Ceramic Press-Molded Tire

 I enjoy the seam lines.  How the slip oozes out and looks like a weld on steel.   It is a record of the substitution.  The process it has gone through.

I made an 8 piece plaster mold of an old tire I found in my back yard.  A Winston Californian 1 20570R14.  Seemed like the perfect object at the time to represent a memory.

 Notice the edges of the clay slabs, I made flanges to assist in joining the press-molded shapes, as well as act as a buttressing system to add support to the final clay form.

In the lower right of the picture is a maquette of the final sculpture.

A tire swing leaning against a wall, discarded, oozing a viscous substance from its central core.

I worked on an egg crate covered in plastic.  First made the attachments to connect the sidewall of the tire; getting ready to connect tread section #1.  Scored and slipped both surfaces and wiggled and squeezed the attachments to ensure proper weld.

The slip I use is the consistency of a "milkshake". 

Added an extra buttress in the middle of each sidewall section for added support.

 Tire after attaching all four tread sections. 

 Connected section #1 of the other sidewall.  This was tough to squeeze the flanges together as my arm doesn't bend this way.

Finally closed the tire up and am  hoping this connection is good as I misplaced my elf that day who lives inside closed forms to squeeze the final flange seams together.

Add more as I make it.

Thanks for visiting,
Bryan Yerian