The dolls were goin' on road trips ~ workshops to see, artists to commune with and transformations to emerge through.
They needed a voice; the Travel Logs became a means of communicating their daunting experiences.
The Formationeers, too, had moments to share and procedural information to pass along.

  Click on The Essence Doll and each rotation to read their travel logs.
Anya  2nd   3rd

Oma Granny  2nd   3rd

Anaj  2nd   3rd

Jett Setter  2nd  3rd

Nameless  2nd   3rd

Grandpa Joe  2nd  3rd
Procedural Information:
Doll armature I am making it from pure silver (Precious metal clay - PMC), the doll needs to be hollow - straws, Styrofoam and paper towel create the doll parts. The armatures support the doll's body while I am sculpting it. The Styrofoam and straws will be removed before the doll is placed in the kiln for firing. These materials would give off toxic fumes if I were to let them burn in the kiln. The paper towel will remain inside the doll's body, and will burn out during firing.

The doll is prepared for firing. It has to be supported in key areas so it doesn't slump out of shape in the kiln. I've laid the doll on a bed of alumina hydrate, and given extra support to the arms with pieces of fiber blanket.

Once in the kiln, to burn out the materials used for the armature, it starts at a low temperature. This first firing will be at 1400F for 45 minutes. The second firing, which will harden the silver to its strongest, will be at 1650F for two hours.

PMC pieces shrink during the firing process as the binder burns away. Before firing the doll was over 7" tall. After firing it's 6 1/2" tall.

My final step was to apply a patina, or coloring, to the sculpture in order to help accent the detail on the piece.



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