Welcome to Sonoran Clay Works
All pieces are hand built, one of a kind works.
The New Work Page is updated! Take a look at the Earth Spirits.
They're a great way to have a one of a kind, hand-made mask for under $ 50!
Also enjoy the horsehair fired pieces.
Click on any thumbnail to see a larger picture.
I hope you enjoy browsing the site and viewing my work.
Enjoy!
| |
The Olive Mill and Arboretum shows have come and gone. Thanks to those of you who came out to see us. Unfortunately in our haste we forgot the camera both times, so the memories will have to suffice. Many thanks to John O for use of his property for our last firing. I'm busy in the studio for the summer now. See you for the AOTS Studio Tour! Info on that show will post here soon. Have a great summer!
|
 |
| The Queen of Dreams at Sundust Gallery |
|
|
The Boyce Thompson Arboretum show last spring was great. What a beautiful day it was, thanks to all of you who came out. The Soroptomists did an excellent job as always. Click here to see pictures of the day. The Pot Heads were proud to be the hit of our tent!
|
Artists of the Superstitions were featured at Boyce Thompson Arboretum for the month of October 2009. Look Here
|
I admit we're behind in posting pictures of new work to the site. If you see something in a tent picture that interests you, please email and ask about availability and pricing.
|
I can now accept payment with VISA, Mastercard, American Express, and Paypal. Please email me for details.
|
|
Artist Statement
Kathy Moss
Apache Junction, Arizona
ART FROM EARTH AND FIRE
My love affair with clay began in the early 90’s when I signed up for a wheel-thrown pottery class. To be honest, I wasn’t very good at it and the struggle exhausted me. I couldn’t seem to find my expression in a round lump of clay. But I did love the smell and feel of the clay and so I persisted.
One semester, the assignment was to create a hand-built piece. The flat slab was just like a big, blank, muddy canvas on which I could express my ideas. I have always been fascinated with the spirits of nature and so a mask to evoke the spirits would be my project. I’ve been creating faces ever since.
Each piece begins with an idea and a thick slab of clay. The initial inspiration comes from a face at the airport, the howl of the wind, the roll of the ocean, a coyote, a bird, a human condition, an animal characteristic. Most pieces take at least a month to create. If the design is intricate and the piece is large, it might take much longer.
Once the slab has been rolled out, it is gently pressed onto a form and the attachment of features begins. I have learned over the years to listen to the clay at this stage as it has a distinct idea of the form it wishes to take. It’s pointless to argue and sometimes my original idea ends up as something entirely different.
After the face is complete, the piece must be left to dry to the right degree of hardness. When dry enough, it is gently removed from the form. Next the inside is hollowed out and rubbed smooth to compress the clay. When completely dry, it is ready for the first firing in the bisque kiln.
The last step is the final fire for color. I am currently working with sawdust and it seems to better fit the essence of my work. The patterns and colors from the smoke take on a life of their own and transform the piece into its final form.
If all goes well (and sometimes it doesn’t), the end result is a one of a kind work born from imagination, shaped by the spirits of the clay and colored at the whim of the fire gods.
From the heart of the Sonoran Desert, 2010.
|
|
