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Jeanine Pennell

I consider my sculptures to be illustrations in clay. I work with kiln-fired paperclay, a blend of ceramic clay and paper fibers. During firing, the paper burns away, but while it's in the clay, it makes the material more forgiving. You can make mistakes, experiment, and even know very little, yet still find success. The clay allows you to break the rules and discover new possibilities. This was crucial for me as a self-taught artist. The flexibility of the material helped me learn, explore, and ultimately find my own voice. I strive to make each figure express an emotion either through a curve of the mouth or an etched line around the eyes. I study faces throughout my days, trying to see if I can catch the thoughts and emotions expressed in the muscles in the face. I return to my worktable to work my discoveries out in the clay. Each sculpture may be fired multiple times at low temperature to layer underglazes and stains. I am trying to achieve a feeling of watercolor and ink drawings with each piece. I will do a final firing to cone 6 in an electric kiln.
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