Since doing the clay self-portrait head in sculpture class, I've been much more interested in figurative sculpture. That little bit of awareness of what goes into it, how it might be done, has spurred to find out what people have actually done. This book covers the topic from earliest times to the end of the 20th century.
Among the contemporary ceramicists, Glenys Barton's "Listen" is show. She's quoted as saying, when she took stock of her work in 1977, "Drawing from life is the only activity that I'm allowing myself as I feel that it will take me back to essential and basic considerations." The drawing was a means of searching out a more abstract level of thinking, and resulted in some austerely beautiful images -
Helen Ridehalgh comes from a fine art background, rather than craft background. She starts by making a study in clay modelled from life - a bozzetto - then builds up the sculpture with thin, small strips of clay. This is Male Torso, 26 inches high -
Michael Flynn's "Catching the Cock" is a recurring theme with a multitude of references, to be interpreted by the viewer -
Mo Jupp's iconography is female; his forms are often cut off at the knees, and headless and armless, concentrating on their sexual attributes. "Grey Form" is 2 feet tall -
Many of Rosa Nguyen's hand-built animal sculptures approach life size, such as "Red Cow, White Cow". The marks left by the wooden slat that is used to beat the head or body into shape add to the energy of the piece.
Among the contemporary ceramicists, Glenys Barton's "Listen" is show. She's quoted as saying, when she took stock of her work in 1977, "Drawing from life is the only activity that I'm allowing myself as I feel that it will take me back to essential and basic considerations." The drawing was a means of searching out a more abstract level of thinking, and resulted in some austerely beautiful images -
Helen Ridehalgh comes from a fine art background, rather than craft background. She starts by making a study in clay modelled from life - a bozzetto - then builds up the sculpture with thin, small strips of clay. This is Male Torso, 26 inches high -
Michael Flynn's "Catching the Cock" is a recurring theme with a multitude of references, to be interpreted by the viewer -
Mo Jupp's iconography is female; his forms are often cut off at the knees, and headless and armless, concentrating on their sexual attributes. "Grey Form" is 2 feet tall -
Many of Rosa Nguyen's hand-built animal sculptures approach life size, such as "Red Cow, White Cow". The marks left by the wooden slat that is used to beat the head or body into shape add to the energy of the piece.
Other artists illustrated in the book include Claire Curneen, Christie Brown, Pamela Leung, Anna Lambert, Christy Keeney, and Dierdre McLoughlin.
Like you I am drawn to figurative ceramics and have a similar book by Jane Waller: The human form in clay
ReplyDeletehttp://www.amazon.co.uk/Human-Form-Clay-Jane-Waller/dp/1861264135/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1234808321&sr=1-10