13_University of Arizona demonstration

Gonzalo and I enjoyed giving a fresco demonstration to Alfred Quiroz's class at the University of Arizona (in Tucson) this afternoon, 22 October 2009. Basically we followed the same procedures as outlined in the UTEP demonstration, mixing one part lime to one part sand to make the fresco plaster, and then painting with MayaCrom® pigments. The students both plastered and painted several Hardibacker tiles.

Gonzalo talking to the painting students at beginning of the class:


Jeff knew how to plaster a tile:


Finished grinding Maya Blue in distilled water, with small glass muller (custom made):


Plastering assembly line:


Grinding Maya Yellow in distilled water:


Gonzalo learning from the students:


Everybody is busy:


Tiny bubbles formed in the fresco panels. I had never seen this before. Gonzalo pointed out that the Hardibacker cement board formed bubbles when we soaked them in water, and probably continued to form bubbles after we troweled on the plaster.

We re-troweled the plaster to clear the bubbles. However, in the future, we should probably soak the Hardibacker tiles until they no longer bubble -- at least 20 minutes:


Grinding Bioshield earth red pigment, that Jeff brought in. He said that it didn't go on as smoothly as the Mayacrom® Blue pigment, but Gonzalo liked painting with this color:


Student collaborating with Gonzalo:



Finished piece, Gonzalo/student collaboration:



Collaboration with the beautiful purple pigment:





Active collaboration:





This tile was begun prematurely, while the plaster surface still glistened with water:



Professor Alfred Quiroz collaborating with a student:


Professor/student collaboration:


Professor Alfred Quiroz's painting (not fresco) currently hanging in the faculty show:



Update: 5 November 2009 --

Professor Quiroz sent photos of the fresco demonstration:












The painted tiles from the demo were nice enough to frame. Thus we asked Mikee to weld some angle iron frames as an afterthought:


Framing Gonzalo's piece:


Welded angle iron frame with hanging wire:


PL375 heavy duty construction adhesive, bought at Home Depot:


Gluing, before laying fresco into frame:



Framed fresco on the wall:



Student fresco kept in plastic box for over 4 days (note condensation on lid):



Only one small crack in this fresco:


Student fresco collaboration framed:


This student fresco cracked and lifted off the tile, because it dried too fast. After we troweled the fresco plaster onto the tile, I immediately put it out in the sun to dry faster. That way students could paint on it before the demonstration ended. However, speed drying is not a good fresco practice:



Unfortunately this student fresco collaboration was a tad smaller than the metal frame:



Likewise, the metal frame is too big for this collaboration: