2019 Joint Mathematics Meetings
Elizabeth Paley
Artists
Statement
A recovered academic with degrees in physics, astronomy, piano performance, and music theory, I have been working with clay since 2002. My art often begins with wheel-thrown pieces that I subsequently alter, cut, and assemble.
Artworks
DT-MSH/TC Klein Bottle
16 x 23 x 19 cm
Stoneware
2015
This Klein bottle representation was constructed from two wheel-thrown tori that were cut, assembled, and pierced. After bisque firing, the "mouth" of the bottle was lightly airbrushed with a copper-green glaze. The form was then fired in a wood-fueled kiln to ~2240°F. Soda ash was added late in the firing process; sodium ions from the ash react with silicates in the clay to produce a glassy finish. The form was later re-fired in a wood kiln to ~2350°F to achieve a glassier surface. The variations in surface color arise from the firing process, which induces orange "flashing" on the white clay and can fortuitously capture carbon, copper, and other elements from the kiln atmosphere.