There is very little that is quite as satisfying for me as pulling a line through supple clay. It’s drawing and sculpture all in one.
The header photo shows a french bulldog’s nose cut from porcelain. To express the nature of this animal, the gesture in each of the pieces is really important. Yes technical perfection matters to a degree but only in service of capturing the personality. The idea is to use very few lines and each one being just the right shape, in fact in designing Rob and I both edit and edit some more to make sure that each line is necessary and has life to it.
Lines that comprise the Quince Tree design below are even less about precision than the dog’s nose and aren’t really about gesture either. Instead it's the movement and layering of the leaves and the spatial depth created with their placement that makes this design come alive and leads the viewer’s eyes around the composition. Glaze (color) of course also works well to define the depth and distance.
On the other hand Awakening Garden (below) throws many drawing rules out the window on purpose. It’s meant to be a sculptural collage that specifically uses the traditional tools of line, form and space in non-traditional ways to best express the concept of individuals within a collective experience.
The idea is that each of these life forms are waking up after a long period of dormancy. Each has its own individual character and thaws or comes to life in its own way, some with color (flowers), some with movement (leaves) and even the ground moves a little side to side as if each is a mini tectonic plate stretching. Each part is unique but together make up a whole.
Collage is a great tool for making abstract connections and @greyhawk and I wanted to give it a try using clay. Some flowers are completely flat like a 2 dimensional line drawing yet the leaves are curved forms without drawn lines. From a traditional drawing stand point this makes no sense, but this is part of the beauty of collage - putting together things that don’t make sense in terms of the craft yet work conceptually.
With every mosaic, glaze painting, and even every pot I make, line and form are considered. The relationship of these two artistic elements and how they work to express an idea is always in the forefront of my consciousness regardless of what I make.
Such a simple but effective design. Just took pictures of my own quince today, so recognised the leaf immediately. "Drawing" in clay makes for a gorgeous effect right inbetween 2 and 3D. Is it relief, is it depth? As you say the colour adds to both effects, but above all the forms are tactile, leading to a different (more physical) interaction than with say design on fabric or painted. This way the earthiness of clay is accentuated, while it is also lifted into the realm of weightless colour.
Your work is inspiring me to consider taking pottery lessons. Last time I sat at a wheel was 43 years ago! More recently, 12 yrs ago, modeled little things together with my son when he was young; but your work reminded me of how much more you can do with this material and how meditative it can be. Have you worked in porcelaine at all? (Recently studied Edmund de Waal.) Seems to be tricky stuff.
Hello @sukhasanasister and thanks for your comment. Clearly you really understand drawing in clay and in fact I think you may have explained it much better than I can!! It really made me smile to read your comment.
Much of my work has relief in it, like the Awakening Garden and much is in porcelain. The dog is porcelain and any work that will go outside. I also like throwing with porcelain and yes it is tricky but not as much as people say. It's just like any glaze or process - once you try it out and gain some experience with how it works/behaves then the handling becomes intuitive.
I really like Edmund de Waal's work...very worth studying!
Best wishes with diving back in to pottery....let me know if I can offer help.
Absolutely stunning. Found you at the @creativecrypto post.
thank you @blackant and glad you saw my article for the creative crypto!
I would imagine that drawing a line through the supple clay as you called it would be very therapeutic. This would be something that I think that I would enjoy doing. Workspace is my problem, I don't have enough of it to take on new hobbies. Just looking at your work has a calming effect on me. Thanks as always for sharing your artistic talents with us!
it IS therapeutic! In fact working in clay in most parts of the process is therapeutic for me and I love knowing that looking at it has that effect on you too! Thanks for taking a look at my work :-))
If I were to sum up an artist, I could easily use this and say, an artist is someone who can find art in the nose of a bulldog, a French one no less! :-D
I'm super jealous of your straight line cutting, it is my (rather small) ambition to one day pick up a pair of scissors, or scalpel even, and cut a straight line; I don't you do it, probably witchcraft!!
Also love the 3D vibe for the flowers, in fact this has been a really enjoyable post just looking through each bit.... I'm still smiling about the bulldog's nose . . . :-)
Cg
Lol, you've got me smiling about the bulldog's nose too!! By the way, I'm terrible at straight lines...maybe I'm better at them than I used to be but it's certainly not in my nature and when I really need a straight line, only a ruler can help me. Thanks for the entertaining comment and I'm so glad you enjoyed this post!
As always, I am struck with admiration with your attention to detail!
thanks so much @edouard!
Watching that knife glide through that clay is so alluring and makes me want to do it so bad! I have enough things on my plate at present, but maybe this SUmmer, when I am in the Summer studio where I have more 'play days' I might try a small mosaic.
Everytime this past week I have been in a hardware or big box build store (which has been often as I am getting my summer cottages ready) I go through the tile section. Now, I know these are just mass produced ready made, but I keep thinking, What could I make?
This ceramic collage is so amazing and beautiful. The way it looks before the firing and glazing as well, in the greys, is so powerful with the one white daisy in the center.
How cool would a collage be if you had some of we Steemit artist draw out and apply things to a certain sized piece of unfired clay and you collaged it somehow. I know it's not realistic as I am certain it would break so quickly in the post, but it'd be cool. When do we get our teleporters? ;)
I've often thought of that concept of beginning a piece and passing it along to other artists.....and yes the post isn't practical when it comes to unfired clay, we can do it digitally though! Rob and i actually often work this way. We are seamless collaborators and sometimes I marvel at our good fortune!
Must be immensely satisfying to see your vision manifest in physical tile. Always a pleasure to read about your thoughts on the creative process.
is satisfying work for sure.thank you @old-guy-photos! it
Click here to learn more!You've received an upvote from a @slothicorn! (@justatouchfey) ((.)ω(.))
thank you @slothicorn!!
congratulations :)
hugsThe work you did with @greyhawk is excellent. I am really impressed with your work. And I'm grateful for telling your business details. I've always wondered how to create this kind of work!
thank you @artizm
I'm confused, but I'll tell you that this is beautiful type of art, Like I've ever seen.
what's confusing?
The construction of the art really,
Wow, that's a rare technique. I love it!
Clay art is beautiful. And I think it is the most difficult art. I have not seen many clay artists over time . But I love your art and your art is what makes you special.
Super rad! I work in clay but much smaller. I've been feeling the pull to larger pieces!
I'd like to see your work! I went to look at your blog but only see memes.....
nice!! ping me if you ever feel like sharing it here.
Frankly I'm can't really get myself over to instagram anymore just to feed Zukerberg's wallet. I'd rather support other artists here and with a few dollars.
I hear you! I'm spreading myself a bit thin right now over all the social platforms to figure out what works for me and doesn't. So far I get the most love on Youtube and Instgram but I havent given SteemIt a real push yet (still learning the platform to be honest!).
I wish you luck here and hope you find your place!
I make jewelry mostly - You can see a lot of it in my Instagram feed: https://www.instagram.com/tonicraftshow/
You blew my mind :O I have never seen anything like this before, love the Awakening Garden... the lines and textures seem to bring everything to life 🌿✨
thank you @andrea432, awakening garden is still one of my favorites that we've made, so glad it resonates for you too!
it's so alive! beautiful work ✨