germany part 6: kiln firing

chicken feet arrangement on a kiln shelf.
our kiln ended up having room to spare!
imagine that...we could have made more...
the kiln is unloaded tomorrow morning...we will not sleep tonight.

while we play the waiting game, we wandered around dresden.
this neustadt graffiti is right up my alley.

germany part 5: the factory continued

we figured out that we have used around 150 liters of slip during our time here.
word on the street, we might have too much work to fit in the kiln.


the double headed duos.
rooster plaque with green leaves.

a set of 3 tiles with their screen printed progression.
it gets harder to recognize the added layers when it becomes saturated near the end.
my last "fancy schmancy" plaque.
today we sprayed glaze.
wednesday the kiln is loaded, thursday it's fired...
friday we see everything in its full glory.
we're keeping our fingers crossed.

germany part 4: the factory continued.

we're finishing up the 2nd week in the factory.
side view of a duck plaque...introducing green mass.
a finished rooster plaque and not-so-finished two headed swan plaque.
i cast a bunch of ink well jar lids and will probably work with them post firing.
they are begging to be screen printed.

now i have to keep my fingers crossed that everything survives the firing.
16% shrinkage, 50% survival rate. yikes.

germany part 3: meissen

our first weekend here, we took a trip out to meissen. outside the factory is a monument to bottger...the guy who discovered porcelain in europe 300 yrs ago.
the meissen versions of the animals we're casting in dresden.
please excuse the crappiness of the photos...all the porcelain was behind glass.
ice cream anyone?
cup and saucer for hot chocolate.
there's a built in guard so that you can drink hot chocolate in bed and not have it spill. oo la la.
close up of some crazy flower work.
highlights of my favorite animals.
check out the squirrels insane ears.
the easily copied meissen logo.

next update: back at the factory.
internet is scare so who knows when the next post will be!
stay tuned...

germany part 2: the factory

our first week of factory work is complete.
our studio is located in the closest corner 3rd floor.
upon entering the factory there is a store front and you are greeted by a chandelier bursting with flowers.

in the courtyard... a porcelain cemetary if you will.
first day in the factory, a view of my space with some molds starting to be poured.
we were given full reign over 4 different animal molds: pug dog, duck, swan & rooster. there are also an assortment of little extra things here and there: bases, handles, flowers & leaves, etc.
below is a crappy picture of the pug dog assembled in the dresden porcelain store front window.


the parts (sans ears) needed to assemble this bad boy.
i assembled two dogs...both with reconstructed ears to be more like a french bulldog instead of a pug.



french bulldog with modified tail and ears and the original with slightly stretched ears.
check out the rooster in the back.
i am also casting and assembling chicken feet.
the beginnings of some porcelain taxidermy plaques.
a duck, pug, and goose/swan with chicken feet antlers.

new mac commercial?
blogging in the dresden main train station.


next update: the trip to meissen!

gremany part 1

i made it to dresden...but we're staying in freital.
internet is scarce so i'm mooching off the train station's restaurant.saw some of the sights in dresden.
here is augustus the strong in all his golden super shiny glory.

the zwinger and skyline view from the zwinger's upper balcony.



the procession of princes. 60,000 porcelain meissen tiles make up this badass block.
augustus again, here he's rockin' a cheetah cape, also a detail of a lovely crow.


next update will be about the factory and the work happening there.
a sneak peek at the wheelbarrow in the courtyard of the factory.