Welcome to my studio:


This has been my studio since 1986. It was used as a Homeopathic Doctor's office in the early 1920's and stands next to our 1890 farmhouse. After working 10 years in an unheated garage and a basement with small windows, this was a palace. When I added the reliefs to throwing, I reorganized the space to accommodate a slab roller, large table and shelves for stains. The reliefs take a very long time to dry, so the wheel thrown work of each kiln load happens after carving the reliefs.
 

Process:


From the slab roller, I am able to slide the large slabs directly to a long working surface. Using as many as 8 thin slabs of paper clay, I layer one on top of the other, slowly carving a copy of my photograph. This process takes 2-5 days. The biggest challenge is to create the illusion of distance and depth in less than I”. Lately, I have been bringing parts of the image out into space. After the pieces dry, I use earth oxides and mason stains to approximate the photograph’s colors. I have tested hundreds of oxides and stains, resulting in a sample palate of hundreds of test tiles to match colors. The pieces are slowly, single-fired, to cone 6, reduction (2,150°), sharing the kiln with my wheel-thrown, functional work.
The reduction atmosphere gives the stains and oxides their warm rich colors. The firing process is extremely stressful on these large thin slabs and many are lost. Occasionally, I adjust small areas of color, mixing earth oxides or stains with mat acrylic medium. The working slabs are aprox. 14"x24", finished they average 11"x22" by 1/2"thick, to 3" for those with 3-dimensional elements. Each relief is unique, with changes and variations in the carving and the colors- both intentional and from the whim of the flame. I am also constantly changing the techniques of layering, carving and molding the clay. As opposed to a series of prints where each is almost identical, these are in a series of "non-identical but related images" based on the same photograph. For some, I have two series, one a fairly straightforward copy and one where elements are distorted or stretched.