WORKING BIG

Big, for me is anything I have to do in segments because it's too tall for my kiln. This is my first piece that is taller than the 27" of my scutt.

 Because of the organic way I work, I can't just slice it up in the manner of Viola Frey. Instead, I have to come up with a solution that fits the open construction method I use. The paper towel marks the division between the two segments and I had to add a base to compensate for tipping. This turned out to be a BIG learning curve for me. Weight, balance, human anatomy all needed rethinking when I made this big jump in scale.

Feats of Clay

This is a shot of my work as it is seen in the exhibit space at Gladding Mc Bean factory in Lincoln,  Ca. My piece was shown in one of the giant (and I do mean giant) beehive kilns on the ground floor. This place has been making large scale ceramic products for 130 years. They have the molds for all of the victorian trim used on big buildings across the U.S. and they continue to do restoration work today. The only way to see the clay show is to tour the factory. Call Lincoln Arts at 916-645-9713 for reservations. It will be up until May 31. 

Comparison

It has been 4 or 5 years since I laid down my paint brushes and started making clay sculptures.

Sometimes, it's good to look back and see where one has been. The comparison is stark. I started with a vessel form that "grew" figures from the wall. At some point, I realized that the wall of a thrown pot was really a slab if I opened it up. This was a great discovery. I started working with slabs exclusively and it changed my process completely. I could now work larger, exploring the pose and discovering how to make expressive folds. As my pieces got larger, I had to abandon pit fire as a surface effect because the pieces were just too fragile. oxides and under glazes are my main surface treatment now.

The connection

I was a plein air landscape painter for over 20 years and I have been puzzled by my "leave it all behind" jump into clay. I saw no continuity. Today I saw the connection. My landscapes always had movement. The brushstrokes looked as if blown by the wind, ever restless. My sculptures have a similar restless quality. They are always in motion. The figures twist and arch.

Paper Clay

I love paper clay. once I started using it instead of the other traditional clays, I was hooked. You can add wet work to already dry pieces. That is what I am doing here. I rarely use horses as a subject, but now I see them as a spirit guide for me (in the Zuni tradition)
The horse is totally dry and I am adding wings of wet clay.

first day of spring

This is the start of a new season. Much is happening. I am in several shows right now and the next push is to get new work started. The drying time for clay can be weeks in the winter so I am waiting to fire and having some trouble starting the next set as I contemplate my newly finished work.