It is time for the September Art Elements Blog Hop reveal for the theme: Foliage. Here is the intro post and reveal post from Caroline. This is such a great theme and I cannot wait to see what everyone shares (read to the bottom for the list of blog hop participants).
Foliage from my perennial garden. I look at the plants not only for their beauty at different times during their peak season, but also because of the habitat they create for the creatures that live around here too.I wanted to get some imprints for the flower challenge back in July, but time was not on my side. Now that it is fall, and the garden is going to be put to overwinter bed, it was the perfect opportunity to gather some some cuttings and bring them into the studio.I was so excited to work on some new texture plates, that I forgot a very important step: put some newspaper down between the plasterboard and the clay being pressed. So my clay on these larger pieces really stuck to the plasterboard (drywall) and when it shrank, it cracked. Bottom middle was the piece dried as I got it off of the drywall. Bottom right is the cleaned up edges and ready to use for pressing smaller bits once bisque fired.Here is a bit closer up and you can see for me to press the plants into freshly rolled out clay, I use a dry sponge. I try to pull out the plant material when I do this so I can use them again if I need to.Here are the texture plates once they are out of the bisque firing. I’ve rolled out some fresh clay in slab form and have gotten a reverse impression. There were some wonderful areas, and some duds. It is all about experimenting and seeing what works.As far as what to do with those test pressings, I cut some of the areas out and will make some glaze test tiles with them. I also plan on rolling out some of my chocolate stoneware clay into these texture plates so I can get some really rustic looking pieces to use for Christmas ornaments.I also have started a series of new Gnome Bottle Toppers with these branches at their top end. Their colors are of the woods with mosses and lichens. And they carry a bit of magic with them in their handmade bead accent.
Thanks for taking the time to read my post for this blog hop. Please check out these other artists with their Foliage themed inspirational posts:
I love how you powered through the adversity of the texture pieces being stuck to the board. They will make great texture tiles. I can’t wait to see the Christmas ornaments. Do you have a favorite glaze that you use with such delicate texture? The gnomes are amazing! Before I settled on mosaics mostly, I experimented with felting and love the textures and colors of the gnomes.
What a wonderful way to preserve your garden’s treasures! I love that you use the actual plants and not just a mold. It gives the results so much beautiful organic-ness. I hate that there was so much cracking and shrinking, but we all make mistakes sometimes. Oh, and your gnome is fabulous!!
Marsha so good to read your blog. I had the same thing happen to me when I picked up a clay plate that I was making for a mold. It shattered into at least 30 pieces. I saved some of the small pieces. I think my problem was that the clay was too thin to tolerate the stems of the plants. Usually I use thicker clay. I love your garden and admire your ability to grow flowers. Luckily I live in a place that has lots of wild flowers!! I look forward to seeing your chocolate clay ornaments!!
Amazing – I love, love, love those texture plates. I am texture snob – and I just want to run my hands over what you have created 🙂 I also love the idea of using the cuttings from your garden to create the plates! Those little gnomes are so cute!
I have always wondered how imprints of natural materials are done – thank you so much for sharing your process. It’s fascinating. Even though the plate cracked, you ended up with some very useable and lovely pieces. I’d love to see earrings made of those, but wonder if they would be too heavy?
Your texture plates are amazing Marsha, sorry the first one broke, glad you can still use it though. Love the gnomes too, they’re really fun! Thank you for taking part in the challenge!
Marsha, I like to see the process for your plates and can’t believe the detail and depth from some of those leaves and flowers! And the Gnomes, I love them! Mine are outdoors and I shelter them in winter. Also a few hang on pots indoors, they make me smile whenever I look at them :).
I love your garden and it must be awesome to see the variety of critters that visit. The texture plates are fabulous. I’ve tried making some plant pressings in silicone mold with highly variable results. I am looking forward to the chocolate stoneware impressions. Your chocolate stoneware always looks good enough to eat.
Wow! I love the fern pressing! It is so detailed! I’m sorry about your mishap, but you seem to have recovered wonderfully! Thanks for showing us the process as well, I like seeing the particulars of the process and I always wondered how to get the imprint without any marks!
Hey ! I just saw these in person! I cant wait to see what you make with the new foliage plates – although I am sorry it broke! And the bottle topper – wow! Even more handsome and charming in person!
I love your new texture plates. Sorry the first one cracked but at least it’s still usable. Can’t wait to see your new work created with these textures. I LOVE the gnomes. I really want to try making a few of these.
I always love to get a glimpse of your Garden Marsha and your textures are divine – despite the mishap… love that fern! Your gnomes are just too adorable!
It’s a shame about the cracked clay, but the imprints are beautiful, Marsha! I imagine they’ll turn out delightful after glazing. The gnomes – they’re fabulous.
