I get to pick up my diploma tomorrow! Woohooo! I didn't walk (had to stick with the family tradition) but I really just wanted everyone to come to the show anyways.
For those who couldn't make it out: I did my thesis on a series of bottles called "Message on a Bottle." Conceptually, I was focusing on the concept of prayer. So I had people write out a personal prayer in their own hand writing and then I transferred them onto the bottles. Each bottle was soda fired to about 2400 degrees making them translucent so that they could be illuminated from the inside. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. After talking to a fellow artist who was requesting female volunteers to allow her to cast their breasts I came to the sad realization that it's easier to get someone to take their clothes off than it is to get someone to take five minutes to write down one of their personal prayers. Over the past year I've been collecting prayers from anyone who was willing to contribute to the cause. By the end of it, there was Christian, Jewish, Wiccan etc... prayers, children's prayers, elderly's prayers, drawings and prayers in several different languages. I am grateful for all the people who were willing to share something so precious and personal with me. It was a very humbling experience. The most intriguing prayers I read were the ones written by children. I wonder what I would have prayed for when I was little. God bless the innocence of childhood.
I've spent the past year trying to perfect all the details that went into this show. Everything from formulating the perfect clay body that would be translucent when lit (who knew there was so much chemistry in ceramics), making all the molds for the bottles, trying to perfect a rather complicated process of screen printing on clay, making all the custom pedestals (thanks mom and dad!) and installing and wiring all the lights. It certainly wasn't a smooth ride. In just the last semester I missed about two weeks work time while I was in NYC and Pittsburgh. Oh, and than about 3 weeks before the show all the bricks fell out of the door to the soda kiln I was using so I had to manually brick it up which takes about an hour longer to do... and then it takes twice as long to get to temperature. *eye twitch* Bad times.
All in all... after all the all-nighters, sleeping on top of tables in the studio with fireproof jackets for blankets (I'm sure the maintenance man thought we were crazy), and all the burns (because I was too impatient to let it cool down to unload) I would do it again in a heartbeat. Well OK... maybe after a few weeks to catch up on some sleep and family. :) One thing I do know is I have some really awesome family and friends. Thanks for all your help and moral support... I wouldn't have made it without you all.
So now you're all wondering where I go from here.
I think I'll take some time off to see which way God sees fit.
