Monday, March 26, 2012

Boris The Cat


Since I have three cats you'd think I'd have made a cat sculpture before now. When I first started working in clay I made a couple of cat masks, but those are long gone. This is Boris the Cat; he's about ten inches tall.  I decided to use a name starting with B since my three cats have names which start with a B. Hope he makes it through the firing, especially the whiskers. If the whiskers do make it I'm now wondering how I would transport or pack him? I never think of these things in advance I just make the piece. I going to leave him natural clay. It was getting dark and the lighting isn't that good, but I have painted some red clay stripes over the natural tan clay. I gave him a purple collar and some yellow eyes. I already have some ideas on how to improve the making; but the first attempt is always so much fun and the greatest challenge to me.


I have a couple of shows coming up so I've been trying to get ahead on my making. Here's a large vine bowl and four smaller vine bowls below. I also made daisy textured bowls, then vine and daisy textured trays and some butter dishes. I've been using a small dowel to press the edges of the bowls and they're coming out a lot smoother and more even than the edges of the thick plates I made.


Here are some mini tiles I starting making with left over clay pieces. These are about 1.5 inches square.


I also made a few more pendants.


Thanks for reading and for all your comments.

14 comments:

  1. Hi Ronna, thanks, I hope he makes it. I can see some improvements, but the first one is always the impetus to make more. Ha.

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  2. Boris is cute. The vines look great. Are you drawing them free hand?

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  3. Hi Lori, thanks about Boris, no the vines are stamp matt I've had for eons.

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  4. Boris is a great character! You could do a whole series of named cats. The cat-lovers out there would go for them big-time!

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  5. Hi Patricia, thanks, yeah names and maybe a story behind them with a little tag hanging from their brightly colored collars. What a great idea. Then there are always the dogs and their stories. Ha.

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  6. Hello Linda:
    Boris is adorable and we cannot bear to think of him as whiskerless.....such indignity!!! We hope that emerges unscathed from the oven.

    You have been really busy with all your delightful bowls and pendants. We hope that sales will be good at the shows.

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  7. Hi Jane and Lance, thanks, I can't bear for him to be whisker-less either, they add quite a bit to his personality. I hope they sales go well too. Better to have too much than too little I think.

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  8. Boris just oozes character, no cat lover could resist him. You could have a whole range of characterful cats because that is how cats come. Lovely work, as ever.

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  9. You are one busy, busy lady!

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  10. Kool Kitty! good luck with the whiskers.

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  11. Boris has personality. Pack carefully.
    What great ideas for left over clay.

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  12. The mini tiles are reminding me of little chocolates..perhaps because all I ate today was an apple & some raisins.
    And now I have Morris(I know, wrong cat) in my head. ~Mary

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  13. Hi Elaine, thanks, you are so right each one has their own personality, my three included, thinking about the possibilities.

    Hi Ms. Sparrow, thanks, Gary says it keeps me out of jail to keep busy, Ha.

    Hi Michele, thanks, I have to be real careful when I move him to the kiln that's for sure.

    Hi Patti, thanks, yes not sure about packing those whiskers.

    Hi Mary, thanks, I was thinking of Morris and I was also thinking of Felix but wanted to pick a name that didn't have an association with it. Gary said I should have called him Bubba cause he's a Southern cat. Ha.

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I love suggestions, questions, critiques, thanks for your comment