Snails

These snails were created as an experiment to explore how different firing temperatures and methods can alter the outcome of a piece. The smallest snail was pit-fired, while the other two were glazed identically but fired under different conditions, one in a cone 6 oxidation, and the other in a cone 10 reduction. These different processes and texture impact the piece in different ways which allowed me to study the transformative effects of heat as well as oxygen (or the lack-thereof) on clay. I typically enjoy the therapeutic process of hand-building with coils and found snails to be a playful and intriguing subject to explore. Through this series, I reflect on how subtle variations in firing can dramatically change a piece, much like the organic, ever-changing nature of the world around us.