Monday, June 6, 2016

Sounds of Ceramic Windchimes

I have been making porcelain wind chimes again. For me, it is a kinetic art form, as well as one of the first musical instruments.  Thin, texured pieces of porcelain are rolled and cut out, fired once, and then again at a very high temperature with the color added.
 Here I added small, turquoise creatures and beads for a specific client's order. I chose the earth tones of iron oxide. However I have used cobalt blue, and am working on   a green hued chime at present. 
I included a picture of me holding them outside in the sunlight.  I use fishing line so there is the appearance of all the pieces floating in the breeze. I love the sound that the clay creates as the wind makes them dance.
Historically,  wind chimes have been found in Africa, dating back to  3,000 BC. Early models were made from natural found objects,  such  as bone, shell, or bamboo. later The Chinese passed them onto the Japanese, and then to the western world in the 1800's. 
There is something very soothing and meditative, hearing the sounds of the small pieces of porcelain ring against each other. I guess it is a sound of summer, which has finally arrived here in Sedona.

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