The Watcher – Large Owl Sculpture
A unique sculpture of an owl in a black glaze
Continuing my exploration of divine feminine power and the mythology surrounding the wildlife of Britain, I created The Watcher.
Tall and slender, this queen of the night sits patiently in the darkness, watching and waiting. They see all.
I was curious as to why nocturnal hunting owls are camouflaged for their daylight surroundings when surely they’d be better suited to be hidden from their prey by having dark plumage. It turns out that they too are vulnerable to predation despite being such incredible hunters themselves.
A reminder that even the hunter can be hunted and must be wise to their world – watch and wait.
Size – Approx 35cm in height
Edition – One of a kind
Material – Stoneware clay and glaze. Stamped underneath with my logo. Due to the hand-built nature, organic qualities of clay and extreme processes involved in firing, sculptures may have cracks and imperfections after their glaze firing. Reflecting the organic and often impulsive nature of the creative process, it’s these imperfections that make each sculpture authentic, one-of-a-kind and with their own unique journey of how they came to be – just like us! Cracks are reinforced after firing for peace of mind.
Free UK delivery – Please allow 5 working days. International delivery will take longer but is tracked.
International shipping – Cost of international shipping will be added at the checkout and customers are responsible for any customs and duties.
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 piece 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 the details to bring out their character.
Next was the bisque firing – a progressive heating programme to reach 1060°C.
Once cooled (48 hours later) I was able to hand paint three layers of metallic glaze.
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.
To finish off the sculpture I added a separately fired black clay base which was then attached to her.
