Lisa Clague
Maker/Collector Statement
I was invited to be in a cup show in 2008 at the Blue Spiral Gallery in Asheville, NC. As a sculptor, the idea of function created an interesting vehicle with which to work.
This Teddy Bear Cup was the last piece I made in that series. It remains in my collection because, to me, it's an oddball! It's a culmination of all the techniques I was exploring during this time period all together in one two headed cup.
The cup involves a slip cast figure that was cut apart and reconstructed into a cup. The bears head is made from dipping a stuffed animal in casting slip and with a sculpted face. The flower is silk dipped in slip, and the finish is glaze, luster, paint, graphite pencil and encaustic, a combination that I had not done before.
The cup series allowed me to explore a more whimsical and spontaneous side of myself which is different than my figurative work.I've collected many pieces of Michaelene Walsh, she also tackles both sculpture and functional work.
I've collected many pieces of Michaelene Walsh, she also tackles both sculpture and functional work. I think we are both compelled to make something that words can't quite pin down, the paradox of a visual poem perhaps. In addition, we share the fascination with dolls and animals and their ability to haunt and enchant the viewer with their ambiguous presence. (Monkey Cup)
Her works are an inspiration to me and some of my favorite pieces in my collection.