How does Personified in Pottery work?
A quick summary of the project and its purpose:
Personified in Pottery explores the concept of perception and brings connection to the forefront of my artistic practice. In this project, people have the rare opportunity to see themselves represented in art as I create a piece of pottery that is a reflection of their character.
At the start of the project, participants are welcomed to a password-protected site where they express their personality through an intimate questionnaire.
After reviewing their submission, I send an email summarizing the perception I formed (and I provide a few hints about the direction their piece will go).
At the end of the project, participants receive their completed piece, a personal letter, and access to a private chat to connect with others who have completed the project.
How Personified in Pottery works
Step 1: Enrolling
Select the size category for your personified piece. From petite forms to statement pieces, your final piece can vary in size from .5 pounds of clay up to 12 pounds of clay.
You can see pricing and learn more about each category here.
Step 2: Welcome Email + Questionnaire
After enrolling, you’ll receive a welcome email within 24 hours. In that email you’ll learn a bit about me and receive a link and password to your personality questionnaire.
This questionnaire has guided as well as open-ended questions that range from lighthearted to deeply reflective, all of which help me get to know your character. I’ll learn about your best traits, how you see yourself and how others see you, what you view as important in life and living, and those special quirks that make you, you.
Keep in mind, this project is about personifying you in a work of art (it’s not a commission). The questionnaire and our follow-up conversations will help me get to know you and influence the design of your finished piece.
Step 3: Making + Delivering
After completing the questionnaire, my work begins. I’m going to read through your answers and sketch ideas for your piece. If there’s something I want to learn more about, I’ll shoot you an email or request a short phone call (whatever you’re comfortable with) so we can go over it together.
You’ll get an email from me when I’ve finished designing your piece, but you won’t get progress photos (a bit daunting, I know). Part of the fun of this project is the surprise at the end.
After getting to know you, sketching, testing, making, drying, firing, glazing, and firing again, you will be personified in pottery.
Full details below.
The Making Timeline:
Week 1: Kickoff. You receive the welcome email and take your time filling out the questionnaire.
Week 2: Sketching. I read, reread, and ponder over your answers while sketching ideas of what you should look like as a piece of ceramic art. You will receive an email summary of my perception and the direction for your piece.
Weeks 3 and 4: Testing. This time is spent finalizing your piece’s form and plan. Think of it like 3D drafting: sketches will be brought to life as I test different wheel thrown and handmade forms, carefully considering sizing, proportions, surface decoration, and glazing plans.
Weeks 5, 6, and 7: Making. Your piece starts to come to life in what will be its final physical form. I’ll be transforming a lump of clay into an artistic, one-of-a-kind representation of… you.
Weeks 7, 8, and 9: Drying. Once formed, your piece needs to slowly dry for up to three weeks. This drying time is essential to ensure the stability of the clay and enable it to survive its first round in the kiln.
Weeks 10 and 11: Bisque Firing. This is very exciting; your piece goes into the kiln for the first time! This is the moment when clay transforms into ceramic by being heated to about 1900°F over the course of multiple days. Kind of magical.
Weeks 12, 13, and 14: Glazing and Final Firing. I now carefully select a mix of chemicals, silica, ball clay, ash, and other ingredients to decorate your piece. In the kiln (at 2300°F), these ingredients melt and react with one another to create beautiful surface colors and effects.
*This is an example timeline. Some pieces may take more or less time depending on their size, intricacy, and the firing schedule.
Project Complete! You are now Personified in Pottery!
