Monday, October 25, 2010

RED GODDESS WITH BOWL/ Figurative ceramic sculptures by Eric Whollem/ White glaze and iron oxide on white earthenware clay




Red Goddess With Bowl
or 'Inanna'
1989
by Eric Whollem
white glaze and red earth pigment
on white
earthenware clay
Private collection
PHOTO COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE

Goddess Sculptures With Earth Pigments For Surface Treatment

The sculpture named 'Red Goddess With Bowl' was patinated with
red iron ore found on Mooretown Ridge in Butte County, California.
This piece is among my earliest ceramic sculptures. I used a ceramic
glaze in the case of this work. The glaze acted as a resist to the red
earth paint that was applied after firing. I utilized acrylic emulsion
as the binder for the paint.

CERAMIC SCULPTURE VIDEO


                                         ERIC WHOLLEM

In the ceramic traditions of Mesoamerica surface coloration was always
applied after firing. Glaze was never used. Glaze was invented by the
Koreans, and later spread to Persia and to Europe. In the Americas
burnishing was sometimes done to a clay pot or sculpture, to give a
glossy finish.

After gathering my raw earth pigments, I filter them through cloth,
then break them down into fine powder with an iron mortar and
pestle. Most natural pigments gathered in nature will not fire onto
a ceramic surface. Adhesion requires a large percentage of clay material
in the pigment. Acrylic emulsion acts as a good binder for the surface of
a ceramic item, as it dries to a hard and waterproof seal.


CERAMICS ON FAUX POSTAGE STAMPS
 

Red Goddess With Bowl
or 'Inanna'
AMPHORA
2001
by Eric Whollem
Editions of 100, plus ten artist's proofs.
COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST


As the reader can see I used an image of my ceramic Goddess
on this cinderella stamp from my fantasy micronation of
Amphora. Many of my early stamps from Amphora featured
my ceramic sculptures.

THE VIDEO BELOW
PRESENTS MORE OF MY
STAMPS WITH SCULPTURES


ERIC WHOLLEM                                                                                                 


A SELECTION OF CERAMIC SCULPTURES

Gaia
1992
by Eric Whollem
Private collection
glaze and earth paints on white
earthenware clay
PHOTO COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE



Goddess With Bowl on Her Head
1992
by Eric Whollem
Private collection
earth paints on terracotta
PHOTO COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST




SHRINE OF BIRD WOMAN
by Eric Whollem
earth pigments and
oxides on terracotta and white clay
Photo copyright by the artist



MERMAID GODDESS
by Eric Whollem
oxides and copper carbonate on
white clay
Photo copyright by the artist



FESTIVAL OF THE GODDESS
by Eric Whollem
oxides on white clay
Photo copyright by the artist



VILA
by Eric Whollem
oxides on white clay
Photo copyright by the artist

These sculptures give a sampling of some of the styles and techniques
that I have utilized in my figurative ceramic sculptures.



See more of my CERAMIC SCULPTURES on this link:


Daughter of the Mountain
A POSTER STAMP FOR ART BLOG/ERIC WHOLLEM
2010
by Eric Whollem
COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST


Readers interested in my stamps from AMPHORA should view:

BELOW IS ANOTHER VIDEO
OF MY CERAMIC SCULPTURE STAMPS
FROM AMPHORA



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