Soft Glass – the Aesthetic Qualities of Kiln Formed Glass with Recycled Inclusions

SOFT GLASS – THE AESTHETIC QUALITIES OF KILN FORMED GLASS WITH RECYCLED INCLUSIONS SELINA-JAYNE TOPHAM A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the Birmingham City University for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy August 2012 The Faculty of Art and Design, Birmingham Institute of Art and Design, Birmingham City University Abstract My research is about combining recycled materials with glass structures to produce textile artworks that have unique aesthetic qualities and a considerable lifespan. This thesis examines the technical development of kiln-formed glass voided structures, the aesthetic qualities of colour and softness and the effect of the research experience on my practice. The practical element of the research consisted of 18 experiments inspired by visits to the Seychelles and Barbados. The technical development was informed by concepts of being and non-being and by glass-making processes dating back to 1650 BC in Northern Mesopotamia, as well as fabric manipulation techniques thought to have originated in the fourteenth century in Sicily. Some 37 technical principles were discovered together with documented firing schedules that could be generalised to kiln-formed glass making. In terms of artwork aesthetics a methodology was developed that identified 32 qualities informed by colour theories. To eliminate errors in terminology the origins of each of these colour theories were identified and described using examples of artworks from living artists. The main aesthetic qualities identified were light/dark contrast, colour direction in terms of composition and optical colour mixing, with the latter being traced back to theory associated with early Christian glass mosaics. I also discovered how my roles of artist maker and researcher led to insights that contextualised my practice the most profound of which resulted from revisiting an experimental failure, which led to the identification of a new aesthetic quality of softness based on visual perception rather than tactile response. In my conclusion I describe experiments that link softness to future products and artworks that further explore colour direction, being and non- being. i Acknowledgements This dissertation would not have been possible without the help of several individuals and institutions for which I am truly grateful. My supervisory team Professor Colin Gale (Director of Studies), Dr Susan Dawes, Professor Darren Newbury and Professor Peter Davies. Professor Kevin Petrie, Professor Sylva Petrova, Professor Keith Cummings for their inputs on glass and kiln forming techniques. Professor Lesley Millar for the inspirational exhibitions and conferences on textile art. Professor Vivien Hodgson for guidance on research methods. Dr Francis Boag and Dr Susan Liggett for inputs on aesthetic qualities. Michael Adams MBE for being my fine art inspiration throughout my career. Dr. Klaus Weber Curator Bauhaus-Archiv / Museum fuer Gestaltung, Berlin; Dr Regan Brumagen, Reference and Emerging Technologies Librarian, Rakow Research Library at the Corning Museum of Glass, NY; Father Justin Monastery of St Catherine at Mount Sinai. British Museum, London; Toledo Museum of Art, OH; and The Broadfield House Glass Museum, Stourbridge, for helping with research into glass. Museum of the Palazzo Davanzati in Florence, Italy; Victoria and Albert Museum; The Society of Antiquaries of London; The Royal Society of Needlework, London; and the United States Patent and Trademark Office for helping with research into textile fabrication techniques. I would also like to thank my sponsors, Schott AG for all their technical help on glass and providing the lighting. Northern Kilns for supplying the bespoke kiln. Finally, the Arts and Humanities Research Council for their funding throughout the research. ii Contents Page Chapter One: Introduction Background 1 Textile Sculptures 1 Significance of Glass 3 Significance of Recycled Inclusions and Found Objects 4 Practice Led Research 5 Research Questions 6 Presentational Issues 6 Structure of Thesis 7 Chapter Two: Historical and Contemporary Contexts The Significance of Glass Voids 10 Trapunto Fabric Manipulation 15 Florentine Trapunto 20 Trapunto Techniques 22 Slitting Technique 22 Layering Technique 23 Stuffing Technique 24 Core Forming 26 Core Material 28 Glass Type 32 Glass Forming 33 Glass Annealing 36 Glass Decoration 39 Summary: Chapter Two 39 Chapter Three: Aesthetic Qualities and Colour Conceptual Map and Matrix 41 Colour Theory 43 Colour Contrast 44 Contrast of Hue 45 Light/Dark Contrast 48 Contrast of Saturation 52 Cold Warm Contrast 55 Contrast of Extension 57 Complementary Contrast 58 Colour Composition 61 Colour Harmony 61 Colour Direction 64 Simultaneous Pattern 71 Colour