Something new

Paul Tarlow · Post by **Paul Tarlow** » Mon Jul 28, 2003 11:22 pm

I've just updated my site with pics of the piece I recently completed for the Legacy show at BECon.

You can see it here: http://www.izm.com/pond.htm

One of the things you can't see in the pics is that there is a layer of irid deep in the glass that catches the light when the angle is just right.

Another thing you can barely see in the bottom of the bottom picture is that there are shadowy plants throughout the "water".

This was my first thick piece. Its also the first time I've found a home for one of my powder wafer leaves that I'm happy with.

I welcome any feedback -- positive or "constructive"

I'd like to eventually put a price on it, but honestly I'm too close to it and haven't an idea where to start.

- Paul

Jane Lindell · Post by **Jane Lindell** » Tue Jul 29, 2003 12:29 am

Paul

It looks wonderful. And you are correct - it is the perfect place for highlighting your leaf.

It looks like autumn just landed in the pond.

Do you intend for it to be displayed on a horizontal surface or hang vertically?

Congratulations - keep up the good work.

Jane

Robin Z · Post by **Robin Z** » Tue Jul 29, 2003 1:05 am

Love the piece!! Did you do it in a mold to get the ripple effect? The frame looks perfect with it, simple and very zen garden like.

Robin Z

Sharon Lee · Post by **Sharon Lee** » Tue Jul 29, 2003 1:07 am

Wow, the pool is just too cool. The first thing I thought was I want to touch it.
Sharon

sadiesjewels · Post by **sadiesjewels** » Tue Jul 29, 2003 1:13 am

Quite beautiful ... the leaf and ripples are so realistic ... can't wait to see more on the same theme - perhaps you'll be able to let go of the other babies ...

Sadie

Diane · Post by **Diane** » Tue Jul 29, 2003 6:12 am

I love the combination of the ripple effect and the leaf. You've managed to freeze motion in time forever.
Great Job !!!

Diane

Paul Tarlow · Post by **Paul Tarlow** » Tue Jul 29, 2003 8:13 am

Robin Z wrote:Love the piece!! Did you do it in a mold to get the ripple effect? The frame looks perfect with it, simple and very zen garden like.

Robin Z

Thanks Robin. I didn't use a mold. I kiln carved a "donut" on the surface -- then spent many hours freehand sandbasting the rings. It would have gone faster but the only grit I had was finer than I needed.

- Paul

Bert Weiss · Post by **Bert Weiss** » Tue Jul 29, 2003 8:56 am

Nice wiork Paul. You got the Zen thing.

Paul Tarlow · Post by **Paul Tarlow** » Tue Jul 29, 2003 9:17 am

Jane Lindell wrote: Do you intend for it to be displayed on a horizontal surface or hang vertically?

The frame has four small, matt black legs so it can sit like a little table. Tipping the water 90 degrees -- putting it on a wall -- seems to ruin some of the realism. Of course having it not be "wall friendly" limits display options.

Lisa Allen · Post by **Lisa Allen** » Tue Jul 29, 2003 9:43 am

Paul, that is really serene and beautiful, perfect way to use your leaves. It would look great on my coffee table

Lisa

Luiza · Post by **Luiza** » Tue Jul 29, 2003 6:48 pm

ItÂ´s beautiful!!! I agree it seems avery very zen garden

Luiza

PDXBarbara · Post by **PDXBarbara** » Tue Jul 29, 2003 11:15 pm

Paul Tarlow wrote: I kiln carved a "donut" on the surface -- then spent many hours freehand sandbasting the rings. It would have gone faster but the only grit I had was finer than I needed.

- Paul

Paul...it's truly lovely. & the leaf is beautiful. Congrats. 2 questions: how thick is it? Also, could you describe your process a bit more for me? I mean, expand on the "donut" sandblasting?

Thzanks. See you at BECon.

Barbara

Paul Tarlow · Post by **Paul Tarlow** » Tue Jul 29, 2003 11:34 pm

PDXBarbara (Bader) wrote:
Paul Tarlow wrote: I kiln carved a "donut" on the surface -- then spent many hours freehand sandbasting the rings. It would have gone faster but the only grit I had was finer than I needed.

- Paul
Paul...it's truly lovely. & the leaf is beautiful. Congrats. 2 questions: how thick is it? Also, could you describe your process a bit more for me? I mean, expand on the "donut" sandblasting?

Thzanks. See you at BECon.

Barbara

Thanks Barbara.

The piece varies between 1/2 and 3/4 inches.

The initial fusing of layers was done on a sheet of 1/8 fiber paper - minus a donut shape. The result was that (when flipped over) it had raised donut shape that covered the entire area where the ripples would be -- that allowed me to have ripples above the surface of the water. I free hand sand blasted the wide donut into a series of ripples.

Let me know if that isn't clear and I'll try it again...

I'm not sure I would do it exactly the same way again. Honestly (and I've gotten this feedback from others as well) the ripples are a bit heavy to have been created by a leaf. Not a biggie, just something to make better next time around in pursuit of realism.

