Tuesday 28 October 2014

Cazamic

A few days ago I came across Cazamic on Facebook and I am glad I did as the sculptures are beautiful and very unique.  I contacted the woman behind the sculptures, Carolyn and asked her a few questions about Cazamic.


When did you first become interested in Ceramics?


I have always loved art and making things. As a child I used to spend hours sculpting with homemade salt dough.  But it wasn’t until I hit 30 that I ‘found clay’ as I it were.  I went on an art access course at Telford Colleges of Arts and Technology and worked with lots of different mediums.  Clay was always my favourite.  Around my time at TCAT I sculpted a bust of my then partner and the college really ranted and raved about it. 




The principle asked for a poster to put in his office and I was told I MUST go to university and study ceramics.  I also sculpted the witch sculpture which people were impressed with.

A couple of years later I took myself off to university where I did a joint degree in Ceramics and Computer Science where I got a 2:1 BA with Hons. I was concerned I wouldn’t find work in Ceramics which is why I also did computing.  But it was the IT which I went into once I graduated in 2006.

Below are some images of a couple of things I made at university:

Also while I was at university (2004) I found out there was a local china museum in my town so went and volunteered to help for some experience. This led to a part time job as a china flower demonstrator which I still do on a very part time basis still to this day.

Below are some pictures of the flowers I make at Coalport China Museum which were inspiration for my flower people:










When did you start to produce your own pieces?

Since my degree I have always made a few things but I just never knew which direction to go down.  I was in November of 2013 when I came up with my idea for the flower people.


Where did the idea come from for the Flower People?

I was making some wispy figurines which I did start to develop some years previous when I messed up the head.  I decided to put a rose on its neck as a head and it took off from there.  These are the very first flower people I made:




What other pieces do you make?

Currently I am just making flower people and some wisp figurines and the odd bit of work with bone china flowers.  As bone china has 50% bone ash it’s a great clay to add memorial ashes into and then make flowers with.  I recently made the following picture frames as a commission. These flowers have someone’s ashes in them:



I also make wedding place name holders and candles holders using bone china clay:




 How long does it to make each sculpture

They can take up to an hour to make one.  Then they covered and left to dry.  There is some more time spend smoothing edges and joins as they are drying.  Then they need to be leave for a good couple of weeks to completely dry.  Then they are fired at 1240C at a slow bisc which takes around 12 hours ( 14 hours to get to temperate and another 10 for the kiln to cool).

What advice would you give someone wanting to make a career from their art?

Just do it and don’t let any tell you can’t.  Believe in yourself, work hard and keep trying. 




















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