Day 184 - Türmle

Bad Wildbad

There are also buildings in the Black Forest and if proof were needed this shot shows an interesting ‘schloss’ seen yesterday on my way down into Bad Wildbad. Yes the sun did come out for a short time, just long enough for me to descend the zigzag path, do some shopping and return via the bergbahn where a torrential downpour began soon after entering the waiting room. The interesting circular roof in the foreground belongs to the ‘Türmle’ which is a novel spiral staircase that joins one street with another.

The modelling of Auerhahn III is complete. The next stage requires applying slip to create the colours, patterns and glazed finished when fired. In the meantime I am developing Auerhahn IV (…the obsession continues) an idea came to me several days ago. Auerhahn III will be glazed matt black ‘metallic’ whereas in contrast the semi abstract Auerhahn IV in bone china will be finished in a smooth white glaze. With luck version IV will be elegant, more refined and the construction should benefit from what I have learnt so far. The main problems encountered are shrinkage and ensuring that the various components fit together after they have dried. To improve on Auerhahn III which has a number of poor joints, the components of the sculpture will need to be made together, no easy task as each Auerhahn consists of at least 12 pieces using a total 30kgs of clay. And the weather today … brighter, lighter, heiter. Well actually its overcast and cold which only goes to show what it was like before…