Thought for the day - October 14, 2000

Subject: Thought for the day - October 14, 2000
From: katlaughing
Date: 13 Oct 00 - 11:40 PM

A last minute call and I am off the next morning for a hastily arranged enameling workshop. My favourite type of artistic work, besides beading.

Being a "fire sign", I am drawn to the kiln. Being a "mystic", I am fascinated with the alchemy of tapping miniscule grains of powdered glass onto copper then firing them in the kiln, watching them coalesce, bubble up into what my teacher calls the "orange peel" look, then quickly smooth out to a hard, glossy shine.

I love that no matter what mistakes one may make, another firing will work them out; sometimes the ugly duckling mistakes turn into a swan by mistake and the piece is finished before you know it.

I have one more precious day of play, to finish the tile for a friend; the tile for myself; and, if I am lucky, something special to put here in the auction.

I've worked in metalsmithing, bronzecasting, and enameling. Of the three, I prefer enameling for the instant gratification, impatient that I am; then the cauldron of the molten metal and creating the form of wax in bronze-casting. Metalsmithing was more of a challenge than certain parts of my bod are geared for these days, plus being tedious. (Sorry, Don Meixner, if you read this. I bow to your superb talent and abilities!)

So...while you read this, I will be away enameling, reveling in the *magic* of creative firing!

kat

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - October 14, 2000
From: katlaughing
Date: 14 Oct 00 - 05:11 PM

Had a fun day, but didn't get the one piece done that I wanted to put in the auction.

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - October 14, 2000
From: Zebedee
Date: 14 Oct 00 - 05:52 PM

Kat,

Glad you had a nice day, but I'm not sure why your post was a 'thought for the day'

Normally, I'd expect such pronouncements to make me think about myself, my attitudes, the attitutes of others etc...

All I got from this, was that you like enameling. That's great, but am I missing something?

Zeb

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - October 14, 2000
From: catspaw49
Date: 14 Oct 00 - 06:40 PM

I think you may have her there Zed........But I think there's a bit of the parable/moral thingy in paragraph three. Works for me anyway, but I'm lacking in good sense..................

Spaw

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - October 14, 2000
From: katlaughing
Date: 14 Oct 00 - 07:26 PM

Fawk if I know, phoaks! I think I was going for it, as Spaw says, but can only think I was too blamed tired last night to make any sense.

Oh, well, watch for tomorrow's; it's bound to be, er....more thoughful!