THE STUDIO OF NICOLE MERKENS

Olmec Colossal Head   The Olmec Civilization from 1200 BCE - 400 BCE was from the Gulf Coast of Mexico. There are seventeen large colossal heads that are considered the most mysterious artifacts from the ancient art world. They are enormous and it is baffling how they made and moved these large carved stone heads. They can range from9.8 feet, to 14.7 feet around  and weigh an average of 8 tons. They carved them using stones and moved them along the river some 100 km. It is thought they represent ancient rulers and and there is even speculation that they were thrones. They were moved around quite often for rituals and even put in place for protection. The Olmec only made them as a "head" because they thought this where the emotions and soul resided. They were eventually buried - maybe to negate the power of the dead ruler they were made for. They remained buried for three thousand years and were discover in 1871 with the last one being found in 1994. ...

This week I experimented with Raku Firing. I used 50/50 clay and threw some pots and made some tiles that I hung up as a finished mobile.  My pieces in a Raku kiln- I fired to cone 06 fast. It took about 4 hours to reach temperature. I had two metal garbage cans with holes in the sides and layered sawdust on the bottom. Then I ripped up strips of newspaper and crumbled them up.  In the larger garbage can I added pine straw and more sawdust. Once the pots reach temperature you take them out hot and immediately put them in the garbage cans. The combustible material immediately combusts and then there is the fire. Big fire... The small can had the smaller tiles in it. I had a hard time getting the flames to go out in the larger can. So we banged the lid to make sure the oxygen wasn't getting in. After 20 minutes this is what it looks like inside when you take the lid off. The pots were still really hot. On...

This is an electric knife that I use to cut out the shape of my sculptures in styrofoam. This little beauty now fits in her own cocoon of sorts. She is engulfed in styrofoam.  I print out a photo of each piece and tape it on the box to show the contents and title the boxes so whomever unpacks it knows what is inside. Here are my many boxes ready to go to Saratoga Clay Arts Center for the" Adventures of Star Seed and Bunny Girl Show" Opening September 12th.

It's been sometime since I've thrown a pot. This week I sat down and through some pots to Raku this upcoming week. >

10 Pieces for the Fir Pit ( Before) I tried my hand at having a Pit Fire. I made 10 clay pieces out of a sculptural stoneware that can be fired to cone 10. I bisqued the pieces I made first in my electric kiln to cone 04. All pieces were Terra Sig'd except the small pinch pot.  Then I decided to do this atmospheric firing in my fire pit at home. One Necklace Pendant cracked but everything else made it.  Here are my steps that I followed: Layered bricks on the bottom of my pit so  I didnt crack my pit. Layered sawdust on top of the bricks to make a 6inch layer. Wrapped copper wire around some pots, placed horse hair inside some pieces, wrapped steel wool around some, wrapped copper scribes around some, placed felt on some. Arranged pots in sawdust Sprinkled table salt around and on some pots Sprinkled Coffee grinds and orange peels around pots Sprinkled Miracle Grow around the pots Threw Vermiculite on half the pots Placed banana peels on one po...