Rochester Institute of Technology

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Thesis/Dissertation Collections

4-23-1979

Decoration and Form Holly Jones

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APPROVALS Advisor:

Hobart Cowles

~------

Date:

/t2:;z!& /U{l

Graduate Academic

~~~~~!!nta ti ve : __F _r_e_d__M_e.. .y:~e_r____ Da t e : _ _-+.:L_·"?~: " "' :;.~ ;.; ZOo-'."-i t:£ 'W4. ~d---...::;:5+~---,/'-,? ,L~ l- 1-+1 Dean, College of Fine & Applied Arts:

Date:

Dr. Ra bert H. Ja h ns t on Ph . D Dea n

IO/fIL'liJ

.f

(~)

I, Holly Jones , hereby (grant, deny) permission to the Wallace Memorial Library, of R.l.T., to reproduce my thesis in whole or in part. Any reproduction will not be for commercial use or profit.

Rochester Institute

A Thesis The

Submitted

College

in

of

to

Fine

the

and

Candidacy for

Technology

of

Faculty

Applied

the Degree

MASTER OF FINE ARTS

Decoration

and

Form

By

Holly

Date:

April

Jones

23, 1979

of

Arts

of

DEDICATION

To my

mother

for her understanding

To my father for his To

Steve

for his

support

patience

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

My

sincere

thanks

Hobart

Cowles

Robert

Schmitz

Tobi Miller

Penny Fleming

Mary

Roehm

Judith Stiles

to:

TABLE

OF CONTENTS page

i

Acknowledgments

List

of

Illustrations

ii

Introduction

1

Form

and

Space

1

Form

and

Visual

Form

and

Fabrication

Stimulus

2

4

Conclusion?

10

Footnotes

12

Selected Bibliography

13

Appendix

-

Materials

14

LIST

OF

ILLUSTRATIONS

Plate

I

.

Branches

Plate

II

.

Branches

(positive Kodalith)

Plate

Ill

Branches

(negative Kodalith)

Plate

IV

.

Fern

Plate

V

.

Fern

(positive Kodalith)

Plate

VI

.

Fern

(negative Kodalith)

Plate

VII

Fence

Plate

VIII

Car Grille

Plate

IX

Shell

Plate X

.

Sea

.

Structure

Spray

Plate

XI

Plate

XII

Bone

Plate

XIII

Sea Urchin

Plate

XIV

Spokes

Plate

XV

Plate

XVI

Ribs

Plate

XVII

Crossbones

Plate

XVIII

Sand Dollar

Plate

XIX

Rochester

Plate

XX

Plate

XXI

Victorian

.

Sternum Complex

.

and

Winter in April

Rib-Caged

.

Sea-quence

Color Black

Arch

Photography by Suzi

White

Romanik

Photography by Holly Jones 11

INTRODUCTION "Where

I was born and where and how I have lived is unimportant. It is what I have done with where I have been that should be of interest."! Georgia O'Keefe

tion

The

purpose

and

form.

Using

slip,

I

cipal

technique

tive

and

negative

of

body

decorative

deals

work

my

space;

exterior

and

clay

correlate

and

decora

casting

forms,

my

prin-

hand building.

being

content

to

is

white

a

twelve

constructed

The

volume

my thesis

of

the

linking

in

shape

both the

with

the

of

relation

to

posi

inner

the

environ

ment.

FORM AND SPACE " .

.

.

an

Visually things are not located in independently existing space; space, .

is

rather,

a

that

things,

or

quality has

no

relationship

existence

of

without

them. "2

The

space

requires,

utilize

sense

both his

the

by

space

space

with

In many viewer-

of

of

the

my

form,

the

my forms

is

viewer

that

and

of

form becomes

immediate

is the

and

to

encouraged

form.

In

utilitarian

this in

its

environment.

pieces

and

Rockburne

The

investigation.

interaction

the

created

Dorothea

I

use

environment

mirrors

to

internalize

relationships.

The

is

viewer

confronted

ship in the and

is

to

a

Here

important;

most

through

the

literal

is

look

we

personal

the

of

purpose

which

relation

space

viewer/form

in his

not

This

The

his

and

piece

it.

private.

window

beyond.

space

his

as

act

to

environment

contemplation

the

with

mirror

into

a

is

relationship

in

but

reflection

interpretation.

FORM "The

AND VISUAL

feel

me

in is

thing

unexplainable

makes

STIMULUS

the

world

that

nature

far

big

beyond my understanding to under stand maybe by trying to put it into form. To find the feeling of infinity on the horizon line or just over the next hill. "3 -

