Wood Witch, Cone Sculpture

'Wood Witch,' mixed- media 2023

 This piece has taken some making. It has already been made twice, each time the original body design (pictured below) blew up in the pit firing process. I blame the clay I was using, but I also saw it as a sign that this idea was not meant to be. So I decided to use the cone shape instead which I feel has worked out much better. This little bit of wood, worn smooth over time has been knocking about my studio for the longest time. I think I found it on the beach, but I have had it so long now I really couldn't tell you; just biding its time waiting to be used, constantly being picked up, fiddled with, looked at and put away again. The beads around the figures neck were found in a tiny tin in my grandmothers jewellery box, the tin was wrapped in wax paper. I dont know what they originally belonged to but felt the must have held some value to be kept the way they were. They are so minuet that I had to use a pair of tweezers and magnifying glasses to painstakingly thread them. The wood delicately stands freely in the ceramic cone.    

 

Bead detail

Head detail

original failed design

Bird Lady

'Bird Lady,' 2022, mixed-media

 

Not sure how happy I am about this finished piece. Its something I have wanted to make for a while and typical of those sort of pieces it never works out the way you picture it in your head.

I have been collecting my conures tail feathers for ages and still I didn't have quit enough to cover the cone, opting to finish it with some of the budgie and bourke feathers as well.

I wanted the feathers to stick downwards rather than outwards , like hair. Of course the feathers have also faded with time, loosing their luster. When I fired the cone the original face blew off so I had to use a previously fired face to replace it. This sort of worked out for the better as I then used molted chicken feathers for the crown around the face, the break made the attachment of the feathers easier.

I think it is a piece I will go back and fiddle with, adjust it as Bertie my conure looses her tail feathers in time. See if I can make it look less mangy.

The piece is made up of pit-fired ceramic, sinew, and feathers. 

 

'Untitled,' Mixed-Media Sculpture, 2018

'Untitled,' 2018

Mixed-media sculpture

(pit-fired ceramic, wood, eggs and snail shells)

 This is the second sculpture that blew up in the pit. Again, I put back together what pieces I could and continued from there.

Harpie II

'Untitled,' Pit-fired ceramic and egg with gold leaf

With the Birds

Pit-fired clay, wood and gold paint.

back view 

hand for size reference 

More Harpies

 Decided to put all these little creatures into one post as it takes to long to post them separately and I cannot stand computer work. All the above pieces are pit fired ceramic with paint and/or wire. If you are interested in exhibiting these pieces please feel free to contact me, they are fairly inexpensive. Affordable Art!

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