Monday, September 26, 2011

Art Making Requires Stubborness

I just thought that the studio gremlins had retreated after I vanquished them over the last Garden Window glass and silver pendant. My idea for a new mounting seemed much simpler, but didn't prove to be so.

painted vitreous enamel on glass set in silver pendant by Vickie Hallmark

How many issues were there?

  1. Shrinkage. I calculated based on diameter of the glass disc insert, but didn't account for the thickness. 
  2. Breakage. I tossed the front piece onto the floor going out to the kiln. Three pieces from one!
  3. Poor workmanship. One repaired seam held; the other did not.
I made three glass tiles and two silver mounts before finishing one piece. In effect, it's just a lentil with glass in the center. The simplest of the simple, right? 

back of painted vitreous enamel on glass set in silver pendant by Vickie Hallmark

The glass slumped to fit the curve of the back piece, so it has a nice hollow feel to it. Good thing I did not put it in the kiln upside down, or there would have been a fourth item on the list above.

Thank you, studio gremlins, for finally caving and letting the work move forward. I credit them with having a heart as my birthday hour neared.