After a few years of refining my hand-building pottery skills, I found myself looking for a new challenge. My love for creating sculpted pottery had grown over time, and I was eager to push my boundaries. That’s when I came across an online course dedicated to advanced ceramic sculpting techniques, specifically for creating intricate Wave Sculptures. It felt like the perfect opportunity to elevate my work.
This course reignited my passion for ceramics and the art of hand building. Rikke, walked us through every detail, from building the foundation of a sculpture to adding embellishments that gave it life and movement. Her approach was meticulous yet encouraging, and it reignited my passion for hand-building pottery. I couldn’t wait to apply what I had learned to create something truly special.
I decided to create a custom sculpted pottery piece that combined functionality and artistry. I envisioned a ceramic sculpture vase that would embody both movement and organic beauty—a piece that could stand as a centerpiece on its own. This blog will take you through my creative process and the steps I followed to bring this idea to life.
The Wave Sculpture Vase
I began with the base structure. Hand-building is always a grounding experience for me, as it connects me directly to the clay. I shaped the initial form of the vase, focusing on creating a solid yet elegant foundation. From there, I started adding coils, wrapping them around the vase to create the first hints of movement in the design.
Building up the sculpture layer by layer was both challenging and rewarding. Each coil I added felt like a step closer to realizing my vision. As I continued, I began stretching the coils into shapes that resembled flowing leaves or waves. These organic forms added a sense of life and vitality to the piece, making it feel as though it was growing naturally.
One of the most satisfying parts of this process was cutting into the waves and reshaping them to add more depth and dimension. I pulled and smoothed the clay, creating additional leaf-like structures that seemed to ripple outward from the vase. This step required patience and precision, as I wanted the design to look effortless yet intentional. By the time I finished sculpting, the piece had taken on a dynamic, almost dance-like quality.
After completing the sculpting process, it was time to prepare the piece for its bisque firing. This stage is always exciting because it transforms the fragile clay into a sturdier form. Once the Wave Sculpture Vase emerged from the kiln, I carefully sanded and refined any rough edges, making sure it was ready for glazing.
Choosing the right glaze for this piece was a deeply thoughtful process. I wanted the finish to enhance the movement and texture of the design without overpowering it. After experimenting with a few options, I settled on a combination of glazes that added subtle variations in color and depth. The final firing brought everything together, giving the vase a luminous finish that highlighted every curve and detail.
Looking back, creating the Wave Sculpture Vase was an incredibly rewarding journey. It allowed me to combine the skills I’ve developed over the years with the new techniques I learned in Rikke’s course. This piece reminds me how much joy and growth can come from trying something new. Sculpted pottery continues to be my favorite way to express myself, and I can’t wait to see where this creative path leads me next.
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