Here is a tall woman figurine that I made in my studio clay class in February 2020. You’ve seen figures like this one before – tall women. But they have been decorated in colorful patterns using underglazes.
As I have said before, the studio has different materials and I use a different clay there as well. There is a need for uniformity in firing temps and in glazes because dozens of students are having their work fired, and so things need to be organized. That’s worked out nicely for me in forcing me to try some new things.
I created this lady, about 14″ tall, in my usual way via a cylinder shape, using Standard clay #112 fired at Cone 6.
She was bisqued and I put an iron oxide wash on her head and arms. I waxed these areas to form a resist and then I dip-glazed her, overlapping some colors. I also poured glaze over her middle section (there are only so many times you can dip an object in glaze before it becomes too thick to fire correctly and I wanted more than a couple of colors on her).
The natural color of the clay shows through in her bottom section. I am not sure exactly why, I think I did not stir whatever glaze I used in that section enough to mix thing well. Sometimes things happen and we do not understand…but I like how it turned out, anyway.
Claudia McGill and Her Art World 
She has a wonderful dignity. (K)
Thank you. You know, there is no predicting or controlling how these figurines turn out (you can try but your hands and the clay do what they want). I feel a sense of calm looking at this lady.
I like her a lot.
Thank you. I am happy with her, very much. It’s always a surprise to see what personality the figure will end up with, as I think it’s up to the clay and my hands working on their own ideas, plus…a waft of feeling or a push in a certain direction from who knows where or what?
Oh she is glorious! She is definitely one of my top favourites from all of these figurines you have made. I love the way those colours have glazed and I really like the natural clay showing through at the bottom. I am also charmed by her hair. Superb work. I love her!
Thank you. I am very proud of this work. Once in a while a personality emerges in one of these who is calming and while regal, kind seeming.( A lot to ask of a clay figurine) I am also happy with the glaze job. I am not sure why the natural clay body shows in that section, once again I would say the interaction of glazes, but I liked it when I saw it. Sometimes I think the best thing is the lack of planning, letting the artwork just…become.
Wow what an amazing piece!
Thank you. I’m very happy with how she turned out. The kiln and glazes accommodated me this time!
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