Artist: Joy Gauss

Craft Medium:  Clay Artist's Statement: 50 POUND BAGS OF EARTHS CLAY ARE WEDGED, DIVIDED AND SHAPED. I COMBINE WHEEL THROWING AND HAND BUILDING TECHNIQUES TO CREATE MY ... “BASIC CLAY CANVASES” I USE SEVERAL TECHNIQUES FOR MY CURRENT THEMES. THROWN THEN ALTERED CYLINDERS, ROLLED AND SCULPTED TILES AND HAND BUILDING. MY FORMS BEGIN TO TELL THEIR STORIES AS THEY ARE SHAPED, ALTERED, SCULPTED, CARVED, AND IMPRINTED. EACH PIECE IS SLOWLY DRIED THEN KILN FIRED. NEXT I HAND PAINT EACH WITH GLAZES THAT WILL MELT INTO COLORFUL GLASS DURING THE RAKU FIRING. THIS RAKU FIRING PROCESS ALSO CARBONIZES OR SMOKES UNGLAZED AREAS ADDING A RICH MATT BLACK CONTRAST. ONLY FIVE TO EIGHT PIECES ARE RAKU FIRED AT A TIME. THIS PROCESS IS VERY HANDS ON -DEPENDENT ON TIMING, TEMPERATURE AND EXPERIENCE.