Studio Update

This month was all clay work, no expeditions or visiting far distant lands. After a hectic May, I needed to knuckle down in the studio. It might not look like a super exciting month to read but it was for me ceramics wise!

Visuals

I often snap a photo of two of things I like, I might use it for inspiration or maybe to look back occasionally. Or never to be seen again…

Silver birch bark. Silvery, silky, and popping with sage green lichen

Rusty metal gate in the farm barn. Never been cleaned, lay upon lay of grim and dirt

Through the power of an instagram callout, these little jewels are called Rosemary Beetles

Panic eyes from range after a visit on a break hahaha

Once I got the shape settled, I worked the body into more shape; adding the backbones, meaty parts, legs… I also did the same with the accompanying figure.

Although I worked on this sculpture for around a month, once i’m working i do tend to forget to take photo updates! Still a bit new to me, even though I have instagram! In this day n age, you have to share everything you do and my studio isn’t exactly the most glamorous.

The final sculpture! >>>>>

And finally, my parents cows has their calves! So sweet!! Around 3/4 months ago I made them a dexter cow sculpture as a thank you for using the studio space. They’ve had much of my work these past years but this sculpture was made especially for them.

Building Horses in the studio

Each day this month I’ve been refining and refining my 2nd horse and figure. The 1st is complete and drying, and now finally is the 2nd. I’ve very proud of my second sculpture and i can see how much i’ve improved since the beginning of making them. It’s exciting and nerve wrecking to make them, especially the horses standing.

I weighed out the 2nd horse body and made up the x3 other horse bodies in the collection. Doing this means I get a average weight; they’ll be similar size sculptures and hopefully they’ll dry out in the same amount of time.

Building the 3rd horse sculpture!

The 3rd and last sculpture! I wanted to design one which I resonate with most. When Ranger, Hugo, or Meg & Fred (the donkeys) are in the field, it’s so calming stand with them in the open space. I often lean over their backs, feeling their movement or breathing. Horses are used as disability aids or therapy, the reasons why are too long to list. It’s also a great feeling to have a horse in the field not run from you, that is the power of liberty horsemanship.

>>> nighttime work in the studio. I’m a night owl, my most creative side I think is at night.

Iona Green30 June 2023