Cris Conklin

I make both functional pottery and ceramic sculpture.

My salt-fired pottery is decorated using the sgraffito technique.  I start by wheel throwing or hand building each piece.  When the form is finished and the clay is still slightly soft, I brush colored clay slip over the surface.  I then draw my design and meticulously carve away the background, revealing the clay underneath.  The result is striking designs with rich surface texture.

After the piece is bisque-fired, I coat the inside with a colored glaze.  I then fire it in a gas kiln, where salt is introduced at 2400 degrees.  It vaporizes and the sodium reacts with silica in the clay to form a natural glaze.  This type of firing is exciting because it produces a wide variety of texture and color.

In my sculpture, I have been experimenting with different clay bodies and firing techniques.   Most of my sculptures are salt-fired stoneware or porcelain.

Nature provides the greatest inspiration for my work.  I am endlessly drawn to the beauty of all living things.  The forms of animals, insects, fish and botanicals bring the surfaces of my pottery to life.

email: conklinpottery@aol.com