People as well as animals are endlessly fascinating and as one knows each in depth the more layers of complexity one is aware of. I admit to deeply respecting and loving animals as well as human beings, albeit for a host of different reasons.

In my ceramic works I attempt to express the layers of individual personality, intelligence and history, all resulting in a surface that is both painterly and textured, with layers of colors and nuances of tones representing the personalities and prior experiences. I try to express the mystery behind that unique being, delving through layers as one would an onion, revealing aspects that build into complex sculptural portraits. Trained originally as a painter, I bring to clay the knowledge of color theory but I use slips, terra sigillatta, vitreous engobes and glazes rather than paint to enhance the surface of the terra cotta sculpture that first speaks to me as a personal, intriguing form. I am conscious of the potential conflict between the color and rich texture on the form and the possibility of that surface overwhelming the strength and integrity of the sculptural portrait that still needs to sing out to be successful in my eyes. I create nearly life sized as well as life sized portraits and full sized figures, all of fired clay and all surfaced with colored slips and glazes. I also enjoy working with pure color in painterly vessel forms, using the clay as an abstract expressionist painting, building and subtracting layers of slips and glazes to develop a colorful sculpture that brings joy to the viewer while being completely functional.

Isis

All of these sculptural works are typically fired seven and eight times to develop both complex surfaces and depth of color as it works through the textural skin layers of the clay form. The glazes develop at different temperatures from each other and putting them together on a single ceramic work is a challenge that I enjoy, especially when the results are satisfying. Otherwise I continue to work on the piece until I achieve the results that I am searching for.

Marcia Polenberg

mpolenberg@claygallery.org