Studio Work: August - September 2007
The August - September Studiowork is dedicated to a commissioned piece.  The requirement for the commission is that a cigar ash tray be able to be used by two smokers. The first piece I constructed did not have did not have horizontal rests for a cigar to be placed horizontally level. For cigars to burn uniformly they must be place horizontally level while not in the hand. For the second piece, I built two horizontally level rests that are directly across from each other to accommodate the setting down of two fine cigars.

Both pieces were constructed using two wheel thrown bowls from Laguna B-3 Brown WC391. The lower bowl is thrown without a bottom and then slipped onto the upper bowl to form a stable, hollow base. the "Reapers" that decorated the cigar astray are pulled from a press mold and then cut to form reaper busts.

 
Press mold that the reapers are pulled from.
First iteration of the ashtray with white slip as accent for the reapers.
Close up of one of the reapers.
 

The beginning of the second iteration of the piece.

 
Second iteration of the ashtray with out the rests set into place.
Close up of one of the reapers with out white accent slip.
Close up of one of the reapers with out white accent slip.
   
I added wings and the rests are set into place. this is the first coat of white accent slip before the first touch up sculpt.
Second coat of white accent slip after the second touch up sculpt.
This is the piece after the third and final coat of white accent slip and after the final touch up sculpt.