All posts tagged Clay

As the smoke clears

By On December 7, 2010 In Buy Art Here! With 1 Comment Permanent Link to As the smoke clearsPermalink

During the blogging blackout I worked on many smaller sculptures. These are pieces roughly 8 inches in length and entirely handmade.

I fired them in my kiln then wrapped them in various combustibles and set them on fire along with sawdust and other goodies. Their surface is a result of the smoke and combustibles. No glaze at all.

I was very pleased with this batch of “smoke fired” work. Lots of rich blacks and vivid pinks (the pink is from Old Roy dog food burned next to the piece – lots of copper in Old Roy).

To my etsy store these guys will go. Order early if you’d like them in time for the holidays.

A frosty morning

By On December 6, 2010 In Life in North Dakota, Living with Greyhounds With 2 Comments Permanent Link to A frosty morningPermalink

Winter has descended on North Dakota. Most of October and most of November were beautiful, fall-filled. The more fall, the less winter. Hurray!

Annie Greyhound sniffing the winter air

Sunday morning was frosty as ever. The Greyhounds are getting used to the cold again and Annie was happy to be outside as I unloaded the smoke firing cans. The air is crisp and cold. I was happy to get this photo of her sniffing the slight breeze.

Frosty tree branches against a blue sky

Everything was covered with frost and the sky was foggy and cold… till the sun came out. Sunday was a beautiful winter day.

Winchester Greyhound sleeping in a sunbeam

Winchester, on the other hand, is happy to stay inside. Sage had the choice sunbeam next to the glass door, but Winchester found an able substitute.

Sage Greyhound looking through deck railingWhen Sage did come outside, he played with Annie till it was ready to go in. He peeked through the deck railing as I unloaded the smoke cans.

Smoke fired Greyhound dogHere’s one of the smoke-fired small sculptures from this weekend’s firing. More photos on Facebook.

Back in the saddle

By On December 5, 2010 In Art making With 3 Comments Permanent Link to Back in the saddlePermalink

After nearly a month of dead computer, the FedEx man brought a little bit of joy on Saturday. Yes, new iMac. My poor old G5 couldn’t go any more. RIP G5.

Just in case you’re wondering, blogging on an iPad is not my cup of tea. Its a clever device. Something wasn’t blog inspiring, however. So, with a new computer shining all over my desk, let the blogging commence. Let’s get back to making some sculptures.

Size comparison for sculpture and maquetteFor each of the “big” pieces, I make smaller versions. These smaller versions are called maquettes. Maquettes are similar to a 3D sketch made with the idea of working out the problems before one begins on the larger piece.

Like for this piece – the large runner coming out of the wall. Here’s the blog post where I began this piece.

Maquette for larger sculpture made of clayTo give one an idea of the size of this maquette, the board on which this piece sets is roughly 1/2 inch thick. Some detail but still rough. Just enough to get the idea of the larger piece, to set up the composition.

Size comparison of maquette and sculpture made in clayNow to finish the surface on this piece and figure out how to hang it…

Archive : Lily

By On November 9, 2010 In Art making With 1 Comment Permanent Link to Archive : LilyPermalink

Lily, ©2010 Sarah Regan Snavely, 7.5x5.75x17.5", clay

I have written before about how I find “other” breeds more challenging. But trying – stretching – is a really good thing.

I was so happy when this piece found a home. With an Italian Greyhound fancier with a 17 year old IG!

Sold at Dewey Beach 2010. In a private collection in New York.

Archive : Soul Mask

By On October 28, 2010 In Sculpture Archive With No Comments Permanent Link to Archive : Soul MaskPermalink
Sarah Regan Snavely : Soul Mask clay sculpture

Soul Mask, ©2010 Sarah Regan Snavely, 13.5x7x15", clay

I used antique newspaper type to impress the Emily Bronte quote, “Whatever our souls are made of, his & mine are the same” into the surface of the clay. The phrase was repeated over the entire face mask and the slip collar. This piece was sold during Dewey Beach 2010 to a private collector in Maryland.

Archive : Sleeping with the Enemy

By On October 28, 2010 In Sculpture Archive With No Comments Permanent Link to Archive : Sleeping with the EnemyPermalink

Sleeping with the enemy (detail), ©2010 Sarah Regan Snavely, 4.5x17x15.5", clay

Poor bunny. She is terribly uncomfortable – being used as a pillow by that big boney Greyhound.

Sleeping with the enemy, ©2010 Sarah Regan Snavely, 4.5x17x15.5", clay

Title is Sleeping with the Enemy. SOLD to a private collector during Dewey Beach 2010.

Being brave.

By On September 24, 2010 In Art making With 6 Comments Permanent Link to Being brave.Permalink

The kiln is loaded with three bust pieces – the Greyhound with propeller beanie, a word mask piece, and the snarling Greyhound piece. Loading dry but not fired work into the kiln takes bravery. This involves handling the piece at its most fragile.

There is a lot of faith involved with clay. Will the piece survive? Maybe. What if the figure in the center of the photo above isn’t quite dry all the way through? Kaboom. What if it takes out the two pieces surrounding it? Epoxy? Sometimes that’ll do. Sometimes there is nothing left but crumbs.

I want these pieces to live. We’ll see if that’s going to happen – firing them as I type this. I’ll open the kiln on Sunday morning…

Now I’m wondering if I’ve mentioned these pieces before now? I’ll bet I’ve posted photos on Facebook but haven’t mentioned them here. Blog neglect.

