Practice

Hi!!

Today I'm gonna talk about my practice. Putting my concepts on the backburner again since I'm still thinking about how to approach it. One of my instructors once described me as being in the midst of it all, floating in organized chaos where everything makes sense to me where I'm standing but it appears convoluted to those peering in. That's just how I've always been, a space cadet. So! That one will require a bit more time, a little like essay-writing but not as scholarly or cited.

Some news first. The Commissions for Cause... failed. Bombed like nobody's business! The positive feedback and interest was nice at least. I had mentioned some issues with it last entry, but someone brought up a good point saying that Facebook's algorithm isn't at all great for it, which I'd known previously but wanted to try anyway. I placed paid ads to help extend its reach, but it didn't quite make a big difference. It bore the fruit of a few new faces, but no participants. It is what it is, though. I'll look further into how others go about it and what platforms they host upon, since Facebook is proving to be no good.

While that was going on I entered a bit of a lull, but I remained productive. I realize I'll have to dedicate a post strictly explaining what it is I do, so for the time being I'll just brush the surface. On the glass casting front, I'm currently building up my mould library. I make rubber moulds of both found objects and sculpted items of my own. These help skip a few steps, but in the end they'll always need refinement. Here are just a few wax pieces: ​

Glass painting has been on hiatus because, while I do have a lot of imagery waiting to be painted, I feel something holding me back. I figure that the wax-sculpting has taken precedent and it's difficult to transform the space every time. I should figure things out soon though because I do have access to a sizable kiln, I might as well use it. Plus, I'd love to get back into soldering them with different coloured stained glass. Something warm and fiery.

The most immediate project of mine that will probably see fruition first is the Lonely Hydra vitreograph. This one has been a doozy since mid-December. In the past few weeks I had plates laser-engraved, as well as vinyl cut for sandblasting on others. It'll be interesting to see the treatment of both in print form. The laser-engraved pieces are waiting for pickup sometime next week or the one after, while the blasted ones will hopefully be completed tonight. I wanted to get them done sooner but sometimes you can't rush these things.

I have designs lined up for the online shops, no sweat. I have one in particular that I would love to purchase for myself since my room needs a bit of personal flair. I hope you guys like them, because I do! I especially love seeing photos of people who've bought them from me. I got one yesterday and it made my day, honestly. I'll compile the photos here of my younger classmates rocking hotshop attire. I hope more people send them to me once they get them!!

I've been given the impression that people think the print-on-demand shops are proving a distraction to my practice, but I don't think so. I'm generating content that can be later transformed in my medium, if I so choose. We live in a digital age where anything and everything can be translated. Some of the designs are even glass pieces that I digitally manipulated. It's true that it's not a sustainable income, but if I have the images, why not put them up for sale? If anything, having a shop is an incentive to keep drawing. I'm very happy with it, regardless if I haven't gained traction. It will come in time.

Welp! It's studio day so I gotta mozy. I think I'll host a poll to see what people are interested in first; concept or medium.

Later!

​Gosia