Friday, January 13, 2012

Chicken Little or Henny Penny


The other day Meredith of Whynot Pottery posted some chickens she made. Her chickens were so endearing I thought I would try making a chicken myself. I made this chicken sculpture today with an unconventional sculpture technique. The sculpture is 9 x 8 x 3 inches.


I cut out two chickens, a front and a back, from slabs of clay and put the two together, then puffed out the form. Then I slathered on a thick white slip every which way and let that dry a bit. Next I layered all different colors of slips, stains, and underglazes. It was great fun slathering on the slip thickly and adding all the different colors. While I was making the chicken I really wanted to push and dig my fingers into the clay. I may try another one with rough making marks left showing in the clay.


The chicken sculpture is open at the bottom of the base; do you think I need a hole at the top somewhere for air to escape while firing? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. After I made her I remembered the story of Chicken Little or Henny Penny. I remembered reciting the phrase, 'the sky is falling', when I was a kid. Maybe I'll make another chicken sculpture and make the beak open slightly and after firing I could glue a penny in her mouth


When Gary got home we went on an errand. I try to bring my camera wherever I go and sometimes it really pays off. We saw some pigs in a pasture and I begged Gary to stop. I got out to take a photo and called the pigs closer. They ran up to the fence to greet me, snorting all the way there.The second I saw these pigs I thought of the commercial with Maxwell the pig. The pig seems so happy. I know it's silly, but I love this happy zip line pig, he always makes me smile.


I think this brown pig was the big mama of the group.


When I got home the light wasn't right for photos of my recent fired work so please come back tomorrow for those. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.

10 comments:

  1. cute Linda- are you going to make some pigs!. There are lots of folks here who make animals- such fun!

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  2. Your chicken reminds me of Easter candy. I just want to unwrap her and get to the chocolate.
    If you can find an inconspicuous place to drill a hole I would do it but I don't know that it's imperative, just be certain she's completely dry inside & out before she's fired.

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  3. Neat chicken! I really like that bird's head pendant in your last post too.

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  4. Very cute! Does the hole at the base let air escape from everywhere inside the chicken? If air is trapped in the head, definitely a hole, but if air can get out of the entire body through the base, you should be fine. It only takes a tiny hole, I use a needle and that size hole works. I love that pig commercial, weeeeee :)

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  5. I like that chicken, it has a nice textural look to it!

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  6. Your hens remind me of the paper mache' Easter chickens from my childhood. The Whee-whee pig from the commercial drives me nuts! I hope they don't use that one too long.

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  7. In Arkansas that is referred to as
    calling the Hogs. Go Razorbacks.

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  8. Hi Meredith, thanks, you know I am thinking about when pigs fly, literally, stay tuned.

    Hi Lori, thanks, I may drill a small hole in the end of the beak just to be safe. Easter candy, this chicken could hide some inside. Ha.

    Hi Melissa, thanks so much, I need to make more of those bird pendants in various colors.

    Hi Tracey, thanks, yes the hole at the base is open, but I always wonder if hot air rises in pottery. I once had a black piece crack at the top from escaping impurities I think.

    Hi Lori, thanks, I hope the textures continue to show up after firing. I've been thinking of some really rough textures for a chicken.

    Hi Ms. Sparrow, thanks, a paper maiche Easter chicken, hum I'll have to see if I can find a photo of one, sounds interesting. I can see where the weeeee could get on one's nerves.

    Hi Patti, thanks, yes calling the hogs, I remember the razorbacks from when living there.

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  9. Hi Linda as you might remember from my blog, I rather like pigs. I don't think that brown one is related, looks like a different breed to the others, can just see her as a woodfired sculpture though. Chickens seem to be a popular collectors item so you could be on to something there ;^)

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  10. Hi Anna, thanks, oh that's right I remember your pig sculptures. what a great idea for a wood fired, I have no wood fire, but I might do a pit fire with a pig. I have in my mind a pig with wings - when pigs fly, but we shall see if I get to it. Well I hope my chicken does well in the firing; she's drying nicely.

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