SHE Sea Wisdom: Jellyfish/Not Jellyfish (Coral Reef 004)
Slip-cast and Hand-built ceramic coral-inspired sculpture with layers of kiln-fired glazes including real gold luster. The slip-cast torso was added to the hand-coiled base. All the coral and shell shapes on the textured base started as a hand-rolled ball of clay. When completely built the sculpture is bisque kiln-fired. I first with drew the images with stains and glaze to create the jellyfish and images of plastic bags floating in water, on the bisque-fired torso. Three layers of aqua celadon glazes were layered over the drawings. I used about 20 different glazes on the sculpture. The third and final kiln-firing completes the sculpture with details of 18k gold and beautiful opalescent over the glossy body and corals.
Bio
<p>Julia C R Gray, Cardiff by the Sea, California, uses mid-fire clay to cast and sculpt torsos with hand-painted images using layered glazes & oxides. Her artwork portrays multilayered messages, on the vulnerability and strength of the ocean and women’s bodies. After working as a representational painter, Gray returned to University to focus on sculpture, completing a BFA (2014) with Honors from San Francisco Art Institute. Gray has been awarded scholarships and art grants. Her work is published on the cover of MODIFIED: Living As A Cyborg and in academic texts, as well as art magazines. Gray's sculptures can be viewed in civic galleries, juried exhibitions and museums and is collected nationally. Her work is represented by PXP Contemporary, Juniper Rag and Nanny Goat Gallery, Petaluma, California. </p>
