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Aug 25, 2015
My lump of clay sat for 10 days while we got a new roof on our house. I was too discombobulated to work on anything that involved much thinking.
I've been away from my little lady for several days. When I unwrapped her this morning, I was surprised to see a coating of mold creeping up her skirt. I gently wiped her down, and blew some hot air over her.
We are making strange with each other - I start again, gently stroking and smoothing her surface. My fingers are communicating with the clay, until my brain can engage itself.
Some new ideas are
growing, and we begin to work as a team again.
Here I am paddling the lump with a wooden ball, to wake up the clay after its long nap. This serves to compress and strengthen the piece, and create some rudimentary flow to the lines.
This little wooden tool is a favorite of mine. It has created channels for my fingers for over 30 years. Once indented, my fingers follow and deepen those tracks that have become characteristic of my work.
Surform tools are a necessity for sculpting. I use tiny ones, to create curves, and tightening up the surface tension of a piece.
Here I am adding tiny coils to build up the sensuous folds of my little lady's skirt.
Once it is deep enough, I will smooth and push it over my 'thumb' channel
Examining my 'lady' 360 degrees is necessary to observe shadows, and lines. I scrutinize everything for visual interest, loose tension, and future planning for enhancing shadows when I spray the glazes. I will not push the fold until later. I needs to be kept just moist enough, so that the manipulation does no damage.
Here the clay is scored and ready to attach another coil, to create a softer sense of movement to the body. I build out softness. Wood carvers take away. Clay carves, and adds.
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Now I begin to push over the fold that has been waiting patiently for its turn. |
Details of the bottom of the skirt that was developing in the photo above.
Love my Tools
I very gently tap the flat spots out of her head. This little neck, is very precarious
 Victor nervously watches the angling of the head. |
 I want her head with a slight tilt up, and backwards. |
I am stuck here, she is at a point where I have to build the wings. Time to take a break.
Later,
Well, Monica, today I thought about you a lot. I was intent on your 'wing challenge'. From experience, I knew that my little lady has to be all cleaned up, and fine tuned, before I add wings. Three tries on the left, and two on the right. It all looked cutsey! I am finally left with only one acceptable wing
Then Victor wandered in, with a piece of bittersweet nightshade, the berries glistening in their colour change. He draped the vine around her neck. If only that could be immortal!
But, the gesture loosened me up, and the final wing came together. I was concentrating so hard on keeping up with my hands, that I forgot to photograph the wing 'parade'.
"Stirring Angel" is not resting, but tremulously fluttering one wing.
