I am a clay GEEK. I LOVE clay...the touch, the smell of a newly opened bag, the making & embellishing of each piece & owning pots. If I could not be involved in the clay world I would be....LOST!
I come from a strong family tradition of working with ones hands...painters, carpenters, wood carvers, illustrators, and in this case, seamstresses. Similar to a garment fashioned from patterned cloth, I piece together my pots from embellished, velvety slabs of porcelain.
Even though my whimsical work looks decorative, I create each piece so that it is fully functional. I want the owner of my work to appreciate their handmade qualities, quirkiness and beauty as well as their utility. I like to concentrate on the tea/chocolate/dessert service. I am drawn to teapots and accompanying pots, because of each piece's complexity...the challenge they pose to the ceramic artist. From spouts to handles, to bellies that hold hot tea or chocolate, cream or sugar...sweet treats or spoons, service sets are the most satisfying creations. When addressing surface, I flaunt the nature of the clay by adding stamped and rolled texture before building. I also stress the clay building effort by filling negative spaces with textural elements and revealing seams. Pieces are colored with stains, under glazes and washes to emphasize those textures. Each piece is glazed for functionality.
I come from a strong family tradition of working with ones hands...painters, carpenters, wood carvers, illustrators, and in this case, seamstresses. Similar to a garment fashioned from patterned cloth, I piece together my pots from embellished, velvety slabs of porcelain.
Even though my whimsical work looks decorative, I create each piece so that it is fully functional. I want the owner of my work to appreciate their handmade qualities, quirkiness and beauty as well as their utility. I like to concentrate on the tea/chocolate/dessert service. I am drawn to teapots and accompanying pots, because of each piece's complexity...the challenge they pose to the ceramic artist. From spouts to handles, to bellies that hold hot tea or chocolate, cream or sugar...sweet treats or spoons, service sets are the most satisfying creations. When addressing surface, I flaunt the nature of the clay by adding stamped and rolled texture before building. I also stress the clay building effort by filling negative spaces with textural elements and revealing seams. Pieces are colored with stains, under glazes and washes to emphasize those textures. Each piece is glazed for functionality.
MY BIG FAT HOLLOW BOTTOMS~
click on the image for an explanation of the each part of the process.
Nearly all my pieces are created in this way...teabowls, bowls, cups, creamers, sugar bowls & teapots.
BONEGUY BEAKERS and TEAPOTS~
I begin by rolling out my slabs on the slabroller. After cutting the shape I need, I roll the clay thinner yet.
At the left of the photo you can see the same shape cut and ready to make multiples.
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Many times I add texture by using lazer cut card stock over the cut shape. Near the my slip bucket is the slump mold I will use to create a BoneGuy head for a cup.
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The multiples show the empty mouth created from cutting. I am pushing clay onto a ribbed wooded plate to create 'teeth' for the BoneGuy cup.
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I am smoothing the 'teeth' onto the backside of the h'ead' I created. they will show through to the front.
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I am putting the 1/4 circle slab for the 'head' into the slump mold. I will smear together the seam on the inside. I will leave the seam visible on the outside.
My slump molds are thrown so they are smooth on the inside and have asturdy bas on the outside. They are fired to ^04.
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Showing the inside of the mold. I will fill the empty space in the mold with textured clay coils.
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Creating the textured clay coils for the piece by rolling them over the ribbed wooded plate.
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Pressing the extra clay into the mold to add height to the cup.
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Pressing still...
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Slipping the near finished 'head' from the mold.
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Pushing a divit near the top for an 'eye'. I will also ad a pupil for more expression. Later I add a clay ball for a nose and push 'nostrils' into it. I might also add eyebrows or other facial features.
I create a 'body' by using the same mold and turning it the opposite direction. I add an arm for a handle.
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Shiva Diva & Bodhisattva Beakers: We are a teaset w/Shiva being the teapot.
12 (height of top knot) x 8 (arms) x 6" (width of cushion)
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Roger Jolly: I am a jar with a lid where my skull cap come off
11" x 6 x 4"
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I Told The Witchdoctor: I am a teapot with the lid being my hair, the spout is my spear and my arm is the handle
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BoneGuy Beaker: capacity is about 3/4 of a cup. I am 6-7 inches tall by 3 inches
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