Day 28 - 30 Secret

I'm making a silicon mould of rice.

Kia ora koutou,

Welcome to my last post to end my time as a 30 day artist. Above is a picture of a silicon mould I'm making of rice that will be cast in bronze. It is a bit more involved to make the mould than it looks, as the correct amount of hardener needs to be added to the rubber as will as additional additives if the rubber is too thin. It can be very messy.

I've also been busy finishing an application relating to one of my up and coming exhibitions in Bangkok. That's another aspect of an artists life, finding galleries to show artwork and finding/making the money to fund the endeavour, which all takes time.

If you've been checking this blog and I haven't posted some days it's because I have a secret to share with you. I'm excited to tell you, I'm three and a half months pregnant. So, during the past month whilst I've been making all this art and travelling etc, I've had bad day and night morning sickness and exhaustion. Although I've wanted to post something everyday, I haven't managed to be able to.

I've posted images of my bronze sculpture, glass sculptures, and paintings over the past 30 days. Which of my artworks do like the best and why? You're comments are much appreciated. Thanks to those who have taken the time to write a comment and thank you everyone for looking at my blog postings. I hope you have found it interesting?

Information about me and the international The Border Crossing Art Project I'm curating and exhibiting in, which is opening in Bangkok in February 2010, can be found at http://thebordercrossingartproject.blogspot.com/, or you can find me on Twitter as "Remarque Studio".

If you're interested in collaborating in a project, would like to exhibit my work in your gallery or would like me to lead a workshop please contact me via a link from the sites above.

Best wishes for your life and your creative endeavours whatever they may be.

Hei konā mai, Wendy

Wendy Grace Allen

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Day 27 - Rice Impression

Detail added to bronze Gong Khao (Rice Box)

Inside detail added to Gong Khao (Rice Box)

Detail of rice pattern

I've found a way to "imprint" the rice onto the inside of the bronze rice box. If you look at the earlier post of this image on "Day 10", it is smooth and shiny inside.

Cheers
Wendy

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Day 26 - Bronze Casting Process

 

Bronze Casting Process - This is how I make my bronze sculptures

1. A sculpture is made in clay or wax or some other media.
2. If the sculpture is made in a medium other than wax, a mould of silicon or plaster (or a combination of the two) is made of the sculpture, then the sculpture is removed from the mould and wax is poured into the cavity.
3. Any imperfections in the wax are touched up.
4. A pouring vent and channels to allow the molten bronze to flow into the sculpture (called runners) are made of wax and attached to the wax sculpture. The pouring vent becomes the spout that the bronze is poured in through. Vents to let air escape from the mould (called risers) are also added to the wax.
5. A ceramic mould is made of the wax. The ceramic mould has to be able to withstand having bronze poured into it at 1200 -1400 degrees celsius.
6. The wax is melted out of the ceramic mould.
7. Molten bronze is poured into the cavity of the ceramic mould.
8. Once cool, the ceramic mould is cracked open to reveal the bronze.
9. The runners and risers and the pouring vent are cut off.
10. Grinders are used to remove and smooth excess metal.
11. The sculpture is checked for imperfections such as small pin holes that may need filling in.
12. A coloured patina (chemical colour) is painted on and fused onto the sculpture with heat.
13. The finished bronze is signed with metal etching tools and polished.

Here is a link to a video I took of sculptures and some of the bronze casting process at the Asia Fine Arts Foundry in Attuhaya, Thailand: Bronze Casting in Attuhaya.

Cheers,
Wendy

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Day 25 - Myth

Myth - Wendy Grace Allen

Here's a mixed media artwork that's almost complete. I have quite a few works in progress at the moment including the silicon moulds I'm making. Today, I was also working on a grant application for one of my exhibitions. Deadlines, deadlines... I also went to the printers to deliver and then pick up and for physiotherapy for my sore neck and back, which required three trips to the hospital (basically because the Dr and then the physio's weren't available and I had to return later). After all that, it's time for bed.

Goodnight,
Wendy

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Day 24 - Impressions of Thai Rice Paddy Fields

Banpao - Impressions of Rice Paddy Fields - Wendy Grace Allen

Here's another painting, it's based on my experience in Banpao village in North East Thailand. The village is surrounded by rice paddy fields and the rice is the major source of income for the majority of the villagers.

