This is my slab box.

To make the box, I started by rollnig 6 slabs of clay. This is not as easy as it sounds - they have to be all of equal thickness and should be smooth and free of dents. After I had them rolled, I let them dry a bit in order to make the assembly easier. Unfortunately, I let them dry too much, and in the process of drying, they warped terribly! Luckily, with a quick dip in a bowl of water, they were maleable and I salvaged the slabs. I then pieced them together in the form of a box wihout a top. I left the top separate and added the figurine. Then, the building was done.

Before it was fired, I painted over the box with scraffito and scratched out root shapes in order to give the roots a scratchy, earthy texture. Then, the box was fired. After the bisque firing, I covered the box with clear glaze in order to create gloss and sheen. I must have painted on the glaze too thickly, because some of the box was complete covered with grey color, which I did not intend to happen.

In the end, I think this project wasn't entirely successful. The tree did not have a realistic form, and the glazing job covered up some of the colors which added interest. Next time, I'll have to take more time to add details that will add to the realism of the work. Also, I'll have to be careful with the glaze, making sure only to apply one thin coat.

This is my first clay project. It's just a simple pinch pot - with some added flare.

I first hand-built the main body. As with any hand-building, it was difficult to make a smooth and symmetrical shape, but I worked on it for a while and I was eventually satisfied. Next I built a foot for the pot, which offered stability and made for a nicer proportion in the artwork.

After it was all built, it had a nice shape, but it still looked a bit plain. I decided to add texture by scratching the outside of the pot with a fork. I made deep and rough scratches in a kind of spiral down the side of the cup. Then, it went into the kiln. After the bisque firing, I glazed the pot with a rich brown. I was surprised to see that when it came out of the kiln, the brown had become black inside the cracks. Thanks to this unintentional effect, the coloring was quite striking!

In the end, I'm happy with my first project. I think I'll use it to hold keys, coins and other small things. I now have a key bowl that looks quite wild!

My First Project!

I just finished my first project, a snail! It's a wire sculpture, hand made, wrapped in paper mache with paint. I chose to have it's shell completely covered, creating positive space, while the snail's body is uncovered. The use of negative space symbolizes the transparancy of all of us, and how when we feel threatened we withdraw to the safety of our "shells." The snail is a metaphor for human interaction.