Georgia O'Keefe

Of

forms

extreme

is

things

I

what

in my

in my

aids

tion does

strike

my

I

the

did

not

the

set

fact

The

development

unconscious.

I

of

have

it

various

to

recreate

that

my

sea

these

forms,

developed

a

are

the

be

"Inspira

grids

life what

on

I

objects

was

my

develops."

everything from

of

out

These

forms.

of

of

found to

have

lightening,

echo

remains

I

pursuit

like

my forms

environment.

lated and

of

to

sidewalk

beach.

not

development

stimulus."

which

environment

inspirational

Many

"visual

call

the

to

importance

both

in

a

the

found in stimu

conscious

particular

way

of

in my

seeing things

environment

deliberate

parallels,

hours

the

beach.

These

influences

Cape

on

hope

can

are

objects

the

in

continue

their

to

led

I

Cod,

spent

found

curiously studying treasures

scious

I

has

not.

or

Having been brought up numerous

which

with

now

as

surfacing

uncon

development

of

my forms.

the

of

my

naivete

on

I

childhood

0

to unintentionally For the the

two

past

opportunity to

pertinent

The

is

I

environment.

find

I beach

closeups

common

elements

of

ments.

I

space, We

the am

are

all

in

aid

in

white

has

which

of

rolls

I

become

of

have

I

had

become

forms.

my to

learning

which

they

see

my

both

film,

concentrate

on

abstractions

of

space.

whether

an

R.I.T.

at

development

I

pick

film dedicated to

roll

of

grilles,

that

everything I

which

the

on

surface

seem

compositions

contrasting

I

the

on

something up

entire

looking beyond;

creating

curiosity hand

car

of

because

and

that

shoot

or

and

lines

textures,

the

numerous

closely that

so

objects

to

shoot

black

and

color

here

years

invaluable

an

shore.

study photography

especially camera

the

search

see

pure

see

has

unrelated

and

environ

forms

in

space.

by

develops

in hand in the

nature

so

curious

does

pursuit

individuals

inspiration. of

form.

The

.

two

As

go

FORM AND FABRICATION "The

the the

bones,

there

slabs,

from my

are

the

In

flux,

choice.

laid inside

there

the

slab

A

freshly

a

shallow, to

slab

for this

purpose.

for

in

ease

trailed

slip

Ready the

piece,

relish, with

to

Sufficient

the piece,

trail

the

slip

type

catsup

plastic

casting slip

first

the

around

proceeding

to

create

Standing back I

into

then

most

rim

as

Stop

here'.

well

It

in

as

was

a

the

good

of

witnessed

used

rim

delicate

the

of

mirror.

areas

of

(mustard,

bottle

the

of

for the

department and

cut-out

stores)

begin

areas,

structures.

the

where

slip

the

needed

areas

slip

interior trailed idea but

was

cut-out

interior

drying rapidly causing cracking slab

knife

(see appendix)

edges

the

the

involved

interior

the

condiment

found in

-

house

and

mold

left

support

later to

fill my

is

area

of

then

was

step

the

fettling

and

commercial

trail

then

I

A

areas,

to

slab

next

from

cut

diameters

the

to

The

shapes

mold.

handling

accurately

circular

contour.

the

and

bowl-shaped bisque

its

in

while

roller

rolled

selectively cutting away the

silica,

white -earthenware

were

templates

masonite

firmly

hard

protecting glaze, as blood and skin of a pot, and indeed many human associations. "5

on

circular

the

of

the

beginning

rolled

pressed

speaks

potter

softer

to

met

areas.

be

the

Realizing

revised!

from the slip

too

began

intense

long,

a

began

I

convex

Bibliography"

with

plaster

plaster

Cast

Slip

a

there

bisque

two

are

Pottery

"Plaster Mold

Stanley

Skee

"intense"

types

about

United States I

material

Plaster grade

called

does

not

yield

The plaster

the

plaster,

If

information

indicated

not

as

was

best

"Molding mix

readily,

a

surface.

nice

bisque;

discovered

which

the

began proved

drying

that

once

to

time

dusting

"Molded best

