in to a fish. Many comments floated about - "looks like Dumbo the elephant" - "not a fish - more like a flying saucer".

In the end they all looked like fish. Judge for yourself:

Irene's fish

Titia's fish

Celina's fish

Now they are all in the back room - slowly drying. They will be bisque fired in about a months time and hopefully we will find somewhere to do Raku glazing.

Friday with Christie at the Hangar

Christie Robinson organizes the "atelier libre" every Friday - this includes contacting a model, making sure that there is extra clay for those that don't bring their own, putting on the heating in the cold season - and often doing a spot of tidying before the session starts at 10 o'clock. The morning is primarily for those doing sculpture - but is there is room enough artists who would like to draw can join the class.

Here you see her with her interpretation of today's model.

The afternoon session is a class in all variations of modelling. This semester most of the "students" started out indoors with clay. Some, like Titia Buter, have been working on figurative subjects. Her you see her working on her dog.

Sam Watson has previously made a whole series of heads in clay. For the last month or so she has been working outdoors on some big sculptures in plaster.

Irene has worked in clay most of the semester and finally finished off her owl which has been put in the shelf to dry. Irene has now started off with her first sculpture in plaster. The first hours were spent getting the metal and wire in the correct shape. Very tiring work because one sees so little progress. Afterwards the fun started when the plaster could be put on the wire frame.

Anne Beaurin has worked on abstract sculptures all semester, taking her inspiration from nature. Here she has been inspired by shells and has produced a beautiful sculpture in white clay. Today's session was spent applying colour so as to finish of the artwork.

Sculpture class - by Christie Robinson

Christie’s sculpture classes have started up again! The Morning class (9.30 - 12.30) had Louise as a model today and as always a lot of good work was produced.

The afternoon class started their new sculpture year @2PM

Titia is working on a sculpture of her dog – not quite finished yet and it’s the details that take time!

Titia Buter and her dog

Atie is working on a Chinese lady – this is the second in a series.

Atie van der Wulp working on her Chinese lady

Ann is experimenting with more abstract work. She takes her inspiration for nature. In the first picture you see her working on an abstract version of a conch shell. Ann has previously worked on the subject of shells. Below it you see one of her pieces which she has finished off with a raku glaze.

Marit joined the class before Christmas and has done some abstract pieces in clay. Here you see her starting off with her latest piece.  

Marit Knutsen working on the wiring for an abstract piece that will be done in plaster

by Celina Schou