Stacks: Testing Clay Bodies, Paint, Underglaze, and Papers

painted sprigs awaiting wiping and paper

After discovering that the increased scale of my stacked sculptures was causing cracking, I decided to test some alternate clay bodies under basically the same conditions. I created several similarly sized stacking forms, each out of a different clay body. I used paper for each one and glaze for the ones that did not crack in the first firing.

the three part stack with one type of sprig

I was happy with the amber paper and paint stack I finished last summer, so I decided to make similar forms for my tests, with areas for paper and other areas of sprigged textures. I complicated things by switching clay providers (because we were near Seattle and not near Tacoma for a trip) and making relatively minor some adjustments in my building methods. 

this piece cracked during drying

Throughout the years, since at least 2002, most of my sculpture has been built with coil and pinch methods. I use press molds for my bulbs and sprigged textures and I throw functional pieces on the wheel, but for most of that time, forms of any size have been primarily coil built. The biggest exception was the stacks I threw for the faculty show, Dust, in 2024. 

extruded coils being used for the building of one of the stacks

For most of my work, I have used rough coils shaped by hand, because they are fast and easy to make and use. However, for these large stacks, I extruded coils in order to maintain consistent wall thickness

my extruder with a long string of coil being readied for building

In the past, I've generally felt that the time it takes to set up the extruder, prepare the clay, extrude, then clean the extruder before building is not worth the hassle. With these tall stacks, because they are so big, and because I was trying to test the material strenth, I decided to start extruding my coils. The added effort of the extruding process is balanced by the amount of coils I use in one sitting. 

I tried out a new type of visible gallery for the top seam

The extruded coils allow me to build fast and since these pieces are large, I have been using about 75lbs of clay for "one" stack of three pieces. At this scale, the time spent extruding is a smaller percentage of the time spent building. It feels worth it to extrude coils, and they have the added advantage of consistency and speed (once the extruding is done).

because these pieces are so large, I start them on a counter, then lower them progressively to a stoll and then the floor

In response to the earlier cracks, besides testing clay bodies, I also started using thicker extruded coils for the first two or three levels of the base. Since most of my cracks were happening (or starting) in the bottom edge of the bottom section, I figured extra thickness here could help. I also started flipping my forms over after those first 2-3 rows to compress the bottom edge with a rib, before flipping the base right side up again to continue building.

the one-sprig piec with half a layer of acrylic paint

The clay bodies I tested were designed for sculpture and had either added grog (ground fired clay) or paper to help with strength and shrinkage control. Two of the three or four clay bodies I tested still cracked, which left me with a couple of options for clays that are working. Ironically, my daughter will be starting college at Lewis and Clark in Portland, meaning I probably need to test some sculpture clays from Georgie's in Portland if I want to save on shipping costs over the next 4 years.

the first gouache layer on the piece on the right, a paper mache and paper pulp experiement on a mold behind it

Of the two test pieces I made with sprigged sections and smooth sections for paper, one cracked and two didn't. I glazed the ones that didn't crack, but used acrylic and gouache for the one that did (the second cracked one is being used as a mold, to be discussed in a later post). I wanted to try some different colors of paper, so I bought some banana paper which worked fine, but the colors aren't as nice as the amber kozo paper I used last summer.

the base of the painted sprig piece while paper was being added

I used the underglazes much like I always do and am happy with them, but they don't contrast quite as nicely with the paper. I think the color contrast, as well as the texture contrasts worked particular well with the amber pieces from last summer.

the first layer of underglaze before firing

Lots of factors besides the paper color imapcted the finished pieces. For this year's painted stack, I used almost all the same shape of sprigs, which, with the less vibrant paper color, resulted in a more subdued form. I like the form on it's own, but I need to make an effort to get a well-lit picture that does it justice. 

the first layer of underglaze after firing

Additionally, I didn't realize that the metallic gouache paints that I used sparingly in the amber stack did quite as much to add some texture and shine to the piece. I was worried they might be overkill and thus didn't use any this time around.

the base with the second underglaze layer, fired glaze, and paper

For the glazed pieces, I have one that has a variety of different sprigs within each section, like last summer's amber stack. The other several different sections that each have the same sprig and color scheeme, separated vertically by smooth glazed sections.

the newest stacks (which no longer fit in my studio) waiting for a good quality photo sometime

Honestly, seeing all four of these stacks together makes me want to make even more pieces like these in future. I have several more stacks in progress, with no cracks and more complicated forms. I also just bought an additional 250lbs of clay, so I plan to start some new pieces next week, after we drop off the kid at college. The goal is that all of these end up in the faculty show in January 2027.

Stacks: Blue and Amber, Paint and Paper

I've been busy in the studio this summer, but as I sat down to chronicle my progress, I looked back to see when I last published a blog post about my works in progress and realized that I haven't tracked a bunch of my recent (or less recent) work here at all.

two sections of this sculpture, nearly ready to stack

The last time I wrote about my big work was before the Labor Day weekend show last summer. And that work wasn't even finished when I posted. I did finish that work, and may have shared images on social media, around the time of the show. 

painting in process, summer 2025 (RIP Cali)

I know I photographed the tallest piece during the show, because I had help getting it set up. I also had an audience of friends when a gust of wind blew into the photo backdrop, which blew into the sculpture, knocking the top of it off the sculpture and onto the sidewalk where it smashed. 

