The Dream Big Mask Project

“I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do.” Helen Keller

We are about to embark on a project that offers us all something that we can do, and gifts of art that are reminders of what we did.

Because my website making skills are weak, and the last few emails from this site did not get to any of you, please let me leave a comment if this one does.

Looking forward to this adventure with you,

Lorri and Adam

An exciting announcement!

Oh yes…

There has been some super sneaky stuff happening in the studio lately…and there is more to come.

We will be posting sneak peaks and previews and other exciting stuff. A lot of it. From now until August 6,  when our two person exhibition at the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery.

The combination of years of dreaming and planning together is finally on the calendar! We are so excited to announce our two person exhibition “Beauty and the Beast”!!! !t will open on August 6, 2020 at the Museum of Art in Fort Collins .

Beauty and the Beast: An Unexpected Journey

Taking an intriguing new look at an ancient tale, artists Lorri Acott and Adam Schultz have joined forces for a compelling exhibition of original paintings and sculpture. The two person show will feature both their individual works of art, as well as a new series of collaborative sculptures.
Celebrating ideas around unexpected relationships, the nature of duality, and the connective power of mythology on society, this reinterpretation of the “tale as old as time” seeks to inspire a new conversation about what we really define as beautiful, and exactly who is the beast.
With works ranging in size from miniature to monumental, and rendered in styles from realistic to abstract, the artists invite you to join them on their journey of self- discovery through their exploration of this timeless theme.

For today’s sneak peek of the show, here are a few pictures of Adam working on an as yet untitled sculpture.

You can sign up here  to get our sneak peeks, perks,  and special stuff for our favorite people. Well, what do you think? Are you as excited as we are?

adam
Who’s the beauty? Who’s the beast?

A closer look
A closer look

Getting perspective
Or maybe a little perspective…

A story of Renewal

It’s been a long time since I have written.  The last post that I wrote talked about hard times and furious dancing, and much has happened since then.

My father passed away soon after that post.  My mom also had a heart attack and a stroke at the same time, but she is has recovered well and is getting wonderful support from her friends.

So today, I want to tell you the story of renewal, and of a recent project we completed and installed in the middle of life doing what life does: “Spirit of Renewal”

Spirit of Renewal

In late 2015, our friend Mary Lynn Kelly who created an  arts nonprofit in Phoenix ( Restore Arts)  invited us to partner with her in a very special project by creating a proposal for a sculpture at this unique location.

When we went to the informational meeting for artists, Adam and I  knew it was an ideal project for Dream Big Sculpture.

The history of the place

This 301-unit, 38-acre public housing development was originally built for returning Korean War veterans and migrant and seasonal farm workers  in 1954 and now houses low-income people, families, seniors and households with disabilities in the Phoenix area.

The original plan was to demolish the  Coffelt development.  It was deteriorated and dangerous, and would be more difficult and expensive to renew and retrofit than it would to demolish and move the families to other locations.  However, with 75% of the student body at the adjacent Hamilton Elementary School residing at Coffelt,  they community wanted to stay where they were, and the County quickly realized that closing Coffelt would result in closing the school.

Combining a creative and visionary approach with a true dedication to the community, Maricopa County HUD partnered with developer Gorman and company  and petitioned to have Coffelt recognized as a Historical Site. this status enabled them to find ways to creatively leverage low-income and historic housing tax credits to finance the redevelopment and renewal of this historical site instead of demolishing the entire area as originally planned.  As part of this project, Gloria Munoz, the director of Maricopa county housing, suggested that Gorman include Public Art for  the project and encouraged them to include recycled materials saved from the demolition  to the final design for this community.

Here’s where we came in.

From the beginning Adam said that my work would be perfect for this project  with the  themes of  hope, renewal, and transformation running throughout. We were so inspired by all that we saw happening in the  community of Coffelt-Lamorueax that we designed a sculpture that told their story.

As part of this project, we were honored to be asked to present the sculpture to the community.  Here’s a video of part of that presentation. What fun it was!

Once we installed “Spirit of Renewal”  celebration of this project was glorious. Hundreds of people were there to celebrate what can happen with vision, creativity, and partnerships. The community came out wearing their t-shirts. 

 

Most of all,  this project at this time in my life was profound.  We were deeply touched by the incredible work everyone on our team did to make this happen on time.  My beloved husband  took complete control of this project while I was dealing with the loss of my dad and my mom’s hospitalization.  Our fabricator, Bryan Buikema worked with Adam to make sure the sculpture was beautifully finished, delivered and installed. Our patina artist Debbie Bakel did a beautiful job translating my vision through phone conversations, drawings, and photos without us able to oversee anything on site in Colorado where they were assembling the sculpture.

