Green Coil Project

This was the shape that I began with, don't really know what inspired it

I have that song "Apologize"  by One Republic going through my head right now. I feel real crappy about the delay on the Coil Project, I have only myself to blame. I don't know what I was thinking giving myself a deadline right at the beginning of school. I have the piece done and at the studio to be fired I just have not gotten over there to glaze it yet. TO DO list for this week! Promise! So, just to whet your appetite...here is a picture of the creation of my monster....

Adding Coils

Finished! It has another neck growing out of the other side, just did these pics with my phone. I wanted to smooth out the whole thing so bad, but my instincts kept telling me to calm down and keep the coil texture. You can see where I did have to end up smoothing some though.

My process started with the funky shape, building up the coils and letting them slowly start to sink back on themselves. This is tricky because if you add to many to fast it will collapse, so you have to do some, let it get a little leathery and then add more. The "necks" I had to add a day later after more drying by using slip and mucho patience.

Don't really know what kind of glaze I am going to go for yet, just going to let the choices inspire me. I really do want something very organic and natural though, because I see this piece going in the garden and letting some vines start to grow in and out of it.

 Whatcha think?

*on a side note, just read back over the post and realized there is a heart shape that was unmentioned. This is my daughter's take on the project. She made a cute heart shaped bowl, will post her finished project as well.

Clay Play

This is our first 3D clay project and it is going to be FUN. Here is the basic premise; cut out a piece of paper or cardboard in a crazy free-form shape. Then, using coils build up letting the clay take you where it wants to go.  I love doing this because no matter how much you plan, once the clay starts to develop it's own shape it could turn out to be anything (and most likely inspire you in a certain direction).  The only rules are that you must start with the shape of your choice, any size you are willing to develop (fire, glaze) and that you use coils, no slabs. 

For this project everyone is welcome to participate, at the finish line we just ask for results to be emailed to one of us for posting on the site. The time limit on this project will be 1 month, which puts us at deadline on the 19th of August. If that sounds like not enough time for you, please do the project anyway and send us results whenever, we will still post them!

If you have any questions feel free to ask, I am flexible and would like to keep it as open as possible.  Meaning you can do just about anything you want...:)