Diagenesis is the process of geological changes that take place when one form of sedimentary rock is changed into another over time at lower temperature and pressure. When you break it down to the root, it means "two origins." The term really resonates with where I currently am in my process with these projects. New elements are still finding their way in, but it's a vein I've been working in long enough now that the processes are starting to condense down into something more solid. I have done my wild explorations and have a familiarity with the materials that allows for more considered compositions—injecting some order into the chaos.

Below are two in progress pieces. The hanging piece is much closer to completion, though I'm still working on building up the outer shell of the form. The standing piece is what I've done revisiting that wire structure I made early on in our blog, building up around the armature but it's still in the relatively early stages of construction.

The smaller pieces below are finished explorations. The first playing with both the 3d and 2d surfaces and bringing some drawing elements back into the work. The second, limited color into the work while trying to maintain the delicacy and transparency of the base materials in order to let the colored lights really play across the surface.

Wow. It has been a crazy few weeks. Here's the latest lantern...which I don't think is quite finished. I don't feel as though I've particularly made any great progress or earth shattering revelations (artistically at least) in the month since my last post. I'm trying to break apart the base structure of the lantern more, and build off of it, mimicking the initial construction techniques...but I haven't really been able to play with other light sources yet.

Having the deadline has been good for me though. I may have pushed it a bit later, but even through car troubles, job chaos, and medical emergencies...SOMETHING did get finished. Is it crazy that I miss the luxury of being able to pull all nighters to work a project out? Oh adult responsibilities. Regardless, it is good to know that these habits are establishing themselves...and that I have you ladies to keep me honest.

Now that I'm mobile again, I need to kick it into high gear! Have to get ready for that art walk...

--Katie

I love lamp.

I really did love making this lamp. Illumination is something that I've been thinking about a lot in relation to my work. How pieces have been lit has always been important to me, and I want to start making that a more intrinsic part of the work. I'm afraid sometimes, though, that as I try to figure out the mechanics of it things end up feeling clunky or gimmicky.

This first one was done off of a ready-made Chinese lantern, and I have several others that I may use as bases. Though I'm still not sure how I feel about how instantly recognizably they are as underlying forms. Because of that, I've started to make my own wire structure to build from. I've included a picture of the one I've started and plan to start papering soon.

The last is a large butcher paper collage that I'm playing with on my big wall. I've been making large, loose ink sketches, cutting them apart, and reassembling them with shaped cardboard and textured paper elements. These feel more tied in with the small detailed drawings I've been doing in my sketchbook lately.

I feel like I'm going in a lot of different directions right now. I'm not sure if I want to keep pursuing each as separate explorations, or if I'll start to meld them into larger overall assemblages. I guess only time will tell.

--Katie