Helen Martino's objects are about woman and communication, about dialogue like speaking and listening but there is also the internal dialogue of imagination, thought and dreams. In this work about dialogue she is exploring the tension between form, surface, imagination and communication. The construction of the less three dimensional pieces play with the idea of paintings and sculpture. The pieces of clay used to form the sculptures are cut freely by hand and are joined while the clay is still soft. She decorates them at leatherhard with slips and underglaze colours using a wide variety of brushes. When the pieces are dry but still unfired she covers areas with wax and with a fine point she engraves words through the wax ans back into the clay. The work is then fired to 1000 C., glazed and reduction fired again at 1280 C . At last the gold and or lustres are applied and fired in oxidation to 780C.
Click for more work of Helen Martino at Toon Thijs Ceramic Studio
See also: website Helen Martino
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