I'm still working on the silicon moulds to show you.

Until tomorrow,
Wendy

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Day 23 - Painting

Blue and Red Abstract - Wendy Grace Allen

Here's one of my finished paintings. Cheers, Wendy

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Days 19 - 22, Art Expo Malaysia

Arteri stall at the Malaysian Art Expo.

 

3-dimensional paintings in a suitcase - Wendy Grace Allen.

 

Arteri - Art in a Suitcase Expo stand showing my work.

 

Me and my suitcase of 18 small artworks.

 

Sculpture by Jesús Curiá from Spain.

 

Autumn's Fragrance by Korean artist Yoon, Byung Rock.

 

Malaysian artist Cheah Yew Saik, in front of his painting in the Special Tribute Pavillion to his work.

 

Hi. I have just got back from KL, where I took some work to be displayed in the Arteri stall at the Malaysian Art Expo.

There are 14 countries represented at the expo, which is on from 19th-23rd November at Matrade, Kuala Lumpur. Here's a few pictures to give you a glimpse of the work at the show. I enjoyed my visit to the expo. There was a diversity of work represented although paintings are predominant of varying quality from outstanding to plain boring. If you managed to go to the expo what was your opinion?

http://www.artexpomalaysia.com/

Cheers, Wendy

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Day 18 - KL

Painting 11 - (work in progress) - Wendy Grace Allen

Painting 12 - (work in progress) - Wendy Grace Allen

Painting 13 - (work in progress) - Wendy Grace Allen

Painting 14 - (work in progress) - Wendy Grace Allen

Hello KL (Kuala Lumpur),

I've just returned from dropping off a suitcase of paintings for the Arteri stand at the Malaysian Art Expo. Tomorrow I will go to the opening and have a look at the exhibits which come from around Sth East Asia. Maybe I'll bump into a couple of artists I know?

Cheers, Wendy

The Earth's waters are both boundaries and pathways for peoples, objects and ideas.

Fumio Nanjo

Day 17 - Oops

Painting 7 - (work in progress) - Wendy Grace Allen

Painting 8 - (work in progress) - Wendy Grace Allen

Painting 9 - (work in progress) - Wendy Grace Allen

Painting 10 (work in progress) - Wendy Grace Allen

Oops, I thought I'd posted Day 16 yesterday, but realised this morning it was still in the draft folder. Here's a few more paintings that I've been working on.

Cheers, Wendy

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Day 16 - Paintings

Painting 5 (work in progress) - Wendy Grace Allen

Painting 6 (work in progress) - Wendy Grace Allen

Two more paintings in progress. I'll have more to show you tomorrow.

Cheers, Wendy

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Day 15 - Paintings

Painting 1 - (work in progress) - Wendy Grace Allen

Painting 2 - (work in progress) - Wendy Grace Allen

Painting 3 - (work in progress) - Wendy Grace Allen

Since returning from Thailand yesterday, I've been working on these paintings. I'll work on several paintings at once and build up layers, overlaying paint and mixed media once each layer is dry. A completed painting can take days or weeks.

I'll be painting in my studio at home tomorrow,
Wendy

The Earth's waters are both boundaries and pathways for peoples, objects and ideas.

Fumio Nanjo

Day 14 - God in Bangkok - Amazing!

The Grand Palace - Bangkok

Bangkok Traffic Jam (Rot tet)

I finished filming my video for my exhibition in Ban Pao, so I took the 7 hour bus journey back to Bangkok. The bus arrived at the inconvenient time of 2.10am. When I got off the bus, the man who'd been sitting next to me offered to share a taxi with me. He said he was travelling to a similar area. In the taxi, we realised that we were going to the same lane (Pridi) off the same side road (Soi) off a major road. Amazing! Bangkok is a city of an estimated 12 million people and we were going to the same small street. There are at least 107 side streets (Soi's) off Sukhumvit Road (Thanon Sukhumvit) which is a highway 400km's long and we were going to the same lane off the same Soi! Some people call this co-incidence, I know it's God. I prayed earlier in the day and God answered my prayer but not in the way I expected. In predominantly Buddhist Thailand, God was in action.

