Stage 1: RAW

Every Forgotten Friend begins the same way...
as raw clay. I work with a variety of clays,
but almost exclusively stoneware. As far as
tools, I use anything from traditional ceramic tools such as ribs, needle
tools, and modeling sticks, to household items including dry sponges,
pens, screws, coins and cheese graters.

Once a clay is selected and my tools are gathered, I begin by separating
out balls of clay for the head, body, and eyes, and set a small wad of
clay aside for the arms and other accoutrements.

Stage 2: FORM

The key stage in Forgotten Friend development is the formation. This
is the point that every Forgotten Friend gets his or her character and
attitude. I begin with the head. Two hollows are pressed into the small
ball and then the eyeballs are placed into the sockets. The eye lids are
then closed around the eye balls to hold them in place, while another
wide hollow is formed for the mouth.

     
The head and face make up 90% of the Forgotten Friend’s attitude. So
much so, that it often determines the overall direction I will take. Once
the head is formed, it is placed atop the body tube and blended in place.
Next comes the arms and details such as collars, textures, robes, hair,
hats, and other props. Once everything is in place, the final detail is
placing the pupils in the eyes and numbering and signing the base of
each Forgotten Friend. The little guys are then ready to head to the kiln.

  
Stage 3: FINISH

The leap to the kiln solidifies the Forgotten Friends. Once fired, it’s
time for the finishing details. Each Forgotten Friend gets individual
treatment in the form of a stain, glaze, or smoke finish. The simplest
finish is a non-kiln stain. These include inks, paints, and other
traditional art mediums. Once applied, no additional firing is needed.
The majority of the Forgotten Friends, however, receive a finish that
requires another trip to the kiln. These finishes include chemical stains,
glazes, and fire-based finishes. Final kiln firings take a variety of
forms including Cone 10 High Firing, Soda Firing, Raku, and Pit Firing.
Each type of firing gives a unique finish to the Forgotten Friends. Once
removed from their final firing, each Forgotten Friend is carefully
inspected to ensure the details are not too muted and the glazes are
not too thick. Then, it’s adoption time.