that

of

talc

and

Cherney is

one

concerning

less

more

the

into

be

The

Pottery A lesser in

durable,

the

time

being mold

a

and

pinch

does

with

successful

slip

plaster

from the

used

this

and

real

purposes.

again, be

book

"USG

and

source.

appendix).

could

is

dealing

ohtained

for my

Plaster"

as

procedure

mold

suited

"Selected

Charles

by

Company (see

Gypsum

from my

one-piece

both Cowley's

informative.

researched

#1"

but

is

mixing techniques may be

and

a

the

Making"

us.

books

excellent

Ceramics,"

both

are

In my

mold.

book,

Model

and

So

concavity from the

David Cowley's

and

water

plaster.

molds

For making

making.

mold,

to

press

plaster

for mixing the plaster,

As

I

the

of

mold

press

plaster

the

absorbed

relationship between

creating

surface

mold

turned

I

rapidly,

by making

bisque molds,

bisque

the

the

than

slower.

with

the

excess

wiped

the

Following I

mold, set

was

away,

once

excellent

an

agent.

releasing

bisque

the

same

steps

as

with

again

stood

back waiting for the

piece

the

nicely

previously

to

up.

A cup with

no

tea

of

when

and

could

cracking did

filled

be

from the

removed

There

is

piece

from the

no

the

studio

has

been be

the

slow

due

a

a

method

is

not

times

the

slip,

it that

own

on

is

was

minimal

was

piece

the

essence.

the

release

the

atmosphere

humid,

day,

the

or

releasing

inability to

plaster's

its

the of

Much depends If

it

piece,

timing

of

however,

constant,

slip befoxre

mold.

to

in

Time

several

used

not

drying

was

piece

occur

mold.

mold.

and

was

with

accurate

from the

water

This

cracking.

but

will

later,

moisture

a

of

in

mold

time absorb

content

being

to

every

high. Of

course, the

If

coin!

time,

it

absorbs

or

using

it.

foreign

a

1:2

aids

sat

dry

and

will

from the the

keeps which

of

the would

s

cause

to

surface

rapid

the

period

cracking

with

of

as

I either

before

water

clean

inhibit

a

rapidly.

interior

vinegar

in slowing down

for

too

slip

mold'

sides

idle

has

solution

This

matter

and

sponge

two

mold

too

water

lightly

water

tion

the

always

are

plaster

it may be

of

always

there

any clay

mold'

s

absorp

absorption.

or

7

When

a

is

piece

interior trailed

fettling

knife

exterior

rim

piece

the

bisque

to

the

Feeling

different.

Three

three

colors

Rutile

-

-\

Yellow Iron volume

colored

slip,

then

areas

convex

side

the of

for

trailed

the

were

outer

formed

used

"Sea

tsp.

:

tsp

edge

by

to

bat,

tsp. yield

and

white

the

ratios

the

onto

colored

talced

a

potter's

a

color

disc

ceasing to

trail

(liquid)

slip one

to

cup

of

the

slips

Each

slowly

formed. the

were

color

plaster

wheel.

was

was

(liquid)

slip

pestle.

containers.

the

until

tsp.

colorant

mortar

the

2

2

:

dry

Spray,"

on

measure,

1/8

separately

the

with

(liquid)

1/8

a

slightly

along a

experi

entitled,

slip

condiment

the

as

piece

also

increased

with

slowly of

was

I

whim,

tsp. -

-

a

for the

adding the

various

center

toward

the

follows:

as

2

:

was

mixing

revolved

the

or

underneath

plastic

purswe

were

were

Oxide

each,

fabricate

into

to

slip

Oxide

these

of

slip

To

at

under

teaspoons

tsp.

Green Nickel

which

the

over

slowly

tool

Carefully lifting

release.

placed

the

nudge

wooden

scraper

metal

colors

for the

was

pointed

Fabrication here

Using

placed

a

necessity

slip.

liquid

with

a

dry

casting

The

then gently

coloring the

with

Spray."

"Sea

then

to

mold

I

days.

several

mented

run

assure

is

it

out,

areas

and

up

set

slip

bat

Starting squeezed

Open at

8

bats,

eral

release, aid

its

cut

in

slightly bent

half,

slip

directly

on

a

kiln

are

The

to

j.n

ease

each

was

piece

clay to

the

flexible

still

disc.

ready for

and

underneath

joined

and

for