There's even a wiki entry about the road if you want to find out more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukhumvit_Road

Check out tomorrow's post to see some of my paintings,
Wendy

Day 13 - Art in Bangkok (Krung Thep)

Red Face by Somchai Wacharasombat

Yellow Face by Somchai Wacharasombat

Embroidery a Space - Gi -ok Jeon

Mindscape 6 (embroidery and chinese ink) - Gi- ok Jeon

Two of the exhibitions I visited in Bangkok are at Jamjuree Gallery (where I will have my solo show next Feb). I've included a few pictures by a Thai artist and a Korean artist living in Bangkok. Cheers,
Wendy

Day 12 – An Artist’s Life

Good Morning, North East Thailand

I was up before 5am because I thought that was when "Maa Yeum", Mother Yeum could help me with the interview questions (my friend had translated over the phone to her and explained what I wanted to do). She starts work at her shop at the market at 6am. She told me to be ready at 5am but I phoned my English speaking friend in Bangkok and she interpreted for me and it turns out that actually means 11am to Thai people. I was thinking it was too dark to make a video. Anyway, I went back to bed but for not too long so I could enjoy the "cool" of the day.

I tried to "interview" a few ladies on my own by giving them questions written in Thai (my friend translated them for me). They did a wonderful job of reading the questions but didn't realise that I wanted them to anwser the questions! I tried to explain in broken Thai but to no avail.

So, at 11am I met Maa Yeum and we went to meet a couple of ladies who could relate to my questions. I couldn't upload the videos I've made because the file size is too large but they're unedited and untranslated in Thai – Issan dialect. I don't even know what was being said yet! I'm going to interview someone else when Maa has more time this evening.
The video I'm making is part of my exhibition so I'm including it (well associated images because of uploading issues) as part of my art for the 30 day artist project. It's all part of my life as an artist and portrays my diverse body of work, which you'll realise if you've been following this blog.

I'll go and see what else is in store for me today.

Wendy

The Earth's waters are both boundaries and pathways for peoples, objects and ideas.

Fumio Nanjo

Day 11 - Thai Village Life

Lying in Wait

Good Morning, North East Thailand

Hi and sawadee,

I'm in Chaiyaphum province in rural North East Thailand arriving this morning after about a 7 hour bus ride. 

I've got questions all prepared (translated into Thai) to go and ask villages for the video I'm making for my exhibition.  The problem with being in a small place where I don't speak the same language, is that there isn't the facility to transfer my previous video from the tape to a DVD.  I'm using a friend's video camera so it's all new for me.  There is an internet cafe here which is where I'm writing this from.   So, as yet I have no video made today to show you.  I'll probably end up making the video on my camera which as a limited video facility (without zoom etc). 

In the meantime, I get to enjoy rural life for a few days.  I'm happy to see everyone again as it's been 10 months since I was here as artist in residence at Banpao Rural Art Centre.

It is extemely hot and dry here.  I notice the difference in temperature from Malaysia and it's hotter than Bangkok.

Thanks for following my posts,  I you're finding my posts entertaining.

Cheers - Largon,

Wendy

Day 10 - Bronze

Hi there,

 

This is the first of my bronze sculptures that I picked up today.  It will be exhibited in my solo show next February at Jamjuree Gallery, Chulalongkorn University, in Bangkok.  I'm about to take a 5 hour bus journey to Chaiyaphum province where I will make a video for the exhibition.  The show is based on my experience as artist in residence at Banpao Rural Art Center earlier this year.

 

 

Hope you like my work,

 

Wendy

See and download the full gallery on posterous

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Days 8 & 9 Bangkok Sculpture Center

Sawadee Ka,

 

Yesterday, I went to the Bangkok Sculpture Centre a private non profit organisation set up to promote Thai sculpture.   I've seen work by a few of the individual artists before, but the 210 sculptures are the largest collection in Thailand and it was a nice opportunity to get a more comprehensive understanding of Thai sculpture.  Many of the artworks are in bronze but there is also wood caved pieces, a stainless steel sculpture and a few mixed media sculptures. I've never seen anything like the carved elephant door pictured with gallery guide.

