Studio Re-arrangements

During all the experimentation with various forms and materials (see previous posts), I have been re-arranging the studio.  The aim is to concentrate the glass into one end of the studio and open out the space for the benches.

This has meant the expansion of the glass space I created at Christmas time.

 The glass racks have now expanded to fill the wall on one side, with a large illuminated work supported above it.

Of course there is never enough storage, so the other side of the area has been racked with some glass placed and the remainder left for the additional glass and completed panels.

The other end of the studio has had the benches re-arranged (and one has proved to be redundant).  This photo shows two people who have taken the studio over for the weekend to do a variety of work for Summer and Autumn shows.  Also note the high level shelves on the left have been coveredto present a slightly cleaner appearance to the studio.

A few more alterations and I will be finished.  For this year.

Merchant City Festival, Glasgow

I will be participating with Parade Artist at the Merchant City Festival in Glasgow this weekend, 28 and 29 July.

This shows some of the variety of work available from painting, glass, ceramics, and textiles.  Everything is reasonably priced and portable.  And we have a credit card machine so there is no limit on your spending power.

There are lots of events going on in the Merchant City at the Festival, so if you can get to the centre of Glasgow at the weekend, come along and experience a variety of things.

Glasgow Underground

This seems to have been a time for miscellaneous projects.

The latest has been to fire transfers onto very large ceramic tiles for the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport to be placed on a wall of the Hillhead Underground Station. These have been designed by Alasdair Gray and the project is managed by Perfect Circle.

A peek at the fired pieces:

Some of the pieces cooling in the kiln

Some more pieces waiting to come out 

Another kiln load

These tiles are the largest I have ever seen (I suppose about 1000 mm by 600mm).  They are porcelain made in Italy and then water jet cut in Glasgow before being fired to remove the anti-graffiti coating and then having the transfers added.

Unfortunately there were several breakages due to the acute angles cut into the tiles.  The use of a 4 mm drill at the apex of the cut proved to be enough to stop the breaks.  So now it is up to the tilers - who will only be able to work from midnight to 5:00am - to get them up without breaking any of them.  It may be a large demand.

I have seen the image of the whole and it will be an impressive sight when installed.