During last week’s ECU Metal Symposium artists Carrie Longley and Autumn Brown shared their techniques for combining clay and metal.
Carrie Longley demonstrated her use of China Paints, slip, trailing, carving and press molding.
Carrie is currently an Assistant Professor of Fine Art at Indiana University East, and holds a BA in Studio Art from Wittenberg University, and an MFA from Indiana University. Her work investigates the relationship between the art object and scientific specimen, celebrating the space between illusion and reality.
In the workshop, Carrie used a solid chunk of Cone 6 stoneware to hand-build her forms. She added the basic textural or structural surface then dissected the piece by hollowing it out. After bisque firing she performs a series of glaze firings, beginning with a satin translucent green covering the entire piece. Finally, china paints are used to create the effect of bruising, and layers of washes are used to emphasize textures.
Autumn Brown demonstrated how she creates porcelain tiles and places them in a copper setting to make broaches, necklaces, and sculptural objects.
Autumn holds a BFA in Metalsmithing from the University of Georgia and received her MFA in Metal Design from East Carolina University. Currently she teaches Metalsmithing and Design at Pitt Community College and helps run a studio space called Dirty LAM in downtown Greenville, NC.
Autumn uses Cone 6 oxidation porcelain to carve and press-mold channels for melting enamels and various metals. She fires the porcelain with the metal in an enameling kiln at 1500-1535 degrees F for approximately 10 minutes. The decorative porcelain pieces are then set into constructed metal frames with clutching prongs that hold the porcelain into the metal backing.
For more images of these workshops click the album below:
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| ECU Metals Symposium: Carrie Longley and Autumn Brown |
East Carolina University Ceramics Guild 