Looking at the Process

I had to give an “Artist’s Talk” last Friday. Since several people have inquired about how I make my sculptures, I thought you might like a little description of my process. Also here is the little write up in the local paper:

And here’s the link to the TV interview https://fb.watch/iXVW5OGu1c/
And this is the link to the video of my Artist’s Talk but it will only be available for viewing until April 3rd.

For a long time I’ve been in what my friend terms my “orbicular phase”. I’m in love with the sphere and I consider it the perfect shape. My initial fascination was with pollen. That led to fungus, seeds, parasites and bacteria. Then I discovered coccoliths and lately viruses. I’ve been making viruses since before the pandemic. (It was a little creepy when I made my coronavirus sculpture and then BOOM! the pandemic shut everything down.) It was not my fault as some have suggested!

I currently have about 150 pounds of clay on my studio shelf. Most of it is white stoneware. It is a lower grog clay that doesn’t rip up your hands when you throw on the wheel (not that I’ll ever be caught working on the wheel). I have a bag of dark stoneware because I get a bag of clay as part of my studio fee and they were out of the white stoneware. The dark is high grog and is like working with cement as it is very gritty. And I have a bag of porcelain clay. Porcelain doesn’t have any grog and feels like corn starch – smooth. Sadly it doesn’t like to be manipulated and is completely sucky for hand building. It tends to crack easily when it is drying. I only have it because it was a gift. I mix it with the white stoneware when adding appliques to an orb just to get rid of it and to make the glaze colors look brighter.

As for the process of making an orb, I’ve been asked many times if I throw them on the wheel. The answer is that the wheel stifles my creativity and I avoid it at all costs. So here are some of the same photos that I used in my powerpoint of making an orb:
1. I start with a chunk of clay. This one is about 2.5 in. sq.

2. I will push, pat, and pound the clay into a ball. (I don’t wedge the clay unless it is reclaimed.)

3. Once round, I insert my thumb into the center to make a hole.

4. I proceed to work the clay between thumb and fingers to enlarge the inner diameter of what is essentially a pinch pot.

5. I try to keep the opening as small as possible and to make the walls a uniform thickness. Then it is time to squeeze the clay opening to close the hole. I work around the opening to reduce the size.

6. Using water on the edges of the opening, slowly bring the edges closer working in a circular manner until you close the hole.

7. Once the opening is closed, the air trapped inside prevents the orb from collapsing. The sphere can then be rolled on a flat surface and then in the hands to create a smooth surface and a perfectly round shape.

8. At this point the orb is ready for embellishments. Using a slip and score technique, I apply the clay in various patterns. This one is a rendition of Hepatitis B virus where the surface is covered in interlocking 5-armed asterisks.

The last part will be to add slip dots to the ends of the asterisk arms and to allow for escape of air from the interior by poking several small pin holes in the orb. Once the pin holes are made the orb can be collapsed with even slight pressure to the clay! It is loosely covered so that it dries slowly to avoid cracking. I also place the piece on a holder consisting of 2 pieces of soft foam where the top piece has a divot cut out to support the orb.

Advertisement