shelf

set

sev

onto

form the

to

each

run

form.

creating the

repeated

slightly

discs

The

release.

for

was

scraper

metal

a

were

pieces

was

process

color

one

using

When the

with

The

intervals.

random

and

are

other

constructed

handling

and

firing. the

All

than

perature

03 depending ences

that

on

between

the

of

form in the

to

as

an

with

the

water

(more)

if

bisque

directly

accent.

CCTS

Clear,

"Jet

pieces

the

is

On

in

of

(less)

and

the

of

areas

repaired

and

pieces,

glaze

areas

is

was

stain

the

of

fired

which

or

differ

trailed

several

glaze

were

04

cone

the

slip

the

(K60)

to

distortion

some

recessed

formula

the

higher tem

a

of

cracked

Black"

the

of

occurs

firing.

into

All

there

had been

they

Ceramics'

Because

content

This

at

I bisque

firing.

patience.

firing.

the

Standard sponged

glaze

my

clay

particularly prior

the

fired

bisque

were

pieces

to

in

bisque

cone

06

the

appendix.

And

now

apply luster

best

to

will

take

over.

for the

I

on

the

phenomenon

over

a

shiny,

characteristic

purchased

of

my lusters

of

"Lusters."

fired the

It

glaze

glaze

as

they

is

they are

from Standard Ceramics

(see appendix), using the well

as

copper,

turquoise. cation

firing

and

have

in

read

lusters

for two

"Cleanliness"

it

follow.

I

with

cleaned

are

Clean

and

luster

Using

luster, over

one

the

both the cation

over

important

is

and

vents

both

pamphlet

to

any I

with

of

kept

under

cover

and

be

to

used

rubbing before

plastic

firing.

brush for

each

next

to

another,

never

procedure

is

the

with

laid

lusters.

colored

the

with

the

until

off

brushes

saturated

rule

steadfast

table

soft-bristled

is

a

pieces

vVhen

kept

are

same

the

covered

appli

to

dry

night.

"Ventilation"

It

are

This

and

finished,

appli

Company (see

superior

is

and

pieces

stroke

metallic

the

clean

application

thin

a

struggled

This

balls,

pieces

preceeding.

is

I

the

separate

a

I

in.

reaching any kind

gospel.

cotton

alcohol.

after

is

Then

by

the

outcome.

First

paper.

texts.

before

years

Hanovia

information

ceramic

most

consistency in their

which

from the

this

found

I

and

green

described

is

and

platinum

gold,

lusters,

colored

lusters

of

obtained

appendix).

tallies,

information concerning

Excellent

may be

which

the

as

me

door

metallic

firing

is

done

is

to

stack

open

and

the

the

during

colored

slowly

kiln

most

of

lusters

beginning

the

of

gospel

firing

loosely the

to

with

and

process.

firing.

cone

the

I

018. kiln

the

keep

fire

The on

low,

10

the

The kiln then is

to

two

is

vent

one

hour,

about

for

this

state

vent

is

closed,

vent

One

the

door

and

door

to

kiln

the

and

kiln

approxi

is

this

in

remains

door

after

cracked

the

later,

cracked

the

which

after

hour,

one

the

hour

the

again,

four inches.

remaining open,

medium.

open

remaining

cracked

in

Once

inch.

one

for

state

to

high

to

switched

mately

its

switched

door

door's

the

inches,

kiln is

left

top (roof)

the

which

the

and

open

vents

closed,

until

the

cone

drops.

When

the

kiln

is

off

temperature

has

been reached,

immediately

the

remaining

is

vent

shut

and

closed.

CONCLUSION?

"...

but

speak

-

I

cannot

I

so

yet

make

Georgia

no

to

in

seek

relation

to

and

needs

change, should

an

but

should

to

I

as

its

feel

....

of

life

be

to

these

attuned

I believe

that

that

para

I

from

I is

avoid

negative

"Movement Situations

change;

and

in

am

this

solutions.

development. continue

this

connotation

conditions

artist

begin

continuing

further

because

artistic

forms

ideas

As

develop

"conclude"

word

worker

and

clay

O'Keefe

me

conclusion..."

ending my pursuit,

way

point

the

"In

with

graph

for

inappropriate

is

It

the

on. "6

