A Video by Eric Whollem, 2011
CERAMIC GODDESS SCULPTURE
Natural Earth Pigments Gathered by the Artist
The sculptures in this video are in many cases painted with
paints made by the artist from scratch. The colors on 'Moera,'
the first work seen in this presentation, for example include
volcanic pumice from Mt. Shasta, red iron oxide from the Feather
Falls area of Butte County, California, as well as a yellow pigment
that is made of decomposing sandstone from Pentz, a rural area
found in the Sacramento Valley at the gateway to the Feather
River Canyon.
Acrylic polymer emulsion was used as the binder for the paint.
This is durable and water-resistant. Many naturally occuring
earth pigments do not do well in ceramic kiln firings. So the artist
in this case followed the lead of Mesoamerican ceramic artists
who used no glaze, but painted their pots and sculptures after
firing. They often would burnish the completed pieces, usually
with a smooth stone.
The clay body for my work has usually been white sculpture mix,
a high grog content clay, used especially by raku artists or sculptors.
Terracotta clay has also been a favorite, especially in light of the
fact that terracotta has been the choice of many clay artists in
cultures around the world for many centuries. Terracotta is red
kaolin.
*
Metaphysical Art, Figurative Abstraction
*
See more CERAMIC SCULPTURES
