Sculpture I am working on

Next step                                                                 

How can I make sphere, from components? Clay sphere, of course. I happened to be on 16 hour flight...lots of thinking and drawing time, no distractions:

I have to research Geodesic domes!

I chanced upon this inspirational web site that got me playing with skewers:

Chapter 9: Mathematics -- Build a homemade geodesic dome

Except I wanted something more permanent than lollies.

Here is my version:

It took a few days to make, but it was invaluable exercise in order to fully understand principals, components and sizes. Making a 3D model and having it in front of me is totally different than looking at the drawings.

To get a better idea of size of this dome, here it is on my table:

It is quite large, but awesome. I want to keep it, but it takes so much space....

Now I have to figure out how to translate it into clay.

Sculpture I am working on

Concepts development                                                                 

We are rapidly moving to the present time with this blog. From now on, we are live on air, figuratively speaking.

I am intrigued by making larger objects – always difficult in clay – from smaller components.

As I look through my inspirational images collections on computer and in books, I am particularly drawn to spherical objects.

I want to make spherical form reminiscent of seeds, pollen,  planktons. 

Form that evokes ideas of genesis, growth, evolution, potential for change.

Pollen:

Plankton:

of course, Ernst Haeckel drawings:

The 1st plate from Ernst Haeckel's Kunstformen der Natur (1904), depicting radiolarians, classified as Phaeodaria (credit:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiolaria)

and miscellaneous plant structures:

where will it take me?

Vortex    

installation               

                         
Here it is, at Gomboc Gallery and Sculpture Park: 

At the opening:

And this is my favourite image; in the courtyard at Central institute of Technology ceramic department ( where I work), with all the kiln chimneys reflected in the glass:

 

Vortex    

assembly                      

                         
In order to make forms sturdier,safer and easier to install I have filled them with aerated concrete and inserted the plastic tube in the middle. I intend to hammer a steal rod into the ground and slide the form on top.  It is really important to consider and design installation systems while making forms, as it saves lots of hustle and retro-fitting later.  
When they are ready for permanent installation  I can glue the rod in the form, and concrete it under the ground level.                

This is the first time I am  putting them all together ( on my driveway) and I'm a bit anxious. At the moment it doesn't look the way I have imagined it...

I have given each form a bit more space and it looks much better. I can see the left and right spirals - and I like it. Rhythm is very important for this work. As I circle around it, spirals move with me and I am happy with the effect. I wander what will it look like on the grass. My driveway is similar colours to the sculpture so it blends in rather than stands out. Is that a good thing?

This is a half way point. Unfortunately photo is not the best due to the wet driveway, but I like the movement and tension in the form. It almost becomes Yin without Yang.It also looks like it occupies less than half a circle. Note to self: after the exhibition, I need to play with positioning and rhythm of these forms and see if there is potential for further development.