keep

must

in

change,

the

clay-

7

changes."'

one

should

never

be

11 satisfied

with

the

improve

and

This

direction;

is

continuum.

develop

end

a

product, concept

upon

which

but

toward

ideas

should

a

continue

better

develop

in

to

solution.

12

FOOTNOTES

Georgia

O'Keefe, Georgia Viking Press, 1976), p.l. 2

Bernice Rose, Modem Art, 1976),

^Georgia,

Drawing

(New York:

O'Keefe

Now

(New York:

Museum

O'Keefe,

185.

The

of

pTFTT

O'Keefe,

Georgia

p.

4

Leon I. Nigrosh, Claywork: Form and Idea in Ceramic Design (Worcester, Ma.: Davis Publications, 1975), p. 96. Paulus

(New York:

Berensohn-

Simon

and

Finding One's Way with Clay Schuster, 1972), p. 15.

r

Georgia

7

O'Keefe,

Leon I. Nigrosh, Ceramic Design, p. 96.

Georgia

O'Keefe,

Claywork:

Form

p.

and

207. Idea

in

13

SELECTED

Berensohn, York:

Chaney,

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Paulus. Finding One's Way Simon and Schuster, 1972.

Charles

and

Model Making.

with

Clay.

New

Plaster Mold and Stanley. New York: VanNostrand Reinhold

Skee,

Co., 1973. David. Ceramics. 197B":

Molded and Slip Cast Pottery New York: Charles Scribner's

Cowley,

Nigrosh,

Leon

Design. 1975.

Claywork: Form Worcester, Ma.: I.

O'Keefe, Georgia. Viking Press Rose,

and

Davis*

,

Georgia O'Keefe. 1976.

Bernice. Drawing Now. Modern Art, 1976.

and

Sons,

Idea in Ceramic Publications , Inc.,

New York:

New York:

Museum

The

of

14

APPENDIX

-

MATERIALS

15

Clay:

Bob

Palusky

(#6 tile

Kaolin Ball

or

21

EPK)

Clay (0M#4)

Neph. Talc

Earthenware

White

-

Syen.

(New York)

35

Bisque

04

10

Glaze

06

50

Bentonite

4 120

*

if

possible

Seeley's

White Velvet

06-02

Seeley's

Ceramic

age

month

good

a

Slip:

Casting

Inc.

Service,

9 River Street N.Y.

Oneonta, locally

13820 Craft

University

-

Service

Rochester

University Avenue, (a

about

note

forms

are

linear

the

pieces

built

slab

sections

trailing slip into Glaze CCTS

a

The

structures

main

from the the

are

-

Earthenware.

White

casting slip

plaster

press

of

applied

the The

by

mold).

:

Bright

Transparent grams

*Frit

3396

15

Frit

G-14

45

oxidation

lead

safe

06-04

25

Kaolin

15

Flint

100

*

may possibly may be

no

substitute

longer

Frit

manufactured

G24

or

G23

as

Frit

3396

16

Lusters

:

Standard Ceramics Box

P.O.

4435

Pittsburgh, Pa. 15205

locally

Woodside

-

Ceramics

Northfield Commons N.Y.

Pittsford, -

Excellent

information

lusters

of

may be

the

on

application

firing

and

from:

obtained

Hanovia Liquid Gold Engelhard

Industries

Engelhard Minerals

1 West

Central

East Newark, Plaster *

the

most

making

are

cited

Complete and

Corp.

07029

found USG

be

may

States

on

plaster

mold

their

types

from:

obtained

Gypsum

South Wacker Drive

Chicago,

for my

sources

in my bibliography.

methods

mixing

Mirrors

N.J.

information concerning plasters,

101

I

Chemicals

Avenue

complete

United

-

and

-

of

Two

Division

no.l

Illinois

Pottery

60606

Plaster to

be

sufficient

needs.

-

Flower

City

Corner

of

Glass

Co.

Alexander

and

Mt.

Hope

Rochester, N.Y. (Mirrors

Caukling

were

adhered

which

is

to

the

available

pieces

at

most

by Silicone hardware

Rubber

stores).

Plate Branches

m>'

?/'V r

Plate

II

Branches

.

*r V

\

O

\>

V

i

S -X

V .

\

s

>

-->-.

v/

*

^ V v\*

V> \

.

S

V

I

*

I X

v

vv

X

-HC \

V ^

..

**"

WrZ

Plate

III

Branches

Plate Fern

IV

->

* r

Plate V

Fern

Plate Fern

VI

Plate

Fence

VII

Plate

Car

VIII

Grille

Plate

IX

Shell

Structure

9"h

9|"w

x

Plate

X

Sea Spray 9"h

x

12t"w

Plate XIII Sea Urchin 12"

diameter

Plate XIV okes

S~hu

diameter

Plate

XV

Sternum Complex 9g"

diameter

Plate

XVI

Ribs "iameter

IP

Plate XVII Cross 16-g-"

Plate Sand

1

9-g- "

Bones

diameter

XVIII Dollar

diameter

Plate

XIX

Rochester Winter in April 19a"

diameter

Plate

XX

Rib-Caged

17"

diameter

Plate

XXI

Sea-quence

1

6-4-"

diameter