Heads, I win!

Anybody who has been following my work for the past several years knows that sculpting is one of the things I am passionate about. I got into making face mugs and jugs specifically so that I could practice sculpting and still have a salable product. But there are limitations to mugs, and complications to jugs. I needed a new way to create the faces and heads I longed for.

Then one day, as I was playing with clay, I realized that I could make miniature face jugs. These little jugs start as two pinch pots, cemented together with clay slip. The head is then beaten into shape with a flat salad spoon, and a skull is created.

The terrific part about making these smaller heads is that I can make them anywhere. Last weekend, I made seven different characters on a long drive through Montana (I was not driving, just to be clear - I sat in the back seat and played with clay).

Different faces and attitudes emerge depending on the size and shape of the skull - and my mood at any given time. I love the flexibility these little fellows give me - and their smaller size makes them very collectible, as they don't take up nearly as much space as a full-sized jug.

The next step for these heads is a combination of oxides and underglaze. Some will be very basic, with just shadows of color over bare clay. Others will be glazed, complete with skin tones The character and attitude will determine who gets what treatment. When they are all done, I'll post another picture on this blog. Hope you enjoy them!