Roaming Barefoot
+ + +
We are all in this journey with
the Great Spirit....
(the Divine Love)
(the Inner Breath)
(the Flowing Stream)
(the Space Between Everything)
(the Reminder of the Mystery)
and I am choosing to stay connected to body, mind and spirit in the best way I know how: creating.
Contact: iamroamingbarefoot@gmail.com
All of my collage work is hand cut (no digital work here); occasionally I will add watercolor, oil crayon or ink detail.
All ceramic pieces are hand built, glazed and fired in my tiny home studio.
All of my work is intentionally made.
+ + + + + + +
For those that are unfamiliar with the ceramic process, a brief overview of my process begins with cutting a bit of the clay from its 25lb block.
I then roll it out to the slab size needed for whatever project I’m working on. Then follows either cutting, pinching, or coiling out shapes for pieces. Then the magic of hand forming a piece; creation time. Once finished, I then allow the pieces to dry for 2-3 days until they are bone dry.
Once dried, I sand down each individual piece. Smoothing out any crisp edges.
This is how I begin packing my kiln, shelf by shelf, with dried pieces first. This could take a coupe of weeks depending on the piece sizes.
Once the kiln is filled, it’s time to bisque fire. For 8 hours the kiln runs and I allow the kiln to then cool for the 8 hours after once fired. You can’t rush any of this process! Otherwise pieces crack or can explode from moisture.
Lastly, I unload the kiln and begin to glaze and prep the pieces for the kiln once more. Once glazed, I place the pieces in the kiln so as not to touch one another (otherwise they get stuck together). They get fired for another 8.5 hours and the kiln reached over 2000 degrees for this Cone 06 firing. I allow the kiln to cool - another 8 hours. Again, rushing any of this risks ruining work that you’ve put a lot of energy into.
Needless to say, ceramics is quite the process. It has taught me so much and continues to. I do so love each step of the way of creating with clay. It’s energy, love, time, effort all put into this medium from the earth herself.
+ + + + + + +
I feel I owe a deep gratitude to the perseverance of my ancestors whom I never met… Chihuahua, Mexico // Louisiana, Usa.