Disappointing photographic results from shortly before the backdrop crash

I had to take a little break because of how much I liked the piece and how upset I was that it broke. (I was also mad at myself because I had taken out the internal support that would have prevented disaster.) 

cracked top section, awaiting repair

I later repaired it and it now has putty and an interior support helping prevent similar accidents in the future. It is also helps that I keep it inside, away from weather and the risk of wind-borne paper backdrops.

close up of the section needing epoxy, paint, and paper repair

The irony is that this piece was unusual, compared to my other work, and had taken me a long time to finish, because it was already broken before I started adding color. As I started building these stacks (there were more in progress that summer), I found that they were cracking at an unusually high rate. 

the finished sculpture stack drying before firing

Because of the size constraints of my kiln, this stack was built in three pieces. My kiln has an interior space of about 25" in heights, so I had no way to fire a sculpture that is taller than I am (I estimate it is about 5'5", but I'm too lazy to go find a tape measure). Of course it was a bit taller before firing, since clay shrinks from wet to dry and during firings.

top and bottom sections in the kiln, ready to fire

Instead, I built the "stack" in three sections with galleries inside to help secure each piece the one below it. The width of the bottom edge is nearly as wide as the interior of my kiln, and the height of each section, including the gallery, is less than 26" wet. The first part of engineering these pieces went well, but my clay wasn't up to the task.

crack in the bottom section after bisque firing

The increased size and/or weight of the stacked clay was too much for this clay body, leading to cracking in the bottom edge of the piece. Usually I fire several times to achieve my preferred surfaces, starting with a bisque firing, followed by a firing after the first layers of underglaze, then one more firing for the second layers of underglaze and any glaze. The last firing is usually just a bit hotter than the first two. 

starting the acrylic paint layer (maybe I should have just dry brushed the whole thing and saved a zillion hours)

However, bringing the clay or ceramic up above 1800 degrees stresses the material. That's usually not a problem, but the base of this stack already had a weak point and I didn't want to risk the crack getting worse from repeated firings. Instead, I made two adjustments. For this piece, I decided to use a "cold finish" meaning I wouldn't fire it. And for future stacks, I bought several different types of clay to build test pieces to see what clay I could use to build big without cracking.

all those little gaps in the paint because of the background texture

The clay testing is another story for another day, but to finish this piece, I used paint and paper in place of underglaze and glaze. Since I am so accustomed to both glaze and underglaze materials and my own particular techniques for highlighting textures, I had to ask my painting instructor friends for advice on what paints to use to achieve the results I wanted. 

first layer of gouache in the background

Upon their advice, I ended up using both acrylic and gouache for the paint. I coated the whole piece with blue acrylic paint. It was tricker than I anticipated to get the paint into the background textures of the sprigged surface. 

different gouache colors on different sprig shapes

The acrylic dries quickly and doesn't wash away with water, just like the fired layers of underglaze I usually start with. Next I added gouache over the top of the acrylic with the idea that it would wipe away just like the unfired layer of underglaze. 

gouache layer wiped (on the left) and not yet wiped (on the right)

I hadn't worked with gouache before, so I wasn't sure what to expect or if it would work well. I ended up bying a large kit with 56 colors, but only about an ounce of each. I'm happy with the results of using so many colors, but it was also super annoying to wipe away all these different colors.

after wiping, starting to apply paper

For some reason wiping away the gouache is messier than wiping away the underglaze, at least it felt messieer, maybe because the paint didn't wash out or settle as quickly in the water as the underglaze does.

I planned to cut the paper to shape, but the curved surface made it tough to fit

I have used mulberry paper layers in other sculpture, so using handmade paper here made good sense. I bought the paper in Seattle before choosing the gouache colors, so the beautiful contrast of the amber paper with purple and blue paints was a bit of luck. This particular paper has bits of bark mixed into the pulp which I also love.

I ended up adding two layers of paper in smaller pieces to fully fill the space, and because one layer was slightly transparent

I'm really happy with this piece, despite the hidden crack inside. It's been sitting in our living room since last summer and I don't plan to sell it because I love it so much. I do, however, plan to show it at Larson Gallery in January at the art faculty exhibition. 

sketch made this spring, planning for a show of tall pieces

For the faculty show, I was originally hoping to have a room full of pieces taller than me, though that's a bit of a tall order (pun intended). I probably need a bit more time to reach quite the level of size and quantity than I envisioned, especially if each piece is going to be a lot more complicated than the ones in my sketched plan.

