It felt good to get back on the wheel this week. It seems I am finally adjusting to this new normal of self isolation and I am determined to make this a creative time for myself. Some of you may recall that I had started working on a new piece this week on the wheel:
After this step, I trimmed the piece on the wheel to make a sphere that could lay on a flat surface before I started the handbuilding portion of the sculpture.
My concept for this piece was to make a sculpture of the actual coronavirus. Heaven knows it is almost impossible to not see a picture of it everyday! For my piece, I have put a key hole on the end of each of the viruses tentacles, to not only represent the lockdown in our homes that most of us face, but also to represent the day when we lock the virus out of all countries.
I know they are called something else, but tentacles seems like the most appropriate word for the prongs of the virus.
The next step in this project is to allow the piece to dry, and a bisque firing before glazing, which will present some interesting challenges. I am currently considering a number of glazing options for this piece. I welcome any suggestions or ideas that you may have in the comments below.
What do you think of my coronavirus sculpture? If you are tired of hearing about the coronavirus, we can pretend it is a sea urchin 😉 I am sure other comparisons could be drawn as well. Feel free to do so in the comments below.
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I love that it won’t make you sick; however, I’m concerned that your screws are loose. Why would you want a permanent Coronavirus? LOL
haha! I think my screws are loosened most of the time 😉 I have actually heard that same thing so I am going to write a post about that. I had to take some time to think about it and how to put it into words. Stay tuned and stay well 😉
Making something beautiful out of something dark. I love it. Creativity is the beating heart we can never suffocate.
That is a lovely comment, Geino. Thank you for sharing it. Hope you are keeping well.
Glad you are immersing yourself in your art!
Thank you Mark. It feels good to settle back into it 😉
What a clever use of your time: creative and therapeutic at the same time! Figured out your color scheme yet?
Thank you for your kind comment. I have a few ideas, but I have not quite decided yet. Fortunately I have some time as it needs to dry and be bisqued. I hope you had a nice weekend and are doing well!
This is definitely a challenging time and a challenging piece. I took 5 of my 8 pottery classes before everything was cancelled. But yes the challenge of firing and glazing this piece are real. I think it’s good to have a visual reminder of this defining time, but how to turn it into a positive symbol? Maybe glaze it green to signify the growth that WILL eventually reveal itself after this subsides? Like a fire that destroys a precious woodland, the growth that comes after is bright, healthy and lush. Can’t wait to see the final product!
I am sorry you did not get to finish your pottery course. Do you have some pieces still in process? I love your analogy and ideas. I was contemplating painting the end of each of the prongs in the colours of flags of affected countries, to symbolize healing for all nations and them being closed to the virus. But I am not sure if that will look very nice with the rest of the piece. I am going to have to give it some more thought. I hope you are doing well and that soon we will all be able to get back to life and you can continue your pottery classes.
I’ve seen the corona virus with a white body and red spikes and with a purple body and lighter purple spikes. The Irish news (RTE) has mostly shown the latter and I have been thinking how it looks very much like an abstract painting. If I were to paint the corona virus [which has crossed my mind] that’s the way I’d depict it. What a memento!
It definitely has been portrayed in different colour schemes, hasn’t it! I would look forward to seeing what you create. Hope you are keeping well, Meg.
Thank you, you too!
Call it a pin cushion? 🙂
It could be seen as a pin cushion for sure! Thank you Tish, I hope you are keeping well.
Excellent representation of our current nemesis.
Thanks so much for your very kind comment. I hhope you are doing well and staying safe.
I will think of it as something stunningly beautiful in the Caribbean Sea. You are right the photos of the virus are very beautiful – the colors are amazing. The spikes make me think of a wrecking ball. I like the symmertry of your piece and the concept of it as well.
Thank you for your kind comment, Lynda. The colours are indeed something! It makes it tough to choose. I hope you are keeping well.
This is great! Nice work, it reminded me of the Sputnik space craft! 😎
THanks for the kind comment John. I thought of Sputnik too as it was taking shape. I may make a more Sputnik like piece. Stay safe and well 😉
Thanks, you too! 🖖🏻🖖🏻
I LOVE believing it is a sea urchin…….awesome sculpture.
Thank you for the kind comment. This piece has inspired me to make other globular forms and I am sure one them will be a sea urchin 😉 I hope you had a good weekend. Stay safe and well.
I can’t wait to see it!!!! 🙂 Please stay safe and thank you for sharing your beauty with others.
I like the concept of lessening our fears by offering a concrete vision of what it might look like. Whatever we choose to call it.
Thanks for your comment. In truth the process of building this did help to alleviate and decrease my fear around the pandemic. I hope you had a good weekend and that you are safe and well.
I know what it’s supposed to be, but it also has a striking resemblance to the kinds of things used to mine harbors to prevent access. Hopefully, yours won’t blow up!
haha! I hope it won’t blow up in the kiln either! I am going to let it dry a little longer than normal. I totally see the resemblance to one of those mines 😉 Hope you are doing well and staying safe Josh!
That’s cool.
Thanks for the nice comment Syd! I hope had a good weekend. Stay safe and well.
Wow looks eerily real. An image that bares with all of us. Try to keep a smile in these dark times everyone!
Thanks for your comment and the great advice! I am starting to be able to smile more and adjusting to the ‘new’ normal. I hope you and yours are all doing well and smiling lots 😉 Parenting must be very interesting right now.
Deffo go viral….its the most trending thing!!!
Haha! Thanks for the comment! I hope had a nice weekend and are doing well.
I’m curious about the colors you’re going to use for this one. Great way to deal with these circumstances.
So am I! I have some ideas, but I need to come to a final decision. I find creativity is a great elixir for fear. I hope you had a good weekend and are safe and well.