We know that we have the best team anywhere, and they proved it to us once again.

And then we got the letter from Quincy:

” I stopped by to see “Spirit of Renewal”, here in Phoenix today and stood there in awe.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       I look around where your sculpture stands tall looking over the community. I know this community. I grew up in a community like this one but in the rougher part of South Phoenix.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 This piece brings me peace, Lorri.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     I look at her high up there with her hands in the air and dancing like no one is watching. I study the butterflies that flutter in those nurturing hands. She invites others to grow and to join her in the dance of life.                                                                                                                                                                                                                    She brings hope, Lorri.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              This community she stands in is a community of the forgotten. Society looks down on this type of community. Some people see fear when they are here, I feel love.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         This sculpture brings hope and community together. It’s the bond between I can and we can.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             I imagine the children of this neighborhood looking up at her and realizing they too can stand tall and be at peace. They will know they can grow and be bigger than society says they can be. They will dare to dream and bring change that they want to see. If I saw this kind of art when I was younger, in the ghetto I grew up in, I too would have realized sooner that I too can dance like no one is watching.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Thank you, Lorri, from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for bringing peace to people who search for it.”

 

And that’s why what we do is important.  Maybe we can make the world better.  Maybe we can inspire people to  reach for hope.

I think dad would be proud.

 

Furious Dancing

 “Hard Times Require Furious Dancing”

is the title of a wonderful book of poems by Alice Walker.

Recognizing this as truth, Adam and I decided at the beginning of the year that we need more “furious dancing” in our lives. Since our lives are centered around art,  much of our furious dancing will be centered around art as well.

As part of this “Furious Dancing” we’ll be

  • giving away small sculptures
  • and Adam’s napkin drawings,
  • holding contests
  • making new work
  • planning Dream Big events, adventures, and workshops.                                           
  • We’re going to fill this year with unexpected joy and laughter wherever we can. 

            

 On Wednesday we gave away our first collaborative paperclay sculpture   

        We had  busy  schedule on the day of the drawing so we did it before we left  home at 6 am.  We wanted to take the sculpture down to town with us so that we could send it out right away.  Here’s a 59 second video that I put together to show the drawing and the result.  I am proud of my effort 🙂

I have to say, this give away made a difference in MY life.

I’ve been struggling  daily with the sadness about my Dad’s rapid and extraordinary decline and with  exponentially increasing concerns about my mom. I know that lots of you can relate.  It’s been a tough 8 months or so.

From the outset, the decision to give the sculpture away has lifted our spirits. What fun for us to be able to do something that shows our appreciation to you.

We both so appreciate the people that support and encourage us in many ways

  • buying sculptures,
  • Sharing our work with others,
  • taking the time to tell us how our work impacts you
  •  rooting for us and sharing and watching our journey  and more

All of you touch our hearts and remind us that what we do and who we are has value.

Mary was SO happy

After we used the random number generator and found out Mary was the winner, I messaged her immediately so we could get her address and ship”Queen of Hearts” out right away.

Her response was fabulous!!   …Something about jumping up and down in excitement.  Her joy was so contagious that our happy, fuzzy feeling lasted all day long, and continues today, three days later.

We had breakfast…feeling so happy

We drove the 1.5 hours to Loveland…. happy, happy

We went around and met with the professionals and friends  in the foundry business …checking waxes, checking metal, picking up sculptures, planning projects…..happy, happy, joy joy

Then we went to Shipper’s Supply in Loveland to mail the sculpture.

We always use Shippers.  They do a great job and are wonderful human beings. Over the years we’ve watched them quietly make a difference in people’s lives and in the community, and we are proud to know and work with them.

Sheree knew about the give away, and she and Jim packed and shipped Mary’s fragile gift at no cost to us.  She said she wanted to pay it forward.

Happy.  really happy.

Finding a way to spread joy is an amazing thing.  When people join in, it’s even more amazing.  Mary and Sheree took my mind off my worries and created a fun and celebratory day for both Adam and I.

Like I said, we will be doing more of these kinds of things.

Because it makes us feel good.

We’ll be finding other creative ways to celebrate life,  and  play more,  and of course, give stuff away to those of you who are following along with us.

