Artist Statement for Spirafolia:

In the springtime, many types of ferns push their shoots out of the soil in a spiral-like formation called a fiddlehead.  These fiddleheads are a beautiful harbinger of the vernal season as their leaf-covered stems unfurl from tight spirals.  Spirafolia, meaning “spiral-leaved”, is a Latin term that describes this growth pattern. The surface of each piece is covered in a subtle web-like network of veins, further suggesting a biological origin.

Surface Design Method:

To create the detailed vein pattern on the surface, I employed a resist and erosion technique using polyurethane tinted with food coloring.  After building each piece, I allow it to become bone dry over the course of a few weeks.  Then I hand-paint the polyurethane pattern with a small brush.  Once it dries, I use a wet sponge to scrub the surface of the clay to erode away the material that is not protected by the waterproof painting.  In the kiln, the poly burns off, leaving a very subtle amount of raised texture that later gets highlighted by a translucent matte glaze.