Detroit Sunset | Framed Art

Detroit Sunset | Framed Ceramic Art 

Not all ceramic art belongs on a shelf ... sometimes it needs a frame.

Terracotta tile with porcelain and black glaze washes, cone 06, approximate size: 2.625w x 4.24h inches, frame: 5w x 7h inches

Urban Landscape  My art beginnings began as a landscape painter. It is an aesthetic I love to return to but with clay as my medium. This thin tile is created using print plates I created. The plates feature landscapes from my journeys. Many images are captured walking around my neighborhood or in nearby Detroit. Some are made during my travels and vacations. 

How are they made? Using a digital photo taken of a location, I create a black & white high contrast image. Sometimes I add figures to the landscape - like adding actors onto a stage. A film negative is created to expose a UV printing plate. The print plate is impressed into the clay. I sometimes use different clay bodies (e.g. terracotta or porcelain) to achieve different hues or contrast. By adding washes of black glaze to the impression, I can create the landscape image. The tiles are fired in the kiln and mounted and displayed in shadow box frames.