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Each piece begins with a vision,
spontaneously toying with my imagination, until it feels "ripened."
Then I sketch the image directly onto porcelain
clay, using techniques in the tradition of bas relief carving.
The final design rises out of the porcelain
"canvas" after many hours of coaxing, gently carving away the layers of
"negative space" - what the design is not. |
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Once the design is developed, the original piece is
bisque fired. Clay hand press molds are created from the "mother
piece," and kiln fired.
The "children" or actual product pieces are hand pressed into
the molds using white or color-stained porcelain clays, then bisque fired.
Next, color stains are applied, dried, and wiped down to
reveal the detail of the relief carving. Underglazes provide highlights.
The second kiln firing fixes this layer of color.
Finally, an overglaze, containing 11% gold by weight,
is carefully painted around the edge to frame each piece, and to accent
designs such as the Fireflies and Iris. The third and final firing
brings the images to life! |
Kiln load ready for 2nd firing |