Friday, July 13, 2012

There Was A Time Before Paper Clay

"Elephant Romance" 1986. One of my early works. Hand built slab construction from SOBT clay from Aardvark Clay in Santa Ana, California.  Fired to Cone 10 reduction. Stained with red iron oxide. Approx. size 18'H x 10"W x 10"D.

When it was drying, some one wrote a note and left it. It said, "Elephant Romance." I liked the title and it stuck!


My original design called for tapering "branches" but as the piece got higher, it started to slump so the design was altered to this final form. This was the issue I was running into using a traditional clay body - the weight and the slumping when the clay is wet.

It wasn't until 2004 when I discovered paper clay while surfing the web for ceramic sculptures.

 

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