The Process
Each piece is individually formed from a slab or lump of clay. Tina primarily uses her bare hands rather than tools, so you will see her finger marks on the pieces. The love of animals, both domestic and wild, are the essence of her body of work.
“In nature I observe animals in their environment, how they move and react, and play. I sketch ideas in my mind until I can get my hands on the actual clay and then I just start. The clay leads me to where I need to go.” says Tina. She likes to challenge her creativity and push the limits of what can be expressed with a simple lump of clay. Barrel firing and varied Raku techniques enhance the detail and texture of the sculpted pieces. What better way to accentuate the horse sculptures than with actual horse hair, which leaves an intricate smoke trail design.
“I love art with texture and body that arouses that sense of touch” she says. “To me, learning and experimentation never stops. It’s amazing what art can be born when your mind is wide open and you work through challenges to bring that idea to a tangible form.”
