dwight davidson sculpture
biographic and technical
information
dwight davidson sculpture
I began working with clay
in 1971 while studying at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, after
deciding to obtain
a degree in fine arts. During that time I was also studying a variety of other
subjects such as, stone carving, jewelry, printmaking,
painting, functional pottery, and photography. Toward the end of my studies at
the university, sculpture became my main focus
in the form of jewelry, clay and small metal. In the time since then, I have
seen elements from my experience with other
media influence my sculpture in many different ways.
After learning techniques
of wheel thrown and hand built pottery, I shifted my focus to the sculptural
aspects of clay. I love it's
touch and responsiveness. It is a very intimate medium because my bare hands
are working with it directly without being
separated by tools or other equipment. Because of this, I have learned that I
can "see" with my hands and feel when a
sculpture is working as well as by sight.
The subject of my
sculpture has almost always been animals. In the beginning, I would use pottery
wheel thrown forms
which were then shaped into animals. I like repeating a form or idea several
times because it changes and evolves. My
animals became less detailed and became more stylized the more I repeated them.
In 1981 I began sculpting
cows. They have an amazing form and volume and seem delicate and yet clumsy at
the same time.
I also like sculpting overstuffed 1940's style couches and chairs with cows
sitting on them because their forms seem reminiscent
of each other. The visual association of a clumsy looking cow who if trying to
act demure, while at the same time "letting it all
hang out" on a sagging couch or chair that is about to collapse is at the core
of my sense of humor.
I envision ridiculous or
impossible situations as a basic premise and then build a sculpture to tell that
story. My choice of
what kind of animal to use in any particular sculpture is determined by which
one will lend itself best in conveying a sense
of impossibility or absurdity. I then combine these elements with my desire to
sculpt inflated and voluptuous forms and
surfaces.
The blend of technical
ability along with my sense of humor expressed in a sculpture is intended to
create a safe place of
non-expectation and playfulness where one is allowed to participate and then to
discover the finer details of the work.
A BIT OF TECHNICAL INFORMATION
My preference is to use a water clay that
has a very fine grain and smooth texture. I tend to work mostly with white
or light
colored clays because it allows my glazes to be more colorful and bright.
When I sculpt, I work with a solid mass of
clay and then at a particular point of the drying process and while it is still
moist
I cut the piece apart and hollow out the respective parts and then re-assemble
it.
Most of my sculptures are made from high
fire clay that is fired to 2100 to 2300 degrees Fahrenheit. I have also
worked
in different temperature ranges as well and each time I do so, it is
necessary to do a series of small tiles which test the clay
and glazes that I am going to be using to see how they will respond to
lesser or greater heat. I use glazes that I have
formulated to work at certain temperatures and with particular clays.
Although I use several commercial glaze preparations,
I enjoy making my own with raw ceramic materials. Most of my sculpture is
fired in one single firing with the glazes
being applied directly to dry greenware clay but at times I am required to do as
many as three or more firings on a single
piece to get the results that I want.
I incorporate graphical and photographical
images in my sculpture at times. This is a process that I have developed
which
consists of pigmenting an image and then transferring it to wet clay, which is
then covered with a transparent glaze and fired.
Working with clay and glazes has always
been like alchemy to me and I have never lost my fascination with the infinite
possibilities of both.
In recent years, in addition to
continuing my ceramic sculpture, I have started to produce some of my work in
bronze.
My pieces that are to become bronze are first sculpted in clay and the bisque
fired. A silicone mold is then made
from which I can then pour wan into. It is the wax that I then take to a
foundry to be cast. When I get the cast piece back
from the foundry, I do a large amount of the finishing and the patina myself.