No matter how busy things get, I can always steal a few minutes to spend in my little in-house clay studio (usually in the very early morning when it’s still dark). There is such comfort and calmness in claywork, kinda like meditation.
The space is about 7×10′ – it’s very cozy. I can slip into my chair at the clay table and lose myself in the comfort of hand building earthenware when there’s an extra 30 minutes or so.
A couple of weeks ago I had a Milagro Moment – aha! You know, or course, that milagros (miracles) are those little charms that adorn altars and artwork all over the Southwest and Mexico. What if I made a clay press mold from milagros just like I do from cemetery faces? I could fire it and use it for all kinds of milagro textures.
This is how it turned out.
Here is an unfired earthenware heart taken from the press mold – I sanded it to refine the shape.
Now that I have the press mold, I can use it for lots of handbuilding projects like the small heart-shaped shard pockets that I’m making because they take a comparatively short time to create – see the one on the right:
I can also incorporate the clay shape into other assemblages. This one, a personal altar adornment was finished last night.
The detail that clay can replicate is pretty amazing – I’m using Longhorn White with Grog to form the press mold and firing it to Cone 05.
Small Milagros-patterned ring dish
Making clay objects has been my go-to comfort practice since the late 70’s when I took handbuilding classes from Jerry Alexander at the old San Antonio Art Institute. Some of you remember that time!
So getting grounded by working with earthenware always helps me find those Milagro Moments – new ideas that keep the enthusiasm for the next creative experiment alive and well. So, what’s YOUR next Milagro Moment??
Milagro Heartshard with branches
These are real winners! I love the concept….the imagery and the end result! It is now on my “want one” list. Buy at Las Almas?
I should have some there 🙂 Can’t wait to see your work, Girlfriend –
Love, love, love everything about this! Are you going to offer them on Etsy?
Maybe – they might be a little hard to ship — let me think on it
Fantastic Aha moment!!!!
Thanks, Terry Gay – you have those all the time!
Again your work touches my heart! I have several of these collections mounted on crosses & hearts.The first came from my in-laws trip to colonial Mexico in the ‘70’s & then I got to see the mounds on the altar at the cathedral in Mexico City & began using them in small paper & stitched work. My Milagros moments of late have happened working outside.
I love the idea of using small shards in fiberwork
Fabulous!
Thanks, Linda ❤️
Love the Heartshard…lovely, as usual. Will you do a class for these on Artful Gatherings, maybe??
❤️ Paula
Maybe! We could use paper clay.
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Lyn
How do you remove the milagro heart from the clay without clay sticking in tight places.
Ps I love my piece Gratitude with that heart!
Baby powder dusted in the mold 🙂
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I would love this mold. Where could I purchase please?
Thank you
Jann