Here are some process shots of work that may make it to Dewey Beach 2010:

Sleeping with the Enemy

Clay Greyhound dog on armature work in progress

Running Greyhound dog in the progress

Clay greyhound dog sculpture with beanie

Clay Greyhound dog sculpture Sarah Regan Snavely

clay sculpture Greyhound dog profile Sarah Regan Snavely

Small Greyhound figures drying on kiln

Now and then.

By On September 17, 2010 In Art making With 1 Comment Permanent Link to Now and then.Permalink

Someone told me that it takes seven years of practice to master the potter’s wheel. The variation on this is 10,000 hours of deep practice over 10 years* Either way it seems rather impossible for someone beginning at the bottom.

I’m not a potter, and I’m fairly certain that I haven’t mastered clay, but I do practice. It is nice to look at older work and see progress.

Like when I look at this – this is the first “cockroach” (upsidedown sleeping Greyhound) I made. Ever. It’s a small miracle that I’ve kept it, but there it is.

Here is the first next to the version I made yesterday afternoon. They’ve change a bit, huh?

When I look at the first piece, I can see that many of the things that make these pieces successful still remain. I still like the feet in the air – I only made a few before I realized that I wanted the feet to be more detailed since they were so visually important. “Let’s make them MORE important by adding detail making them oversized”  Then the heads became more shapely and the bodies more expressive.

My original goal was to make 100. I regarded them as studies – like three dimensional sketches of a feeling. I had self-imposed time limit like under an hour or something. I don’t remember if I ever finished my goal. I have made well over 100 of these guys – probably closer to 750. There is no way I could make one like the first one anymore. The practice changes the process.

*The Talent Code: Greatness Isn’t Born. It’s Grown. Here’s How by Daniel Coyle discusses this idea in depth. Good book.

A good day’s work.

By On September 12, 2010 In Art making, Life in North Dakota With No Comments Permanent Link to A good day’s work.Permalink

Clay work set up on dining room tableTime for box tops and small figures. Moved from the studio into the house – every table in the studio is occupied with drying sculptures!  I’ve saved the smaller pieces for last since they will take less time to dry. Everyone who is waiting for a memory box – thank you for being so patient. I hope by the end of this week my etsy store will be restocked. I’m going to be short of memory boxes for Dewey Beach. Can see now that they will not dry in time. Contact me if you absolutely are wanting a piece to pick up at Dewey. I can push them a bit if I have to.

running greyhound dog art clay sculptureThe bulk of the smaller pieces will be smoke fired. I’m short of my goal on this front also. Have two days of solid library work ahead of me – adds to my anxiety that “It all won’t be finished!” This feeling is part of the process and I know that everything will be okay. I’ll take what’s ready and the rest will keep for another day (or the etsy store). It’s all good. Even the stress.

It is a beautiful day here in North Dakota. I’ll end this post with a photo from friday evening – we’ve had some wonderful evenings here in ND as the summer turns to fall.

Sunset in Bowman, North Dakota

Archive : Couplet

By On September 7, 2010 In Sculpture Archive With 4 Comments Permanent Link to Archive : CoupletPermalink
Sarah Regan Snavely clay sculpture greyhound dog

Couplet

The year was 2005. I loved this piece. Loved. Was so excited about the glaze surface of this piece. Isn’t this glaze luscious?

Sarah Regan Snavely clay greyhound dog sculpture

Couplet

This piece was quite challenging. I made the figure in the front, then had to keep it wet while I worked on the figure in the back – if they differed at all they would not dry (and therefore, shrink) together. That would leave a nasty gap between the two figures. But they fit together perfectly.

Sarah Regan Snavely clay greyhound dog sculpture

Couplet

Dimensions: 20″ x 18″ x 5″ SOLD

Let’s review.

By On September 6, 2010 In Art making With 1 Comment Permanent Link to Let’s review.Permalink

Anybody notice that it is September already? Greyhounds Reach the Beach in Dewey Beach, Delaware is right around the corner (October 7-10). No need to panic. I’ve got it covered.

Sort of. It’s coming. Nothing is *finished* but it’s getting there. Big sculptures are drying. Tiles need glaze. And I’m going to be setting a fires in the backyard – getting this year’s batch of cockroaching greyhounds exposed to the smoke. Just keep plugging along.

I’ll have more work up on the etsy store this week. I’ll post on the blog and on facebook – or send me an email – I’ll let you know, if you like.

So in all the flurry of preparation for the great early trip to the beach I’ve noticed something. I learned a lot this year+. A Lot.

Remember this piece? This was May 2009. I was attempting to make the largest piece I could fit in my kiln in one piece. I used an armature to build it, sculpted it solid, cut it apart and hollowed it out. Had a few *cough* missteps along the way.

And then I whacked the foot on the side of the kiln during loading. And then I cried.

June 2009 brought the workshop in Helena at the Archie Bray Foundation.

I learned a lot. This is a gross oversimplification.

Came home and started a new sculpture right away.

 

I was happy with this piece. I’m sure of this because I have 10,000 photos of it. Which is a good thing. Cause it fell to the floor of the studio and burst into a 1,000,000 pieces. And then I cried.

Now fast forward a year.

I feel like I’m getting somewhere. This feels good. I’m confident I can fire this piece – get it to live. I’ve learned a lot.

Now instead of mild burn-out/frustration/end-of-my-rope-ness, I am seeing results that I like. Joy. Excitement. Satisfaction.

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