Artist Statement

Minnesota winters inspired the theme I decided to use for my slab-draped bowl.  Even out of the depressing cold, dark, and drab days, you can find some absolutely spectacular and awe-inspiring sunsets peaking through the leafless tree branches!  The base of the bowl is textured in tree bark and forms the tree trunk while the branches wind up and around the outer edge of the bowl.  The outside of the bowl represents the sunset through the branches of the tree with colors going from fiery orange on the horizon to deep purple at the upper rim.  The inside of the bowl represents the night time sky with deep shades of blue, black and gold.  

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The unity of this piece is brought out through extensive use of texture, form, and color.  Texture in the base gives the viewer's eyes a starting place at the bottom of the piece and makes the tree seem more realistic.  Form comes through in the branches which wind up and around the bowl giving shape and definition.  Color bleeds from sharp to dull and moves the viewers eyes on up the tree and into the night sky.

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There were two main obstacles I ran into with this project.  The first was getting the right proportions so that it actually looked like a tree.  My branches started out too bare so I added in more smaller branches on each coil to give more definition and structure.  The second was trying to get the colors to give the right impression of the sunset.  I went with more orange/red colors near the tree trunk which did a good job of simulating the sun just below the horizon.  Overall, this has been my favorite piece both in the process of making it and the overall results.

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Working on this bowl made me think of some of the Native American art I have seen.  The use of such vibrant colors and natural form reminded me of some beautiful works we saw in museums and on the television.  Working on this piece made me feel closer to nature and the beauty we sometimes take for granted there.

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The process was as follows:

  -Decide on what texture to use for the project

  -Wedge the clay and put it through slab roller

  -Cut the slab into a 11" circle and place on the beach-ball to form the bowl

  -Wedge additional clay and put it through slab roller

  -Cut the slab into a ~3"x14" rectangle

  -Bevel and then scratch and slip the 3" ends and connect to form a cylinder

  -Center the cylinder on the bottom of the bowl and outline with needle tool

  -Scratch and slip cylinder and circle before putting together

  -Add ~1/4" coil around cylinder / bowl connection and smooth to add strength

  -Wedge additional clay and roll twelve ~1/2" thick coils to use as branches

  -Scratch and slip the coils into tree branch shapes on the bowl

  -Imprint base with bark texture using a rock

  -Wait for clay to become leather hard

  -Place in the kiln and Bisque-fire

  -Apply glaze with brushes for color

  -Glaze fire to finish hardening the glaze

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