SEGMENTS

The size of the kiln has always been the limiting factor in my quest to be more exuberant in my work. The open nature of my sculptures encourages warping when I work a piece in segments. I think I am finally getting a handle on how to keep the spontaneous nature while expanding the size. This piece will hang from 2 carefully spaced hangers on a wall.

HORSES???

Horses were a large part of my teenage and young adulthood. Their power and their grace amaze me.  I'm a romantic about horses. BUT, I never sculpt them because I think in Human terms and emotions. So...I'm surprised that this mini-series has come up for me. Perhaps I'm calling on my horse totem to access power for the road ahead.

COLOR

I have been working with porcelain surfaces lately and using brighter colors. This is a big step away from the iron oxide that has dominated my work thus far. These ladies are a sample of what I'm doing. I'm still feeling my way around this explosion of color...so, how much is too much?

FROM SKETCH TO FINAL OUTCOME

Earlier, I blogged about a sketch that intrigued me, but I had my doubts about pulling it off because of the complexity. It was a long process wherein I adapted some new skills,but it finally came to life. Today I had a photo taken and I'm very pleased with this new piece. It's exactly what I was thinking of when I did the sketches.

GOOD COMPANY

I am enjoying a new relationship with the Contemporary Fine Art Gallery in La Jolla. My work is side-by-side with some wonderful painters. The energies seem complimentary. I find myself in very good company.

MY SKETCHBOOK

I keep a sketchbook...sometimes more than one (so I always have one with me) I sketch out ideas that are so fleeting that I don't think much about them, but often they will flower into my next sculpture. (and sometimes it's the mental equivalent of taking out the garbage)
Sometimes I don't have any idea about how to make it happen in clay, but if the idea is important to me the sketch will recur again and again until I figure it out.
This sketch is a long ways outside what I would normally attempt, but it feels important so I will try.

LOOKING BACK

Like most of us in clay, my first studio was the classroom. (Thank you Laney College) When I finally got my very own kiln. (a big Scutt) I went wild for a time, making works that would fill up the firing space. Never mind that I didn't yet have the craft aspect under my control. I made some good-looking faulty pieces. They remain, my "special children" who can't go out into the world for fear of falling apart.