Process

CLAY

For sculpture, I use a low-fire earthenware clay. Earthenware is iron rich and produces beautiful colors ranging from orange to red to brown when fired.

Solid Build Method

I use a method of ceramic sculpture called solid building. The sculpture starts as a continuous piece of clay, from which I can carve, manipulate, or add more clay onto. Once the form is in place, I let the clay set until the outer later is slightly hard. Now begins the hollowing process.

Drying

Once the piece has been hollowed and put back together, it is called “greenware.” But greenware needs to be completely dry before it can be fired in a kiln. When heated rapidly, moisture can cause cracks, fractures, and explosions in the clay.

All in all, it depends on the climate, but I typically like to let pieces dry for a couple weeks before I put them into the kiln.

For more in depth information on my glazing and underglazing, click the link.

Hollowing Pieces

To hollow a piece, I typically section it off by the limbs or whatever gives me the most access to clay. What’s left should be a quarter to half inch thick walls.

After all is hollowed, the pieces are put back together through scoring. Removing clay from the center of the sculpture allows the piece to dry evenly and reduce issues in the kiln. It can take two weeks to a month to complete this process.

Making of Apologues, my BFA thesis show

Firing

I bought a Skutt Kiln, specifically a Skutt 1227 (240V/Single Phase – KM Controller). I wanted to be able to fire back to back while not operating something that