I also made about 30 leaves to get one that was "just right".

Have fun at BECon. I'm actually not attending -- I was invited as a student to exhibit.

- Paul

robertb · Post by **robertb** » Wed Jul 30, 2003 9:03 am

I think it's great and the exagerated ripples just add to the drama of the piece. Hey what could be more powerfull (a leaf crashing to earth).

PDXBarbara · Post by **PDXBarbara** » Wed Jul 30, 2003 12:42 pm

Paul Tarlow wrote: Thanks Barbara.

The piece varies between 1/2 and 3/4 inches.

The initial fusing of layers was done on a sheet of 1/8 fiber paper - minus a donut shape. The result was that (when flipped over) it had raised donut shape that covered the entire area where the ripples would be -- that allowed me to have ripples above the surface of the water. I free hand sand blasted the wide donut into a series of ripples.

Let me know if that isn't clear and I'll try it again...

I'm not sure I would do it exactly the same way again. Honestly (and I've gotten this feedback from others as well) the ripples are a bit heavy to have been created by a leaf. Not a biggie, just something to make better next time around in pursuit of realism.

I also made about 30 leaves to get one that was "just right".

Have fun at BECon. I'm actually not attending -- I was invited as a student to exhibit.

- Paul

Your description is as clear as the pure water in a koi pond!
I like your ripples. Perhaps every detail need not be realistic....& in a weird way heightens the EXPERIENCE of the leaf, water, ripples.

I'm sure you considered & discarded this idea, but what about shaping the fiber to create rough ripples. That way, maybe you could reduce the amount of work to blast 'm into shape? I'm sure I'm missing the big picture here... but hey, what the hey, right?

Re: Legacy... are you exhibiting as Bob's student? I loved his preconference class at WGW last year, didn't you? Unfortunately, I haven't been able to explore all I learned from him there (tho I still have the video!). Haven't even MADE a wafer since. I took 3 classes in 2002... and I'm sloooow to absorb & make techniques my own. I guess I took too much & now I have to spend a lot of time digesting it all. Congrats on being in the show. I can't wait to see it.
Best,
BB

Paul Tarlow · Post by **Paul Tarlow** » Wed Jul 30, 2003 1:17 pm

PDXBarbara (Bader) wrote:I'm sure you considered & discarded this idea, but what about shaping the fiber to create rough ripples. That way, maybe you could reduce the amount of work to blast 'm into shape? I'm sure I'm missing the big picture here... but hey, what the hey, right?

I actually did a test piece that way -- my first thought was to rough in the ripples and use heat (not blasting) to soften them. I just couldn't get it to work the way I wanted. I also tried roughing in the rings with fiber -- then sandblasting them smooth. It may have been because my grit was too fine but I found it very difficult to soften the corners without making the "trough" too deep.

PDXBarbara (Bader) wrote:Re: Legacy... are you exhibiting as Bob's student? I loved his preconference class at WGW last year, didn't you? Unfortunately, I haven't been able to explore all I learned from him there (tho I still have the video!). Haven't even MADE a wafer since. I took 3 classes in 2002... and I'm sloooow to absorb & make techniques my own. I guess I took too much & now I have to spend a lot of time digesting it all. Congrats on being in the show. I can't wait to see it.
Best, BB

Yes, I'm exhibiting as Bob's student. Bob's work was a big inspiration for me starting will kiln formed glass. Ever since his class last year I don't think I've made anything without powders. So having him ask me to show has been an incredible high for me.

Let me know how it looks in the exhibit. Or even better, take a picture for me

- Paul

Strega · Post by **Strega** » Wed Jul 30, 2003 4:29 pm

I love the fact that you have captured the spirit of water in glass.
I just wish I could see the plants and the irid in the picture! But that is probably because they are subtle--and if they weren't subtle, the piece wouldn't have such a beatiful serene quality. To me, It looks like a tabletop zen sand garden--look, someone raked the water!

Kitty · Post by **Kitty** » Thu Jul 31, 2003 1:04 am

i'd love to see this one in person so i could check out the details more closely == can't quite see the irid part, but even so, excellent to gaze upon. great choice on the color of the glass, too. very serene.

Alice DeGraff · Post by **Alice DeGraff** » Thu Jul 31, 2003 7:29 am

I felt so relaxed after viewing your work

Alice De

John Kurman · Post by **John Kurman** » Thu Jul 31, 2003 8:59 am

Paul, that really is an outstanding piece of work.

It's pure "textbook" glass. Exactly what needs to be done with it - simple, and therefore elegant, expressive, clean, and making the most of the qualities of the material.

I don't have a problem with realism of the piece - the fact that the ripples are too heavy for the leaf. You will see lots of figurative stuff where anatomical correctness is sacrificed for expression and gesture. And this, IMV, is fine. Painters use tricks to make flat surfaces 3D. And in sculpture,part of the "illusion" is to invoke the sense of movement or existence within a duration to make object 4D (rather than a 3D snaphsot). And I think you have been very successful here.

My only question is whether you needed a wood frame for the piece. I think it works well all on its own.

Well done, sir.