Coquette

 

Air dry clay with surface colour approx 11" high

I have started putting some images onto Instagram as well as here so I have chance to compare the two applications.  Blogger to me seems superior to Instagram in terms of colour and tone of images. I usually edit these issues in Photoshop so the eventual image that goes on both blogger and instagram is the same.  Also, I don't think the Instagram interface is as conducive to conversation and that includes conversations taking place just with yourself.  I can reflect on process better here. There isn't that "hurried" feel about it.  As one artist said recently,  art is not and should not be a production line. We are not in the game of producing the same thing over and over.  Despite similarities each piece is always unique.  

As to the current work I am experimenting with different approaches to surface colour. Air dry clay is so easy to use but you can't fire it at high temperatures. In fact you don't fire it at all. It does what it says on the can -  dries in the air.  This has a lot of advantages - kilns take up room and are expensive to buy and rent space in.  Also with air dry clay I can make a strong wire and foil based armature which remains in the figure for it's lifetime.  This not only gives added strength, reduces weight but also allows for small gestural moves to be made as you are actually working with the clay on the surface. This makes it more akin to working with paint on canvas in a spontaneous abstract way. Changes can be made to clay work.  However, kiln dried ceramic work can take advantage of high temperatures to produce beautiful colour effects with oxides and glazes.  It depends what you want out of a piece. With the work I am doing at the moment I am happy with that "just discovered this in the ground" approach, laugh out loud. I love ancient stuff that looks like it has weathered a storm or two!