artist inspired

The task that I was asked to do for this assignment was to create a form using a maximum of 3 pounds of clay. This form was to ment to be inspired by an artist that we choose and that we liked there work. The subject of my creation relates to the artist that I was inspired by Heidi Mckay Casto she mainly does animals in kind of a playful way witch I liked because it felt like I could make something that was inspired by her work. I also liked that the things she made could be functional. For this work I just used clay, tools and glaze.

I thought that it would be cool to make little sloths and animals adding onto the form of the berry holder. In some of Heidi Mckay Casto work she does this as well and I think that it adds a fun and realistic and playful element to the work. My project didn't evolve too much because I had a pretty clear idea from the beginning of how I was going to incorporate the monkey and sloth on to the form. I did have to learn as I went how to sculpt the monkey and sloth.

There isn't a very sentimental story to this artwork, I knew I wanted to create a functional piece ( specifically a berry drainer/riser, because we use it a-lot in our house and we only have one, so I thought I would make another.) I also liked how Heidi Mckay Casto used animals and added onto the orignal form to make it more playful. I am proudest of how I made little dots because I really wanted to accomplish these to give the piece a little more depth without making it to busy. I struggled when I was putting everything together and making the form because it was hard to make it all stick and match together. I also struggled as the clay dried some of the little pieces of the sloth broke off. I over came these struggles by using different objects( slip container/jar, ware board, my hand) to hold the pieces on as they dried. One area where I think my work could have been stronger is one leg of my sloth broke off towards the end when I was getting ready to bisque fire so I couldn't re- attach it with wet clay. Even though it is not exactly how I envisioned it, I think it makes it unique that it doesn't have a leg. :)

artist research slides:

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1_tPgthObf5SQVHLp0wREWH6bCrYD0Q9NNZrVBNFlqNY/edit#slide=id.p