Multiple Pinch Pot Project

For our summative using the pinch technique, we were tasked to create a piece using at least five pinch pots. I used my five pinch pots as the two ears, the nose, and connected two pinch pots together to create the shape of the head. I intended to create a slightly grotesque, perhaps comical wall piece, in the figure of an old man. I was heavily inspired by the illustrations of Quentin Blake, particularly from the book The BFG by Roald Dahl. Blake's influence is seen in the large ears, and squiggly lines, as well as wide eyes and wrinkles.

I began this piece by creating two large, squat pinch pots. Then, after some experimentation, I filled one with newspaper, and connected the two together, forming a head-like shape. Next, I formed the nose from a single pinch pot, and attached it to the face (my original attempt failed, and the face caved in, but I learned from my mistakes). Next, I pinched the ears, and made sure they were non-identical, and placed at different heights. I did not want symmetry, as I thought that wouldn't create the look I was going for. Somewhere in there, I don't quite remember when, I cut some eyes in, and added some wrinkles. I then let the clay become bone-dry, and fired it. After firing, I used PC 33 glaze on my piece, and it has yet to emerge from that second firing.

I was pretty happy with this piece. Rather than focus on perfection, I adopted a style that create beauty out of imperfections. What creates character in the face is the imperfections, rather than perfection, in my opinion. It is far more interesting to look at the face of elderly person, than of a young person, because the elderly have the stories of their lives in some way, etched into their faces. Smile lines and furrowed brows all evidence a life of emotion, and I am happiest to have captured, at least a little bit, here in this piece.