We’ll announce our next give away soon.  If you have friends who might want to play, please pass our blog on to them and tell them that  just subscribing enters them in our next round of fun.

I wonder what should be next….

 

 

 

3 simple ways to enjoy a more creative life

So, we’ve been thinking about creativity lately.

Since Adam and I are artists, one would think that we live a very creative life.

And we do….

But not often enough.

We think and talk about it a lot, but it’s easy to get stuck in our comfortable ways of seeing and doing things. It’s often a surprise to realize we are thinking along some deep rutted paths, even though we actively practice looking at challenges in new ways.

The truth is, creative thinkers have real advantages, not just in art, but  in the real world. If you spend a few minutes surfing the web you’ll find articles about why creativity is important in the workplace, science, relationships, and in everyday life.   Creative people are better problem solvers, and have less stress, and have more options in managing it.

What is Creativity?

Creative thinking is a way to look at and solve problems from a different perspective, avoiding typical solutions, and looking outside our everyday boxes. This creative process allows you to explore connections, meet new challenges and seek solutions that are unusual, original and fresh.

Creative thinking doesn’t just have to be about art or music or writing.  It can apply in any occupation, relationship or life hack problem that you need to solve.   The skills are transferable across all areas, and the better you get at thinking creatively, the more applications you’ll see in your life.

All things ebb and flow, so when we find that our creative juices are more at an ebb than a flow, Adam and I have come up with a few ways that we know will help us get back into the creative flow:

1. Play More

Adam makes me laugh

Yep.  Play more.

It  sounds counter intuitive to stop and play when you are already feeling overwhelmed. But it can change everything.

All kinds of play is important to enhance creativity.  The act of physically doing something that takes your mind away from the seriousness of life will often open the door to new ideas.  Taking hikes in the woods,  drawing cartoons,  ridiculous laughter,  going to the beach, and making fun stuff just because it is fun takes our minds off  problems long enough for new nonlinear solutions to show themselves.   When we play we remove the constraints that limit our thinking  to what we currently believe to be possible. We open ourselves us to a world of creative insights.

And when we do this often enough, these insights become our habit.

In addition to actively playing,  approaching life with a spirit of play can be an essential part of creativity.  Trying new things just to see what might happen is a great place to start.  New foods, new kinds of movies; new colors of paint on the wall.  Sometimes we don’t want to try something new because we’re afraid we won’t like it.  When you approach it with the spirit of play, it’s not such a big deal.

Does it really matter if you don’t care for the new dish you tried or that movie that you weren’t too sure about?  Nope.  And maybe you’ll see or hear or taste something that you never would have otherwise.

2. Engage in the Arts

It’s true that our creative thinking doesn’t only apply to art, music or writing.

Some interesting news though, is that the arts actually make you a more creative thinker.  In this Article coming out of the University of Michigan, they essentially show that the more successful a scientist is, the more likely it is that he or she engages in arts and crafts.  Some of these artistic scientists found connections between their research and their  artistic pursuits.  Even Albert Einstein said “The theory of relativity occurred to me by intuition, and music is the driving force behind this intuition…my new discovery is the result of musical perception”.

You don’t have to be a master artist or musician.  Just engaging in the arts stretches your mind and opens you up to perceive things in new ways.

In our studio and home, we play music and sing, learn new skills like knitting or crochet, or just for fun engage in any interesting art or craft form to stimulate the flow of creativity.

Knitting!
Knitting!

3. Feel the fear and do it anyway

“What if I fail?  What if people make fun of me? What if people think I am stupid? What if I actually AM stupid”

Fear can kill creativity.

Writing this blog is really scary for me.   What do we actually have to say that would interest anybody? I can imagine people asking why we think anyone would want to read about us.

Almost every time I make sculpture that explores new ideas or comes from deep within me,  I am afraid of what people might think.  Most the time I’m not even sure what I think. When I try new materials or try to learn a new skill, I  have to consciously let go of fear because I know that it will not serve me to listen to it.

Elizabeth Gilbert, in her book Big Magic says that “Fear is Boring”.  in this little blog post , she talks about how fear can “mistake creativity and inspiration for saber tooth tigers and wolf packs” , and that it is up to us to have a conversation with fear and tell it that it is not in charge.  Every successful person I have ever met moves past their fear to create. It’s not that they don’t feel fear,  it’s just that they do it anyway.

If we stay in our comfortable ways of thinking and doing,  we can only think what we have thought before and we can only do what we have done before.  We cannot grow. We cannot get better, be better, do more.

