Design Inspirations

Winter Inspiration

January 23, 2018

This is probably the prettiest winter we have had in years here in far far Northern New York state. It has snowed a lot. And that is where the inspiration lies as I found a couple of days ago when I ventured out with my cell phone to capture some of the beauty of a recent snowfall. I have been using photos quite a bit lately in my work in polyclay. I love doing photo transfers onto polyclay and then manipulating them into organic forms.

Polymer Clay Leaves by Mary Harding Photo Transfers from my own photos

So far this is not a technique I can transfer over into ceramic clay. I like the fact that I can use my own photos for the transfers, rather than purchase silkscreens or stencils. I have a long past history with non traditional photo processes so it kind of comes naturally to me to want to use my own pictures.

Here is some of what I found.

This picture makes me think of tropical trees with cottony flowers high up in the forest reaching for light.

Here I was excited about the graphic effect the snow has on the branches: the multiple white and dark lines that it creates. I like looking deep into the branches and getting lost in the design. I can imagine these as texture on pendants, beads and bracelet toppers. I could even use glazes and wax resist to replicate these in ceramic clay.

I was captivated in this view by the chain links the snow and branches made and the leaf pendants hanging down. Surely an inspiration for flow and composition in a necklace to be.

More branches outlined in snow. The undulation and twisting of form seems to have imbuded this necklace I worked on afterwards.

Free form peyote necklace in progress with my handmade raku fired ceramic art beads.

Some of the pictures I took were inspirational to me because of how they made me feel. Here I felt the lonliness and longing of the road leading off endlessly into white. For me longing and creation are often paired.