 

Bangkok probably has everything you could want to buy and many things you don't!  Finding something specific you need is a different matter.  Food is easy.  7/11 easy.  Taxi easy.  Art materials, well you have to find the place, get there, and know how to ask for what you want.  I kept a sticker with the Thai writing for the silicon I purchased last time because quoting a number (type of silicon) isn't useful.  For example, I've tried many times but am still unable to locate someone who custom makes neon; with all the neon in the city one would think that would be easy.  Finding the right words to describe things helps (even my limited Thai language helps - Mai ow ka - "I don't want" is very useful for tuk tuk drivers and pesky touts).  Getting access to the internet isn't always straight forward, which is why I didn't post yesterday - besides Sunday is a day of rest.

 

Largorn,

 

Wendy

 

 

See and download the full gallery on posterous

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Day 7- Mail Art

Mail Art

Hello from Bangkok (Krung Thep).  Today I made this to post to Singapore for a Mail Art exhibition on the theme Time. 

Cheers, Wendy

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Day 6 - City of Angels (Krung Thep)

Emerald Gong Khao (Rice Box)

Emerald Gong Khao (Rice Box) from above

Early this evening I'm flying from Penang Island to Bangkok or in Thai it's pronounced:

Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit

In the official English romanisation, this is certified as the longest place name in the world in the Guinness book of records.

So, Thai's understandably call their capital city Krung Thep (for short) meaning City of Angels. I haven't discovered any angels there yet but who knows, maybe I was looking in the wrong places?

The purpose of my trip is to go to the bronze foundry about and hour and a half outside of Bangkok.   I left my sculpture there for the foundry to pour the bronze as I don't have access to the extensive facilities necessary for a foundry here.  If I'm happy with the result, and the foreigner (farang) price, I will leave them other sculptures.

In the meantime, I've been making a silicon mould of my sculpture to cast.  It isn't finished so there's no photo yet.

So, pictured above is the last cast glass sculpture I've just finished.   I'll be taking my glass to Bangkok in preparation for my exhibition next year.   It's cheaper for me to carry them rather then use a courier and as I have many pieces to transport it makes sense to take them early.

Oh, and my painting is still in progress ...

Next post from The City of Angels...

Wendy

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Day 5 - Music

Mark Knopfler - Brothers in Arms - Live in concert

Mark Knopfler & Eric Clapton - Sultan of Swing

Eric Clapton and Mark Knopfler - Cocaine 

Eric Clapton & Sheryl Crow - Little Wing

I like listening to music while making my art.  Here's what I've been listening to.

Enjoy,

Wendy

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Day 4 - Poppy & Borrowed Nostalgia

Poppy (unfinished detail of painting in progress)

Here's a unfinished detail of a painting I'm working on.  Aussie's and Kiwi's will recognise the significance of the poppy.  To see the finished artwork, check this site later.

Wendy working on Borrow Nostalgia

BorrowedNostalgia - Apichart Pholprasert and Wendy Grace Allen

I've included a couple of images of one of the collaborative artworks for this project which I finished a couple of weeks ago.   

Borrowed Nostalgia 

is my collaborative over painting of a digital print on canvas of artwork by Thai artist, Apichart Pholprasert which he titled 

Immediate Nostalgia.

 
Thanks for looking at my work, and if you missed my glass sculptures, you can see those in the previous three day posts.  

See you tomorrow, Wendy

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Day 3 - Fusion

Here's some more glass sculptures I've finished.  One of my glass sculptures reminds me of Pounamu or New Zealand green stone.  So, I've titled it Pounamu Gong Khao (Rice box) - how's that for fusing Maori with Thai?.  My other fusion creation today was when I cooked Roti Canai (type of Malaysian flat bread) with bacon! (never seen in roti in Muslim countries where most Roti Canai is eaten at Mamak (Indian Muslim) restaurants) with cheese, tomatoes, onions, garlic and olive mix.  Delicious.  (Yum - is an inappropriate word in Vietnamese I was told when we were in Vietnam).

Bringing the glass sculptures through customs was fun.  On the scan they look like liquid (as does wax by the way).  So, when I was asked to open my suitcase, I knew what they wanted.  Luckily, they weren't wrapped in underwear and customs only wanted to see one sculpture.  I'll have to remember to pack carefully next time because my suitcase was exposed to full view.  Bringing in drugs carries the death penalty so it's a relief when it's only glass they find and not some illicit substance someone has sneaked into my bag!

:) Wendy

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