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

This process begins with a single, continuous piece of clay, which I carve, shape, or build upon. Once the figure is mostly rendered, I allow the clay to firm up until the outer layer is slightly hardened. Then it’s time to hollow. Depending on piece size, this stage can take one to three weeks.

The flexibility in sculpting hollow allows me to change the pose, position, or anatomy of the animal that I’m working on without losing progress. However, hollowing is a delicate process. If I begin too early or aren’t careful with the thickness of the outer walls, I risk damaging or warping the piece.

Drying

Once the piece has been hollowed and reassembled, it must dry completely before it can be fired in the kiln. This is a crucial step because too much moisture in the clay can lead to cracks or fractures. Drying can take anywhere from several days to a few weeks depending on the size and thickness of the sculpture. I also tend to baby my pieces, keeping them covered under plastic for most of the day in the early stages.

Over time, I gradually expose them to air, allowing them to dry slowly and evenly. Cracks can form at this stage if the piece is dried too fast. But I usually know a piece is good to fire if it the clay has changed color- with earthenware, means from a bright orange to a light brown- and it doesn’t feel cool to the touch.

Hollowing Pieces

To hollow a piece, I typically divide it into sections, often by the limbs or other areas that provide the best access to the interior clay. Once these sections are separated, I hollow and compress the interior of the piece.

The goal is to leave walls that are about a quarter to half an inch thick. This ensures the sculpture maintains its structure but will dry evenly and fire smoothly. This process can also take a week or two depending on the size of the piece.

To hollow, I’ll use trimming tools, rubber ribs, and butter knives.

Once the piece is fully hollowed, the sections are reassembled using scoring and slipping. Removing clay from the interior helps the sculpture dry evenly, minimizing potential issues during firing in the kiln.

This is where I’ll do the detail work like adding claws, eyelashes, lips, and teeth. Refining the paws and face are saved for last because I don’t want any detail lost or damaged during the hollowing process.

Firing

Clay: Low-fire grog free earthenware
Bisque: ^08 or ^06
Glaze: ^05 or ^04

I use low-fire clay, which means I’ll program the kiln at a relatively low temperatures (1,800°F and 2,100°F). Bisquing at a lower temperature helps maintain a softer, more porous quality to the clay so that my glazes apply better. Once bisqued, the earthenware turn bright orange, is no longer fragile, and is ready for glazing.

I try to keep firing to a minimum, with one bisque fire and one- or two- glaze fires per piece.

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