First Vessel
Some time had passed since my previous lampworking adventure, and I was looking for something to inspire me. I wanted to make a nice bead for Noni, the mother of a wonderful fifth-grader, and a fellow artist. She picked up some coral beads for me in India when she went there over vacation, and rather than accept payment, she asked for a bead. Earlier she had bought my collector's set of beads from my "That's Clever!" appearance.
Inspiration arrived when I found the first online tutorial for making a vessel that I found truly accessible and valuable. I decided to give it a try.
I used Satake glass, because that was the only glass I thought could stay hot enough in my little Hothead to work a vessel. Unfortunately, when I went to make the vessels, I found that I'd neglected to buy more gas! So it was on the dregs I worked, and the first vessel suffered from lack of time. It had to be put in the kiln unfinished. The second one fared better, but I liked the third one best, even though I had to change tanks in the middle of doing the final shaping. I popped the vessel in the kiln, then pulled it back out to work it again, handling the very hot mandrel with a leather glove. Didn't get a lot of spinning done, but it came out okay anyway.
Since I'd made the bead for the vessel topper too big, I cast about for a suitable substitute, since I wanted to give her the gift right away. There they were - lovely funky silver beads that fit the shape perfectly! The one hard part now is finding a cork to fit. Where do those tiny corks come from? I cut down part of a wine cork for this one. If you know the answer, please put it in a comment below.
I finished off the necklace with wire wrapping and a handmade chain on which to hang the vessel. I think it turned out nice, although, as Noni's younger son pointed out, it does resemble a carrot!
Inspiration arrived when I found the first online tutorial for making a vessel that I found truly accessible and valuable. I decided to give it a try.
I used Satake glass, because that was the only glass I thought could stay hot enough in my little Hothead to work a vessel. Unfortunately, when I went to make the vessels, I found that I'd neglected to buy more gas! So it was on the dregs I worked, and the first vessel suffered from lack of time. It had to be put in the kiln unfinished. The second one fared better, but I liked the third one best, even though I had to change tanks in the middle of doing the final shaping. I popped the vessel in the kiln, then pulled it back out to work it again, handling the very hot mandrel with a leather glove. Didn't get a lot of spinning done, but it came out okay anyway.
Since I'd made the bead for the vessel topper too big, I cast about for a suitable substitute, since I wanted to give her the gift right away. There they were - lovely funky silver beads that fit the shape perfectly! The one hard part now is finding a cork to fit. Where do those tiny corks come from? I cut down part of a wine cork for this one. If you know the answer, please put it in a comment below.
I finished off the necklace with wire wrapping and a handmade chain on which to hang the vessel. I think it turned out nice, although, as Noni's younger son pointed out, it does resemble a carrot!
posted by Susan at Aspiring Arts at 8:38 PM
2 Comments:
In liew of a cork, get some of that eraser polymer clay. It stays soft, like rubber, after it's baked, and you can mold it to fit the tops. Comes in pretty colors too! :)
That sounds great! What a neat idea. I actually have flexible Sculpey too. Maybe I'll try that too. Then I can bake the silver wire straight into the cork!
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