Employee Magazine

Article written for the California State Employee Magazine _ Part Two

Artists use many different methods for forming clay into various shapes:

Pinching: the artist’s thumb is inserted into a ball of clay and the ball is rotated as the clay is pinched and pulled up the sides with the thumb. These "walls" around the thumb are pinched and compressed with the fingers until the clay is shaped into a rough, thick_walled, rounded pot.

Slab: clay is rolled out onto a flat surface, similar to rolling pie dough. Slabs are cut and overlapped with other slabs using water for adherence.

Coiling: clay is rolled into snakelike coils which are attached around a round, flat, slab of clay. The pot is rotated as additional layers of moistened clay coils are added on top. The inside and outside of the enlarging pot are smoothed with various flattening tools.

Molds: using a tree stump, rock, bowl, plate, some other existing surface object, a lump of clay is pressed onto the mold to duplicate the shape of the mold. Nowadays, plaster molds are made in practically any conceivable shape (animals, people, plants). Slip (liquid clay) is poured into these plaster molds to create the greenware that is commonly sold in ceramics stores.

Potter’s wheel: this is a turntable which revolves quickly and smoothly, making it easier to coil, smooth, and glaze a clay sculpture evenly. Turntables have been made from stone, wood, or clay disks that revolve on a wooden shaft fitted into stone. In present time, potter’s wheels are made from metals and plastics using electricity to control the variability of its rotation.

Creating decorative textures, such as incising a pattern using a sharp tool, scratching the clay surface, and making imprints with leaves, bark, rocks, serrated combs, or forks.

Painting with colored slips and glazes.

Raku: originating in Japan, raku is perhaps one of the most exciting and unpredictable treatments of clay. When the clay piece is red_hot and has matured, generally at 1800 degrees or hotter, it is removed from a gas_powered raku kiln using heat_resistant tongs. Once the piece meets the colder air outside the kiln, the molten glass glaze surrounding the piece begins to pop and crackle. The piece is quickly inserted into a heat_resistant vessel containing organic materials such as newspaper, dung, leaves, and/or sawdust. The extreme heat of the sculpture immediately ignites the organic material and black smoke forms. The vessel is covered with an air_tight lid to start the process of reduction where the oxygen in the vessel is literally sucked in (reduced) due to the extreme heat and lack of oxygen. A chemical reaction between the glaze and organic material occurs, often producing dramatic copper and metallic colors. Additionally, the black smoke gets trapped in the cracked glazed areas forming a beautiful crackle pattern. After approximately 10 or 15 minutes, the lid is removed and the piece lifted from the vessel and slowly dipped into a cold water bath to stop the reduction process. The entire raku firing generally lasts less than one and one half hours, compared to six to eight hours for a normal kiln firing.

In Africa, art has not been separated from everyday life as it has in most western societies since the Renaissance period. The artist in African cultures is not divorced from the people who use their creations; to the contrary, their work is a reflection of normal human activity. Traditionally, pottery in Africa has been hand_built by women from the Dogon, Ife, Ashanti, Yoruba, Baule, and other tribal peoples across the great continent of Africa. Over the past two decades, especially, many people have discovered the beauty and dignity of these artifacts. Tourism to Africa is not just primarily relegated to safari_enthusiasts anymore; many collectors and African American "heritage seekers" are purchasing sculptures, luxurious African fabrics, and other items. Unfortunately, as in many other places, the rich African heritage of hand_formed ceramic sculpture may be lost as the continent becomes more urbanized and plastic and factory_produced domestic ware is taking over the market. In an attempt to save the older African forms and decorative styles, workshops, and studios have recently been established in many African countries.

Thankfully, many people have taken up the cause in trying to preserve African art forms. Collectors travel to Africa to admire and/or purchase artifacts for posterity, museums circulate traveling art shows worldwide featuring traditional African sculpture, and many artists are using clay and other media to replicate the feeling__or soul__of African art forms. Some artists are creating figurines made from clay, draping the clay bodies with brilliantly_colored and textured traditional African fabrics, authentic jewelry pieces, leather, shells, and other items that make the piece a true representation of African people. These artists are also using clay to sculpt a wide variety of African masks, jewelry, and Afrocentric home decorator items like vases, wall hangings, napkin rings, refrigerator magnets, and pottery.

So, why not try your hand at ethnic_oriented ceramics? Greenware of ready_made faces, human figures, animals, pottery, holiday items, 25_pound bags of clay, glazes, and clay_working tools are available from several local ceramics stores. It’s a great hobby, and who knows? You may be able to relive your childhood innocence by reproducing that friendly snake, delicious_looking hamburger patty, or even your old pet dog Rex!

Byline: Kanika is the founder and primary artist for Kanika African Sculptures. She creates one-of-a-kind, Afrocentric ceramic sculptures of clay and authentic fabric figurines, masks, pottery, jewelry, incense burners, vases, and other home decorator items for sale locally. She can be reached at 1_800_3KANIKA for more information.