Optics 73 Transparency and Colour 75 Reflection and Colour 77 Optical Colour Mixing 80 Summary: Chapter Three 83 iii Chapter Four: Small Glass Experiments Practice Foundations and Tensions 85 Preliminary Experiments 88 Small Glass Experiments 1-12 90 Experiment 1 91 Experiment 2 97 Experiment 3 101 Experiment 4 106 Experiment 5 111 Experiment 6 116 Experiment 7 121 Experiment 8 125 Experiment 9 128 Experiment 10 131 Experiment 11 135 Experiment 12 139 Summary: Chapter Four 142 Chapter Five: Large Glass Experiments Introduction 146 Experiment 13 – Caribbean Sunset 147 Experiment 14 – St Peter District 152 Experiment 15 – Andromeda Gardens 158 Experiment 16 – Caribbean Sea 162 Experiment 17 – Paynes Bay 169 Experiment 18 – Heliconia Plant 173 Summary: Chapter Five 179 Chapter Six: Turning Failure into Success Softness as an Aesthetic Quality 183 Summary: Chapter Six 190 Chapter Seven: Conclusions Research Aims Revisited 191 Insights into Colour and Theory 193 Generalisation and Wider Perspective 195 Future Research 196 Concluding Reflective Statement 198 Bibliography 199 iv Appendices Appendix 1 Glossary 213 Appendix 2 Extracts from Aesthetic Log 219 Appendix 3 Firing Schedule Glass Type Artista COE 94 276 Appendix 4 Firing Schedule Glass Type Bullseye COE 90 277 Appendix 5 Firing Schedule Glass Type Uroboros COE 90 278 Appendix 6 Firing Schedule Glass Type Spectrum 96 COE 96 279 Appendix 7 Firing Schedule Glass Type Baoli COE 90 280 Appendix 8 Firing Schedule Tray 1 Artista Coloured Glass Samples 281 Appendix 9 Firing Schedule Tray 2 Bullseye Coloured Glass Samples 282 Appendix 10 Firing Schedule Tray 3 Spectrum Coloured Glass Samples 283 Appendix 11 Firing Schedule Tray 4 Uroboros Dichroic Glass Samples 284 Appendix 12 Table Showing Anticipated Unique Aesthetic Qualities 285 Appendix 13 Firing Schedule Preliminary Experiment 1 286 Appendix 14 Firing Schedule Preliminary Experiment 2, 3 & 4 287 Appendix 15 Kiln Specification 288 Appendix 16 Cotton Dye Recipe Charts 289 Appendix 17 Silk Fibre Acid Dye Recipe Chart 291 Appendix 18 Firing Schedule Background Samples E1-E30 292 Appendix 19 Experiments 1-12 (2008/2009) Timeline 293 Appendix 20 Firing Schedule Experiment 1 294 Appendix 21 Firing Schedule Experiment 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 & 12 295 Appendix 22 Firing Schedule Experiment 3 296 Appendix 23 Firing Schedule Experiments 10 & 11 297 Appendix 24 Experiments 1-12 Technical Principles 298 Appendix 25 Experiments 1-12 Matrix Positions and Colour Theory 300 Appendix 26 Experiments 13-18 (2009/2010) Timeline 301 Appendix 27 Firing Schedule Experiment 13 302 Appendix 28 Firing Schedule Experiment 14 303 Appendix 29 Firing Schedule Experiment 14a, 15, 16 & 17 304 Appendix 30 Experiment 16 Task List and Time Sheet 305 Appendix 31 Firing Schedule Experiment 18 308 Appendix 32 Experiments 13-18 Matrix Positions and Colour Theory 309 Appendix 33 Experiments 1-18 Technical Principles 310 Appendix 34 Variance Between Original and Final Artista Firing Schedules 314 Appendix 35 Structure of CD Rom 315 v List of Illustrations Figure 1.1 Akester, K., (2007) Folded Dress: Button Detail [Glass] in 2 Cummings, K. (2009) Contemporary Kiln-Formed Glass: A World Survey. London: A & C Black (Publishers) Limited. pp.125-126. Figure 1.2 Dias-Leaŏ, D., (2005) Ceramic and Glass Dress 3 [Glass, Ceramics and Textiles] in Christley, J. and Evans. C., (eds.) (2006) British Glass Biennale 2006. UK: International Festival of Glass. p.39. Figure 1.3 Island Art from Discarded Materials in Author’s Own Collection. 4 Figure 1.4 Topham, S., (2013) Initial Conceptual Map [Diagram]. 6 Figure 2.1 Cooley, J., (2004) Glass Dish [Fused and Slumped Glass] 10 in Christley, J. and Evans. C., (eds.) (2004) British Glass Biennale 2004. UK: International Festival of Glass. p.18. Figure 2.2 Dutton, J., (2001) Memory Dress [Fabric and Found Objects] 11 in Exhibition Catalogue: Inspirations: The Textile Tradition Then and Now. Bath: The American Museum in Britain. p.25. Figure 2.3 Aldridge, L., (2009) Glass Dish with Metal Foils 12 [Fused and Slumped Glass] in Cummings, K., (2009) Contemporary Kiln-Formed Glass: A World Survey. London: A & C Black (Publishers) Limited. p.106. Figure 2.4 Urbanowicz, T., (2003) Catch a Wind [Slumped Glass] 13 in Moor, A., (2006) Colours of Architecture. Great Britain: Octopus Publishing Group Limited. p.159. Figure 2.5 MacDonald, S., (1977) Bowl [Fused Glass and 14 Heat Resistant Inclusions] in Cummings, K., (1997) Techniques of Kiln-Formed Glass. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. p.70. Figure 2.6 Lees, W., (1991) Sea Urchin [Textile] in Lees, W. (1991) 16 Inspired to Stitch. Great Britain: David & Charles. p.113. vi Figure 2.7 Ivory King. Egyptian, c.3000 BC., Height 8.8 cm., 16 [Ivory] Registration number: 1903,1010.1. Image © The Trustees of

Load more