What is Quartz Inversion?
No, it’s not a quart of milk standing on its head. It’s the point at which silica crystals in clay change their molecular structure during the rise and fall of temperatures in the kiln. Heat serves as a catalyst for permanent change. Very cool idea. I think of it as a metaphor for most things in life. The transformational power of art can change us at the very core. Our actions change the earth every day, for better or worse. The choices we make, the thoughts we have, and the words we say change us in every way at every moment--from the inside out. I like to think that I go through a quartz inversion on a regular basis....and once quartz inversion occurs, there is no going back.
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Monday, July 5, 2010

110 degrees in the shade.....

work in progress

After many weeks of avoiding the studio because of the heat, I chose today, the hottest day of the year so far, to get back to work. It's been so hot in my apartment/studio that several of my pieces have started literally melting and peeling. But with the heat showing no signs of letting up I decided the time was either now or October to get some work done.

Strangely enough, I can tolerate the heat of the studio much better than I can the heat of the blazing New York streets, so once I got started I was on a roll with heat gun, hot plate, and sunshine baking my workspace. Unfortunately, I was stopped short by a self-inflicted gash on my left pointer finger. I narrowly avoided a trip to the emergency room with quick thinking and a brown paper bag to stop the gushing blood......I was able to at least get a start on a new piece, priming a hardboard and placing it in the freezer to avoid melting. Since this heat wave shows no signs of abating I guess I will working all summer long in the inferno that is my studio and home....