Bronze glazed Little Owl sculpture
A unique sculpture of a owl in a metallic bronze glaze
The Little Owl is another species of our beautiful owls that I’ve had the fortune to see out during the day. They are indeed little, and can be hard to spot as they blend into their surroundings.
This Little Owl sculpture got up to some mischief in the kiln, as somehow a little lump appeared on the top of his head. It doesn’t detract from his character however.
Size – Approx 15cm in height by 14cm in length.
Material – Stoneware clay and glaze. Stamped underneath with my logo.
Weight– Approx 1.6kg
Free UK delivery – Please allow 5 working days.
International delivery – will take longer but is tracked. Cost of international shipping will depend on your location, please email me if you’d like a quote.
VAT – Price includes VAT at 20% in applicable countries.
How they were made
Mud, glorious mud! well, professional-grade stoneware clay from the UK to be precise.
Out of the bag the clay needs, “wedging,” to remove any air trapped that can later cause problems during firing. Wedging is physical and theraputic!
This little owl was built using the ancient coiling technique which involves rolling coils and building the shape up in layers to create a hollow form (solid structures are more likely to blow up during firing as any moisture left tries to escape.) It’s a slow process -you can’t rush the build as the form may just collapse under its own weight.
After allowing them to dry a little I was able to shape and sculpt them to bring out their character.
Next was the bisque firing – a progressive heating programme to reach 1000°C.
Once cooled (48 hours later) I was able to hand paint three layers of metallic glaze to them.
Next was the glaze firing – this time the temperature reaches 1245°C, this is where the alchemy and magic happens and gives the surface the final appearance.