In this article in “BrainWorld” about the science of creative insight, the author sums it up beautifully:  “In other words, embrace curiosity. Do stuff. Go places. Collect experiences and gain knowledge.” This will be what creates connections that will increase creative insights throughout  your life.

How do you unleash YOUR creativity?  How do you play, and how do you deal with fear that would keep you immobile?  We’d love to hear your thoughts.

Prince Charming

A sculpture gift drawing for subscribers

We’re giving away a mini sculpture!

Queen of Hearts
Queen of Heats

We started this blog to have some fun and connect with people interested in our sculpture and in what kind of crazy things we might be doing next.

So,  in  spirit of spreading joy,  we are planning many fun opportunities to thank those of you that are following us.

We’ll be drawing names for our very first give- away on February 7 and hope to get it to the winner by Valentine’s Day :-).  Check out the little heart on her flag!

If you are receiving this by email, you’re already in the drawing.  If you have friends that might enjoy being in on the fun, please pass it on to them.  I’m so excited to see who wins!!

 

 

 

Paperclay Sculpture Workshop coming up in May

One of the really fun things that we get to do as artists is to teach a sculpture workshop every so often!

Lorri and Adam at a workshop
Lorri and Adam at a workshop

We love to meet new people as well as better get to know people that we have already met.  In fact, some of our best friends have come out of the opportunity to spend three to seven days in a workshop with them.

In May of 2018 our Sculpting in Paperclay workshop will be hosted by the Museum of Discovery in Fort Collins, Colorado. We have a short video for you if you’d like to take a sneak peek inside last year’s workshop.

And it that doesn’t make you think you might want to join us in the fun, take a look at some interviews with a few of last year’s participants.  The date on the video is past, but the new workshop is May 18, 19 &20.

We welcome everyone, from the absolute beginner to the professional artist to be inspired, have fun with us, and even learn something new.  There will be a raku firing, and every on will leave with a finished sculpture!

raku firing
raku firing

 

Welcome 2018!

2017 was a great year for us. Our lives were filled with  new projects, new sculptures, music, friendship, family, nature, beauty, laughter, and of course, love.

As we look toward 2018 with excitement, we have decided to start a blog to better document our journey, and invite you to be a part of it.

The themes for this year are to think out of the box, seek joy, and to approach life with a sense of adventure and play.  We are planning new sculptures, adventures, projects, and workshops as well as fun offering collectors and subscribers precast pricing on new work and even opportunities to win gifts from Dream Big Sculpture

We would like to invite you to follow us this year, to be inspired to play and think outside of the box. We’ll invite you to join us when install we new work, or do workshops or shows in your area. We’ll post about our adventures and new ways of looking at things, and we’ll offer opportunities to collect new work at all kinds of price points.

if this sounds fun to you, you can sign up at the bottom of this page.

We look forward to sharing our adventure with you!

The Creative Process of Paperclay by Lorri Acott

paperclay horse

Are you interested in taking a paperclay sculpture workshop from Lorri?  You can find out the details and register for the May 18 weekend here !!

THE CREATIVE PROCESS OF PAPERCLAY
by Lorri Acott

As a beginning sculptor, I used armatures and oil based clay, materials used when an artist intends to have a mold made and then have the sculpture cast in another material, generally bronze. For a while, this worked, but I disliked the mold making and casting process and I did not have the disposable income to cast the many pieces I wanted to sculpt.In my search for the perfect medium, I tried different materials; air dry paper clay, concrete, winterstone, stucco, polymer clay, and regular ceramic clay, all having benefits and drawbacks. I liked to build an armature support under the air-dry materials; I liked the movement and fluidity of clay, but I did not know how to combine the two.As I began working in ceramic clay, I was frustrated repeatedly as the legs of my elongated sculptures broke. I could not repair the clay sculpture once it was broken before firing. I then began to experiment with paperclay. Through experimentation, I developed a way to use this medium, one that suits my needs and is different from the methods of most others who use it. The main difference is that I use huge pieces of metal within fired clay. I was told this would not work, but it works for me.

Why Paperclay Works
Paperclay is regular ceramic clay with paper fiber added. You can pull it apart and see the fibers.

Some artists make their own paperclay, but I prefer to spend my time and energy sculpting and buy mine from a nearby supplier.

