Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Clay catastrophe!

Here is how our fifth grade Face Jars and seventh grade Robert Indiana inspired clay projects looked when we left for Christmas break...




 




 
And here is what a few looked like on January 8, as our frozen pipes began to finally thaw:
 

 
A few slightly damaged "survivors"

The "lucky ones" that were inside the kiln
 

Phoenix rising??
 
The seventh graders who lost their work in this disaster took it well, thank heavens! Most of them took the option to recreate their projects and hopefully the kiln will be back up and running soon and I can get them fired. For now, there are almost 200 unfired clay pieces adorning every available art room shelf.                                                    

 

4 comments:

  1. Hi Charmaine
    Wow, that is rough. You and your students have my sympathies.
    p.s. I love the Robert Indiana-inspired pieces. I have never seen anything like that in 3D.

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  2. Thanks, Rina! I tried the Robert Indiana idea two years ago with a small group. They loved it, so this year the whole seventh grade did the project. I'm testing the kiln today and hopefully it will be working. If not, our maintenance guys are amazing and should be able to trouble shoot and fix it.

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  3. Ahh this makes me cringe, I am so so so very glad that the 7th graders took it in stride, but I can imagine how stressing it would be, for you, to have to tell them that their work didn't make it. Thank heavens for the resilience of children!!! The pieces looked great though and I am sure second time around they will be even better. Xo, Lauren of www.cornwellfam.com

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    Replies
    1. Winter is always an adventure, I guess! This is the second year my kiln got knocked out by a water line break. I wish there was a better location for it, but it's been in the basement corner for years and I don't think that's going to change anytime soon. When I get through this round of firing, I'm putting clay on hold until spring!

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