Your post is just magical! I love seeing your process of making the floral impressions, then the texture plates, and then the clay beads. Your work is so beautiful and I hope one day to purchase some beads from you 🙂 I loved your post on the forest gnomes – they are so whimsical and look like bits of the forest sprang to life. With such a beautiful garden nearby, I’m sure they feel right at home with you. Thank you for sharing the lovely collages of your garden too!
[…] working on what I am calling my Forest Gnome Bottle Toppers (did you see the sneak peek in the AE Blog hop yesterday?). Using artists headpins (my own included) I am finally able to incorporate beads and […]
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How gorgeous! I love seeing ceramics and I love your work. Those texture plates are so pretty, and the little gnomes are simply adorable.
I love how you powered through the adversity of the texture pieces being stuck to the board. They will make great texture tiles. I can’t wait to see the Christmas ornaments. Do you have a favorite glaze that you use with such delicate texture? The gnomes are amazing! Before I settled on mosaics mostly, I experimented with felting and love the textures and colors of the gnomes.
Such a shame your plates broke on drying but I like the abstract qualities of the ones you used for your clay pieces.
Those little gnomes are so cute
What a wonderful way to preserve your garden’s treasures! I love that you use the actual plants and not just a mold. It gives the results so much beautiful organic-ness. I hate that there was so much cracking and shrinking, but we all make mistakes sometimes. Oh, and your gnome is fabulous!!
Thanks for showing your process, that looks so cool! I see a mosaic in the works with the slab that cracked!
Marsha so good to read your blog. I had the same thing happen to me when I picked up a clay plate that I was making for a mold. It shattered into at least 30 pieces. I saved some of the small pieces. I think my problem was that the clay was too thin to tolerate the stems of the plants. Usually I use thicker clay. I love your garden and admire your ability to grow flowers. Luckily I live in a place that has lots of wild flowers!! I look forward to seeing your chocolate clay ornaments!!
Amazing – I love, love, love those texture plates.
I am texture snob – and I just want to run my hands over what you have created 🙂
I also love the idea of using the cuttings from your garden to create the plates!
Those little gnomes are so cute!
I have always wondered how imprints of natural materials are done – thank you so much for sharing your process. It’s fascinating. Even though the plate cracked, you ended up with some very useable and lovely pieces. I’d love to see earrings made of those, but wonder if they would be too heavy?
The gnomes are just too cute!
Your texture plates are amazing Marsha, sorry the first one broke, glad you can still use it though. Love the gnomes too, they’re really fun! Thank you for taking part in the challenge!
Marsha, I like to see the process for your plates and can’t believe the detail and depth from some of those leaves and flowers! And the Gnomes, I love them! Mine are outdoors and I shelter them in winter. Also a few hang on pots indoors, they make me smile whenever I look at them :).
I love your garden and it must be awesome to see the variety of critters that visit. The texture plates are fabulous. I’ve tried making some plant pressings in silicone mold with highly variable results. I am looking forward to the chocolate stoneware impressions. Your chocolate stoneware always looks good enough to eat.
Wow! I love the fern pressing! It is so detailed! I’m sorry about your mishap, but you seem to have recovered wonderfully! Thanks for showing us the process as well, I like seeing the particulars of the process and I always wondered how to get the imprint without any marks!
Hey ! I just saw these in person! I cant wait to see what you make with the new foliage plates – although I am sorry it broke! And the bottle topper – wow! Even more handsome and charming in person!
I love your new texture plates. Sorry the first one cracked but at least it’s still usable. Can’t wait to see your new work created with these textures. I LOVE the gnomes. I really want to try making a few of these.
Your gnome bottle toppers are so cute! I am sure you made some great texture plates. They are so special since you grew the flowers and ferns.
It’s so fun to see your process! Can’t wait to see what you end up making with the new texture plates!
These are amazing! Great job
I always love to get a glimpse of your Garden Marsha and your textures are divine – despite the mishap… love that fern! Your gnomes are just too adorable!
What a fun and interesting clay project! I’ll am eager to see more of this. And your gnomes are adorable!
It’s a shame about the cracked clay, but the imprints are beautiful, Marsha! I imagine they’ll turn out delightful after glazing. The gnomes – they’re fabulous.
Those textures are really amazing! Your experiments will end up being one-of-a-kind for sure!
Your post is just magical! I love seeing your process of making the floral impressions, then the texture plates, and then the clay beads. Your work is so beautiful and I hope one day to purchase some beads from you 🙂 I loved your post on the forest gnomes – they are so whimsical and look like bits of the forest sprang to life. With such a beautiful garden nearby, I’m sure they feel right at home with you. Thank you for sharing the lovely collages of your garden too!