I like it. Neat way to use current events and crafting. My sci-fi book (not plague based) now has an added blurb about an epidemic. Definitely not the story – just a contributing factor for alt-living.
Thank you for your comment. It is interesting to see how the pandemic will impact on art produced during this time and what creations and passages that it might inspire. Have you found that you are writing more?
Ball on a ball & chain?
I saw that one too! Don’t tell Missy and Rocky, but a friend said it looked like a dog toy 😉 Hope you had a nice weekend.
We did, thanks! Weather was glorious. Grilled chicken outside. Pulled some weeds. FIL went fishing. One day at a time… .Stay well!
It looks like one of those second world war mines too!
Yes! I saw that in the piece too! Hope you are well and had a good weekend!
Yes, went shopping for the first time in ten days! Exciting. No mask so wound a big scarf roundmy face and wire odd gloves (like odd socks, as couldn’t find a proper pair!)
It’s my brain on politics.
Really though, it looks awesome.
haha! I can relate to that. I think I need to stop reading the news for the duration of this pandemic 😉 Thanks for your kind comment! I hope you had a good weekend and are well.
If you know a reliable news source, it will be good to check in now & then, otherwise, yeah, staying out of the beam of b.s. & those talking heads for a really really long time will be better for the mind & soul : )
Back at ya, friend.
This is so fun! I love this!
Thank you so much for the very kind comment! I hope you had a good weekend and are doing well.
I am 🙂 I hope you are doing well too!
Love that your creativity is inspired by this present scenario of negativity. It look really awesome though !
Thank you so much for the kind comment. One must find inspiration even in the negative to make something beautiful. Hope you are well. Stay safe!
My pleasure always. I am fine. Thank you 🙏. You too, stay safe!
That’s fantastic!
Thank you! I hope you are well and had a good weekend!
Thanks. Doing good.
Forme interessante 👌 I wonder what the actual color of the plague particles are? 🤔 I’d suggest a dark, Stygian red- like something that has emerged from hell🙂😳
haha! I hear you about the emerged from hell part! I have been thinking of a mix of colours that include red … but not sure. I have seen so many pictures of it in a multitude of colours, some of which are the colours from imaging look cool. Hope you are well Monsieur 😉 Stay safe mon ami!
I am trying- and U2! it’s very strange shopping in a mask 😷- and it’s eerily quiet around here 😳. Good luck on the drying/firing process with this piece 🤞
Love it!
Thank you so much for your very kind comment. I hope you are well and had a good weekend.
For some reason, I’m picturing the main body of the virus as lime-green, and the spikes as purple. Maybe it was from a cartoon virus I saw somewhere.
I think I have seen the same cartoon! Or picture. I am not sure either. I hope you are well and staying safe.
I am, thank you. I hope you are too.
You sound like you’re having fun 🙂
🙂 Thanks! Some days are more fun than others, but being creative is always a nice thing to do for me. Hope you are keeping well.
Awesome..love your creativity 🙂 Happy Sunday 🙂
Thank you so much for your kind comment Krishna! I hope you are having a good weekend and staying safe!
Yes, with Almighty’s grace going good 🙂
Think the spere must be black because death is in them and the receptors ( the thingies you called receptors) must be red because when they touch the muscus in our eyes, mouth or nose they are the ones to mutate inmediately and open the container of death. Realy a thing from hell.
Thank you so much for your comment and ideas. This virus is indeed a very dark thing that is troublinf our world right now. Hopefully we can get in under control soon. Stay safe and well.
I may as well find my hidden talent during this isolation…i love art! i lovd that piece of work 😍
Hi Macrine, I hope you it may spark creativity in you! Stay safe and well!
Thank you
stay safe too
Wonderful
Thank you so much for the kind comment. I hope you and yours are well and safe!
Seems we are all ok in this moment. Thank you. ❤️
Glad to know that you can turn the negativity into a nice artwork like that 👍❤️
Thank you so much for the kind comment. I hope you and yours are well. Stay safe!
Awesome! You can do some many things with your sculpture to get back at the virus. Put a dunce cap on it and stand it in a corner; use it as a voodoo doll, etc. Karma! 👹😬
haha! Oh I love this idea! I think I am going to have to do that 100% This comment for the win! My eyes just lit up witht he excitement of a child 😉 Hope you had a nice weekend!
I am glad you like my idea! 😃 Our weekend was lovely and filled with lovely weather.
Love it!!! 😀 Do I see a tiny Death Star in some of the pictures!!! My Star Wars eyes zoned in on it!!!
You have the eyes of a Jedi my joyful friend 😉 You are correct it is a deathstar, thought it is disabled so no deathrays LOL
🤣🤣🤣
I love it… 🙂 are you going to make the tentacles and the tops red…? can’t wait to see the finished project…
Thanks for your kind comment. I have not totally decided. I am thinking of it, it is going to be an interesting piece to glaze for sure! I hope you are well 😉
Gosh you have so many options now, with all the fabulous ideas presented here by everyone… 🙂 We are well thank you … I have been playing with my new sewing machine, (a christmas gift from the family) made two masks and have been asked to make more… so keeping busy… Stay well, Stay safe and keep on potting… 🙂
Whoa! It’s cool!
My first reaction is it looks like this creature from when we used to play D&D back in the day called a Beholder.
Knowing things like this used to qualify one as a straight up nerdly freak’n’geek. Now we have Stranger Things – ha ha!
In other words, love the piece -maybe even with eyeballs!
https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Beholder
Haha, such a funny and innovative piece😁. What inspired you to make this?
I wrote about that in another post here 🙂 https://wp.me/papqoB-1Kn
Beauty is in the eye of the Beholder.
Sorry, that’s a terrible Dungeons and Dragons joke…