the piece in my studio, Labor day 2025

Since I started building this piece in summer 2024, I have tested attachments and galleries, clay bodies, surface decorating techniques, shaping, and surface textures. Periodically I tell myself I am allowed some time to experiment, then I get excited about what I can make and how soon. I now know I'll have lots of large work at the faculty show, but I don't think I'll be quite ready for an immersive environment of works towering over the average gallery visitor.

the piece (and it's summer 2026 friends) in my living room

Graduation, Summer Trips, and Studio Time

My husband got me a new desk chair for my birthday and it finally got here. It is so so so nice that it make me want to sit at my desk and type. So, I guess that's a good reason to blog after not having much interest in doing so for quite a while. My old chair has migrated to the studio where it joins a silly amount of seating options for different heights of focused work.

three "stacks" finished (left to right) last fall, this summer, last summer 

seating options in my studio (not visible here: a cushion on the ground)

This summer has already been pretty busy, and not just in the studio. My daughter graduated high school in June, so family and friends came to visit. 

proud parents of a new high school graduate

Since my brother's kids hadn't been to Yakima before, they decided to add a trip to Portland and Crater Lake in Oregon, and the Redwoods and California coast so my daughter and I tagged along with my folks for a week long trip. 

with my favorite red-headed nephew at Glacier Lake

my favorite brown haired nephew as a River Otter

The scenic highlight of which was probably the tidepooling in Northern California. We went looking for nudibranchs, which we didn't see, but we did see starfish, crabs, snails, sponges, anemones, and things I can't name. 

sea star heart

tide pooling near Crescent City

my favorite bit of the tidepool

Then we came back to Yakima for a week of getting stuff glazed and finished for the Yakima Art Festival in late June. I was most interested in creating some bells with jingly bits based on what I saw at NCECA in March.

at Yakima Art Festival

new bells this summer

Then my daughter and I took another trip to New York, where we spent 6 hours each at the Met and the American Museum of Natural History (and Hayden Planetarium), watched three Broadway shows, and also visited the Guggenheim, MOMA, the Museum of Art and Design, and the Museum of Broadway. We were in NYC for Alison's graduation present: Hamilton on Broaway, but our other shows were just as impressive! Six was great, Hamilton was amazing, and Hadestown knocked our socks off. It was a great (packed, exhausting, hot, fun, educational) week.

before Six on Broadway

After Hamilton on Broadway

We also got 30,000 steps one day (walking from our hotel through Central park to and from the Met. We had some really good food and got to experience Times Square during the World Cup (and Taylor Swift's wedding) and Hell's Kitchen in 101 degree heat. 

Our favorite thing about the Guggenheim

a very large cat near Rockefeller center

pretty sure this guy was in Harry Potter

we took the most picures at the American Natural History Museum

including these Mayan Bricks with drawings on them

and this bronze model of...one of my scuptures, I guess?

The Hall of Biodiversity was our favorite room at the AMNH

Loved (but didn't take many pictures of) the "Haas Brothers: Uncanny Valley" at the Museum of Art and Design

Last week we were back to Yakima, happy to be in only 86 degree weather, and ready to make some work. I dove into some studio building projects, while my daughter balanced her time between college preparations and helping me in the studio (mostly seiving glazes and cleaning, which are both much appreciated.

First underglaze layer done before Yakima Art Festival

second underglaze layer done before the NYC trip

Glazing done after NYC, but waiting on more work to fire the kiln

I usually come into the summer super excited to work on something in the studio. This year I have already been working on tall stacks. These are coil-built pieces that have been consistint of two or three sections stacked on top of each other. I want them to be taller than me, but I have kiln size limitations which mean that I can't fit anything taller than about 25" or wider than about 20" in my home kiln. What that means is that I have to figure out how to make them strong enough to stack and hold their wet weight while building, fire safely without cracks, and stack securly after firing. 

underglazing stacks, waiting on the last firing for the top section, then paper

I had some challenges last summer with stacks cracking, so during the academic year, I tested out some new approaches to strengthen the bottom edge and some new clay bodies. I cracked two of my tests, but the other two seem to be ok so far.

this clay cracked pretty badly in the firing

Currently, I am building two stacks. I have the base basically done on one, and have started the middle section.  To this, I've added the structural challenge of some side openings designed to hold some large bulbs. I've been working from a sketch, making adjustments as I turn a drawing into three-dimensions. I am hoping the additional challenge of adding these elements to the form won't result in cracks during firing.

one of the two stacks I'm working on now

sketched plans for the bulbs on this form

The second stack I am working on now has the added challenge of a twist. I feel very comfortable building twisting, turing, cantilevered coil forms in one go, but they are trickier to make work when the forms are segmented. In the past, I've used epoxy and wooden internal supports to keep the pieces together, but I want to get to the point where the pieces can hold themselves up without other media. I am starting small, with the plan to work my way up to more complex forms.

a bit of AMNH inspiration (after the fact) for some spiral sculptures

I have been working on these two forms for about 9 days and anticipate they may not be done building until at least late next week. I am excited about them and enjoying both what I am learning and the progress I am making. It's nice to spend some studio time just trying stuff without a tight deadline.