Ceamic by Le.Jack Jack Richardson
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Noble Spine
Le. Jack Jack Richardson
I have spent a lot of my life fighting stereotypes around misogynistic opportunities of learning and pathways of creativity. My work reflects the imbalance and currently deeper opening of artistic equality. I am currently reflecting and researching the language of gender, especially gender fluidity.
The starting point for my becoming a worthy artist has been to master the skills required to be a great craftsperson. Then I felt in a position to allow these skills to guide me in the realisation of my vision for pieces of art. I mainly work with ceramics as my starting point and add metal additions. I am a qualified stained and fused glass artist, a blacksmith and metalworker.
Being an artist enables me to show myself fully, my creativity is my natural language, no force it just is. It enables me to explore the personal and worldly questions whilst being in the moment with the physicality of my art.
'Noble Spine' is a one of three recently completed large ceramic sculptures, for exhibition at Delamore Arts 2024. Each sculpture is hand built and unique. Earthstone crank stoneware clay is used which makes them suitable for internal or external placement. They are made using a combination of slab and coil building techniques. Each piece is treated similar to that of a painted canvas with layering and textures being integral. Clay sprigs are made from found objects and added to the service of the clay.
The sculptures are made in sections to accommodate the size of the kiln. As the sections are built and the clay becomes leather hard the process of attaching each piece is worked out and as this happens the pieces start to stack up until the finished bones of the sculpture are reached. At this point finishing touches are made, including smoothing, deeper texturing and the addition of underglazes, slips and oxides are made.
The sculptures are then left to dry in their entirety very slowly to ensure that the different thickness of clay dries evenly to prevent cracks developing during the firing process.
Every section is fired twice, first bisque fired to a temperature of 1000c then after being decorated with glazes they are second fired to 1220c. Following this some minimal sanding which might be required to ensure the pieces fit together snugly. They are then installed making sure the ground is level, the sections are siliconed together and if necessary, a piece of piping will run through the pieces to offer more rigidity. The sculptures have been tested in extreme weather and wind conditions in the past year and they have withstood everything thrown at them.
Ceramic
122x32x40cm