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Elegantly shaped large brown/black earthenware vessels with smooth printed surface. By using foliage from ordinary avenues like weeds growing by the sides of the road for decoration the artist hopes to broaden the viewers awareness to consider unexpected avenues for inspiration and beauty.
Eylene Clifford works from a farm studio near Johannesburg, South Africa. Her large vessels are coiled freehand and decorated with natural materials which makes each piece unique.
Vessel 1: 17.32” H x 12.59” Widest Ø (44cm H x 32cm widest Ø)
Vessel 2:17.32” H x 13.18” Widest Ø (44cm H x 33.5cm widest Ø)
These pieces are glazed on the inside to make them impervious and functional. The inside of these vessels may be washed using soapy water and a sponge and the outside using a soft brush. Leave the vessels out to dry completely before packing them away in a closed space.
Forming
Each piece start out as a lump of clay. One piece forms the base and several more, larger pieces are rolled into coils. The coils are flattened and stacked, one on top of the other over a number of days. Each coil worked into the coil before and carefully pinched up to create height. With a steel kidney the sides are scraped to form and create a smooth surface.
Decorating
The decoration is achieved by using a clay slurry called slip to glue the plants to the vessel. A different coloured underglaze is then sprayed over the vessel. The plants are removed from the vessel to expose the black clay imprint left behind.
Firing
Each vessel is fired twice, the first firing is a bisque firing which makes the vessel strong enough to hold the glaze. After glazing the vessel is fired again to a higher temperature to melt the glaze and vitrify the clay making it impervious and functional.
