TO THE MOON AND BACK RALPH!

MOONBABIES

CERAMICS I

clay, glazes & oxides

Ok,

who remembers the T.V. show from the 60's whose main character was Ralph??

Answer at the end of post.

Hello again my lovelies.

Today's clay assignment is called Moonbabies (tiny abstract figure sculpture).

It is the second assignment for the beginners,

but what I don't tell them is how very difficult it is on many levels.

They just think it's learning to push and pull the clay out.

But oh my,

it's so much more then that.

Because accidents happen.

Like how the arm fell off from the piece below.

Or maybe the head snapped off,

the list is long here.

But what I'm trying to get them to see & accept from the get-go,

is that these can be "happy" accidents

 that will turn your piece into something so much better then you had anticipated.

Not buying it, huh?

Let's see.

I'm guessing that this super cool piece above made by  junior Dustine Amboy

originally had another arm and perhaps a head.

But because these are beginners and they don't get yet how fragile clay can be,

they accidentally break pieces off as the clay dries out, 

or perhaps it broke it as they were still shaping it.

And they had not been taught yet how to reattach clay to clay.

That is in the next lesson learned called Pinch Pots.

But don't you just love this piece without the arm & head?

It reminds me of a piece from antiquity.

And check out the way Dustine stained it with Red Iron Oxide.

Instead of brushing it on and wiping it off with a sponge which was suggested & demoed.,

she bravely brushed it on then put it under the water faucet for who knows why,

and wella!

 What a "happy" accident!!!!

These next two are also missing several body parts,

but who the heck cares,

right??

They are so very perfect just the way they are.

Red Iron Oxide staining on left and Cobalt Blue on right.

Both pieces were made by junior Lina Kim.

Fabulous!

And what do we have here?

Wow, this is a really dynamic human form.

Junior Richard Montes has created so much movement with his piece.

And check out how cool he glazed it.

Loving the White glaze overlapping the Black.

But it was this last one that was my favorite.

This piece is also by Richard,

again he is bringing in a whole lot of movement.

And the glazing is lovely.

Showing off two different views.

I'm delighted to say that I own this wonderful sculpture,

and will be teaching with it in a couple of days.

Thank you Richard for this beautiful gift.

The answer to the question was The Jackie Gleason Show.