fire in the belly: it's what makes us get up and make art every day

Rounded wood-fired porcelain jar with multi-coloured wood ash-glaze deposits, rests on a small foot-ring, with curved sculptural brass and bronze forms wrapped around the shoulders and top opening, front view.

Fire In The Belly. Wood-fired porcelain jar with sculptural metal crown, by Robin DuPont and Christine Pedersen.
Height: 40 cm.

“Fire In The Belly” —introducing @robindupontceramics and my piece for the Alberta Craft Council “Craft Collaborations” fund-raising auction. The auction is now open, with 38 artists presenting 31 unique new pieces 🎉. I’ve been really looking forward to seeing what everyone else has been making—you can find the auction catalogue here.

Robin’s wood-fired ceramic jar is coiled and pinched porcelain, with natural ash-glaze from pine, fir, oak, and black poplar ash. My sculptural metal crown is recycled brass and bronze, made by hammer-forming, raising, and repoussé, with hand-chased line-work. The metal is finished with oxidizing patina, heat patina, and wax.

Each piece in the auction has an artist statement, it’s really informative to hear other people’s experiences as they challenged themselves to develop a new idea, and use their skills to develop a collaborative work with another artist.

The title for Robin’s and my piece piece, “Fire In The Belly”, speaks to the drive and desire that artists have to make, and to the intensity that we bring to sharing ideas.

I’ve got loads more pictures and video to share on making the metalwork--and showing it installed in the home. Please follow along here, and on instagram with Robin and me to see more from our studios. Visit Robin’s web-site to learn more about his kilns and process.

Find Facebook pages here for Robin, and myself.

I better get editing some video! 🔥

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metal is clay

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