One of the greatest attributes of paperclay is that before it is fired, it can be repaired when broken. This benefits a sculptor since pieces can be broken off and moved as well as repaired. In addition, you can make an armature in clay, allow it to dry completely for added strength, and then add wet clay to the strong armature. Because tiny paper fibers on the bone dry clay act as tiny paper towels, fresh wet paperclay will bind to bone dry paperclay. When you add very wet clay to the dry clay, the moisture and clay particles from the wet clay are wicked into the dry clay via the paper. This creates a bond that will not crack off as it dries.

Paperclay

The paper fibers also create another opportunity. When one uses a metal armature with regular ceramic clay, the clay shrinks, dries, and falls off the metal before it can be fired. With paperclay, the paper fiber creates a weave that holds the clay together as it shrinks. There are cracks, but they are many fine cracks that allow the clay to stay on the armature, and since wet clay can be added to dry clay, you can fill in those cracks before firing. (close up of dry clay on armature) This has been a great benefit; one allowing me to use an armature in my clay sculptures so they can be elongated without breaking or sagging.

Armature Materials
Through trial and error, I found that the following armature materials work best for me. Twelve-inch ungalvanized spike nails work for the legs of my pieces or steel dowels cut to the size needed. If they need to be bent, use a sledgehammer. For the smaller pieces, strong steel wire (at least 14 gauge) or sod staples cut in half work well. It is essential to use steel armature material. Copper, aluminum, and brass melt at lower temperatures and will not withstand the kiln’s heat. The heavier the piece, the heavier the armature needs to be to hold it in the heat of the kiln. I often use very heavy steel in the legs, but something lighter in the arms.

Picture

Building/Using the Armature
When building an armature, I use the steel only where it is necessary for stability in the creation of the sculpture or for strength in the finished piece.

1. Start with a small slab of clay on the table; maybe ½ inch tall. This is the base where the figure will stand. Into this base, push two steel nails head down, and pinch the clay up around the nails so they are stable in the clay. To add more stability, connect them at the top with another piece of clay. This creates the place where the hips of the figure will be.

2. Let it dry completely. For those of you who have worked in water-based clay, this is counterintuitive. However, it is the key for a stable armature onto which you can build.

Picture

3. Now build up the legs and let them dry. This creates a more stable base prior to the addition of clay for the body, head, and arms. Importantly, when you add wet clay to dry clay, you first dunk the wet clay into water, then push it firmly onto the new clay and rub it in a little. This allows the paper in the dry clay to have something to absorb and aids in the binding of the wet to the dry clay. Any time you make the dry clay wet, you reduce its strength. Build the legs and lower body and let it dry again so it becomes strong enough to handle the pressure of additional clay. As you become experienced in this method, you will know when to stop and let your piece dry before going further. Since I am vigorous in my application of clay, I let things dry completely between steps. Consequently, I work on many sculptures at the same time. To speed the process you can use a blow dryer, heat gun, or the oven at 250 degrees.

Picture

4. After the legs have dried, work on the body. I do not use a steel armature in the body because overuse of them will create more cracking. Instead, form a hollow cylinder using wet clay, dip the end of it in water, and attach it to the legs. It is easier to add to the dry clay than to take away from it. I start smaller or narrower than I think I want the finished product to be, and add more clay after the first layer is dry. To remove dry clay, you re-wet it and scrape it off, or break it off with pliers.

Picture

The air pocket inside the cylinder is not a problem unless you put in newspaper to hold its shape. I quit using newspaper inside and letting it burn out, since it has caused explosions in my kiln even when I was certain the moisture was driven completely out. Think of air pockets this way, big air pockets are fine; they give enough escape routes for any remaining moisture. Little air pockets are disastrous. It is better to have cavernous areas inside the sculpture instead of thick pieces of clay that could contain many small and deadly air pockets.

If adding any wire to support the neck or the arms, do it now, before the clay is dry. Then pinch around the wire and let it dry completely again.
Picture
5. When completely dry, the torso is strong enough to support the head. Make the head hollow and remember, big air pockets are better than small ones. Make two small pinch pots and seal them together to make a hollow ball; the air pressure inside the ball allows you to push it gently into the shape that you want for the head. Put clay around the wire for the neck and push the sculpted head onto the wire. The clay for the arms can be added as well.
Picture

