Learning to Sculpt

I don't sculpt.  I should say, I've never tried to sculpt before.  A few weeks ago I decided I would start teaching myself.  My cousin had been posting photos of her new pet hedgehog so I figured that was a good place to start.

My first two stoneware hedgies

These were my first two tries.  Not so great but not so bad as to make me quit trying right then and there (my complaining would suggest otherwise).  I took some advice from friends and kept going.

Silly stoneware hedgehog with tiny body

I don't know what happened here.  He came out with a big head and almost no body.  Ok, let's try some more.  

Two stoneware frogs and a hedgehog

This little guy made me happy.  His head to body ratio was better and I changed the shape of his mouth (also based on feedback from friends).  After I made a couple of hedgehogs I played around and made those little frog heads.  

Start of a stoneware cat face 

After the hedgehogs and frogs, I decided to try a cat face.  I made little silly-looking cat face charms a few years ago but decided it was time to up my game.  I rolled out a base and then attached two balls of clay for ears and began shaping them.

Cat face before eyes

I kept adding and taking away clay, adding more and taking some away.  Eventually I was left with a face with no eyes.  I couldn't decide how to make them.

Cat faces with two different types of eyes

Originally I made faces with the eyes on the left.  They didn't look right to me so I got more feedback and then made a change to one of them.  I carved out the eye area and then rolled two little balls and pressed them in.  I left the other one as-is just so I could see how the finished pieces would look.

Some of the finished test pieces with oxide and glaze

After all the pieces were sponged, bisque-fired, stained and glazed, I glaze-fired them and these were the end results.  I'm happy with the hedgehogs and frogs but the cat faces need some further adjustments.  

I started working on some more last week.  Here's a little hedgehog in porcelain.  I want to test a specific glaze on him.

Porcelain hedgehog

So my goal this week is to make some more in stoneware with the necessary adjustments and hopefully have a batch of them ready sometime next week.  It's been a fun (and at times frustrating) process trying to teach myself something as simple as these little animals.  I'm excited though to see what else I'll be able to create as I gain more experience.

Happy Beading!

Inspiration from the East

I’ve always been a little bit in love with Japanese culture. Their dress, traditions and landscapes are truly inspiring. They seem to create everything just perfectly, from gardens to architecture to art. You can feel their heritage running through it. 

Every year they celebrate the flowering of cherry trees. The tradition is called Ohanami and means  'go and watch the Sakura blossoms'

I think it’s the sense of history that runs through their lives that I find most appealing. Traditions started thousands of years ago are still followed to this day.

Koishikawa Korakuen garden in Tokyo was created in 1629 and is now surrounded by office buildings.

And they proudly pass these traditions through to their children to keep them alive. Our house is currently joining in with some of their culture by watching Totoro on repeat… a wonderful animated story of two Japanese children who befriend woodland spirits and are rewarded with nuts and seeds to plant in their garden. The Japanese believe that the world is fully spiritually alive which I think is a wonderful belief to have!

Totoro and friends making the trees grow.

Their traditional dress is Kimono. It literally means ‘thing to wear’ 

A little bit fancier than it's name suggests!

They are made from silk and can be suited to any occasion, including weddings, geisha and maiko, and were even part of the armour worn by samurai.

Vintage Japanese doll in Samurai armour

Kimono have no pockets, so to carry their medicines, brushes, tobacco or money, wearers would either tuck them in to the sleeves, or wear them on their belts in hanging Sagemono (little boxes). The boxes were hung from a cord with ojime (a sliding bead) and the cord was passed behind the belt and held in place with a netsuke to stop it from slipping through. It’s the netsuke that particularly appeals to me. They are little carvings, made from wood, precious stones, ivory, shell or metal and could be seen as a giant bead. 

Wearing an Inro (medicine box) held in place with a netsuke.

Manjunetsuke

There are many different types of netsuke and are carved to represent all kinds of objects including flora and fauna, heroes, mystical beasts and daily activities and many were believed to be talismans. 

Plum Blossom Netsuke

Street performers

Ivory Dragon

Rabbit with the moon

I’m currently waiting for a book delivery from Amazon on some of the carving techniques which I hope will transfer to clay sculpting, but already inspired by these tiny carvings, I have been trying out some miniature designs of my own. 

New tools!

I recently treated myself to a new set of tools so tested them out on some porcelain clay. 

Forest Bead

Trees

My favourite subject - a running hare

They're not a patch on the proper netsuke, but I really like how they turned out, a little 3dimensional picture you can wear! I hope to have some free time to make more soon! 

Disclaimer: This post does not in any way condone the use of ivory. The sample shown is purely for art appreciation purposes and should be viewed in the context of the time in which it was created. 

Freeform Friday: Dia de los Muertos

Dia de los Muertos in Old Town San Diego. Ofrenda altar, paper mache calavera, ceramic Muertos figurine, papel picado. (Images - Jenny Davies-Reazor)

I have always been drawn to the Dia de Los Muertos. I have lived in a city where it is celebrated exuberantly; I have taught it as an art/culture project. At this time of year, I set up altars in my home to remember the loved ones that are no longer with me... I think acknowledging death is healthy - as this holiday strives to recognize death as a part of life - to be respected, honored, but not avoided or made taboo. In Mexico and many other locations near and far, families gather. Graves are weeded and decorated. Altars arranged with photos and favorite foods of the departed. And through stories, jokes, symbols and memories - the departed are with the living once again. 

Sugar skulls are an iconic item created, decorated, gifted, and offered at this time of year. Traditionally covered in colorful patterns of icing, colored foils, and even rhinestones - they can get extremely elaborate! Skulls, or calaveras such as these pictured here were my inspiration this week. 

Sugar skulls. 

The original sculpting...

The first batch I created was in porcelain... and I have impressed designs and patterns into the clay. Loops are also embedded for stringing, etc. I have not applied the clear glaze and fired them for the second glaze firing yet...

The second batch (shown below) is polymer. I wanted to build patterns up - which I can do with porcelain of course... but I wanted to stick things in! That inherent difference between the clays has piqued my renewed interest in polymer of late.

Floral and impressed designs

A plethora of pretties. Glass beads and gems embedded in polymer. 

I regret to say there is no completed reveal as of yet. Dia de los Muertos isn't until November 1st! I have a little time. But if you feel the need to shop for sugar skull inspired pretties - let me tempt your palette with these sweet offerings from fellow artist/jewelers/component makers: 

Shopping for sugar skulls: Gaea beads, Joan Miller porcelain, Green Girl Studios, Earthenwood Studio. 

I hope you have enjoyed this festive, colorful post. Were you familiar with the Day of the Dead? Enjoy the season as leaves turn and the air feels crisp... and I leave you with one more stunning beauty...

Ceramic "Catrina" Calavera. Image: Linda Landig

These dazzling detailed sculptures depict a female skeleton known as "Catrina" named after the famous zinc etching by Jose Posada in 1910.

"La Calavera Catrina" print by Jose Posada.