Since making the rapid-prototype marionette on Monday, I have been thinking of how to make a more finished looking one. I decided that it would be fun to try and make some out of clay. It really got me thinking about how one can create movement with this medium which is mostly associated with rigidity. I plan on exploring this concept for a while, at least until I get bored with it or it’s replaced with a different obsession.

Today in the studio I started right away on making the doll pieces. I figured I’d start small to test out the mechanics of it and then make some larger scale puppets. After I finished all the doll pieces I made a textured dish with my leftover slab. Then I decided to make a chain with some coils. It’s my hope that once fired, as long as I am careful with how I glaze them, they will keep their ability to move freely. Next week I think I’ll try to make some hinges and see how that goes.

I brought home a few pieces that were finished- a purple rose that I gifted to my husband for an early Valentine’s Day gift, a triangular vase with a “raw” edge, and an oyster mushroom.

All in all I’d say it was a pretty productive day. I even had a few minutes left at the end to put a clear glaze on my experimental hello plate printed dish.

What are some other ways to demonstrate motion in pottery?