Picture
Breaking and Repairing Green clay (dry, but not fired)
A wonderful aspect of this clay, compared to regular clay, is that you can repair it. Because of the shrinkage of the clay against the metal armature, your dry sculpture may develop a few cracks that are easy to fix. Take fresh wet clay, dip it in water, and push in into the cracks rubbing it into the surrounding areas as well. After it dries, you will have smaller cracks in the same areas. Use goopy clay (slip) in these areas, rubbing it in. Eventually the cracks will go away and you will be ready to let it dry completely for firing.Sometimes, parts of your sculpture may break off in the process; this is no problem. Wet a fresh piece of clay and put it between the broken pieces. It is important to push the pieces firmly together and let it completely dry.
Picture
Firing
The key to firing paperclay with embedded steel is to fire it at a low temperature. Clay shrinks and metal does not. The hotter you fire the clay, the more it shrinks and the more the metal softens and may begin to bend. It is important to use low fire clay. If using an electric kiln, firing at 04 or 05 works well.I raku fire my pieces, firing them once. I glaze them green so it is essential for them to be completely dry before going into the kiln. I do not recommend the raku method when first using paperclay. The rate of breakage is higher, and the repair work is more complicated.After firing, you will find some problems when you open the kiln; there are more cracks in your sculptures than before. If you experimented with the wire, some of it may have bent from the weight of the clay; or perhaps, you find that some pieces of clay have cracked and fallen off the sculpture where the clay was thin over the armature. Do not worry; this is part of the process. If you who know the bronze process, you understand that there are many steps before you finish a piece. Thus, it is with steel armatures inside paperclay.Post Firing Repair
In the area of post firing repair, most of my students become frustrated. Because of their experience with pottery, they expect the sculpture to come out of the kiln finished and perfect. In reality, with my method, this is where the work often begins. My sculptures start out being paperclay and end up being mixed media.Elmer’s Glue and Epoxie Putty are two of my essential materials. Elmer’s Glue is the ideal adhesive to repair clean breaks with a perfect fit. It works best when using porous material to porous material (clay to clay). It does not fill gaps and only works when broken pieces fit together perfectly. Epoxie Putty is a two-part adhesive putty that works for rebuilding areas or filling gaps. I did a sculpture project where I made complete figures from this putty.If your sculpture has bent in a way that you do not like, bend it back. You can use pliers to get a good grip on it. If you are afraid of breaking it, bend it anyway; you can always fix it. This kind of bending occurs when you have used thin wire with little clay around it and fixing it is worth the trouble. If a leg or arm breaks off, or if something exploded in the kiln, fix that area next. Wear gloves, blend equal parts of the A and B Epoxie Putty until it is one solid color. Use it to attach large pieces together or to fill in holes. This material is ideal for repair in a weight bearing area, drying harder than the original clay. It will set in two hours and you can start on the minor repairs.

Take care of minor repairs the same way. Smooth Epoxie Putty with water to blend it in better and texture it to match the clay. You can rebuild ears, hands, and other areas with this material. You can also fill cracks with water putty or wood paste or any such construction materials that are readily available at hardware stores.

Finishing
Cold finish techniques are ideal for paperclay sculpture. Once they are applied, no one will detect if and where your pieces were broken or cracked. Many of the techniques I learned from clay and mixed media artist Marie E.v.B. Gibbons (Featured in Sculptural Pursuit Summer 2003 Vol 2, No. 3).

Other cold finishing techniques include metal paint and patinas, and faux finishing. You can use low fire glazes on paperclay just as on other low fire clays. Repair is more complicated when you have to match a fired glaze, but you can find high gloss enamel paints to mimic the look at hobby art stores. I suggest that you experiment with this paperclay method and try out cold finish techniques before moving in to the more complicated glazes.

My process of working with paper clay requires a great deal of work. The repair work required, because of the insertion of metal, is tedious and at times frustrating. That being said, this method allows me the freedom to create one of a kind and affordable pieces for the collector. I am not limited to the techniques used with regular ceramic clay. I can think like a sculptor instead of a potter, as I am more concerned with my forms than the problems involved using water-based clay for my elongated sculptures. If you would like to try clay sculpture, I recommend using this paperclay method. It works for me; it might work for you.

Tips for success:

1. Use only steel for your metal

2. Let armature dry completely before adding new clay.

3. Dip fresh clay in water before adding it to dry clay.

4. Large air pockets are best, small ones are disastrous.

5. Fill cracks with fresh clay and let dry before firing.

6. You can repair anything with clay before firing, with Epoxie Putty after firing.

7. Be patient and have fun.


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Lorri Acott  is a sculptor whose work in available in several galleries throughout the united States.
For questions and resource information, contact Lorri and see her work via: http://www.lorriacott.com
Photography by Rick Ney.