A New Clay Relief: "Spin"

Spin, painted porcelain, 9 3/4 x 8 1/4 x 1/2 in.

I was intrigued by the overlapping curves of this composition, which are emphasized and repeated by the soft rounded raised lines. The four semi-circular shapes above the strong diagonal are somewhat parallel to the picture plane, or move a little forward at their tops, while the lowest one moves back. I'm not sure how clear the photo is in showing the receding bottom edge of that lowest shape. To emphasize its difference its interior line is in sunken relief rather than being raised like the others.  

Spin detail

I love the process of shaping different kinds of lines in clay: rounded and straight, soft and sharp. 

Spin detail

I pay attention to the edges of the piece, and have the forms drift onto the sides. As you can see in the first photo, the forms don't stay within a rectangular boundary but move in and out according to their spacial placement. Moving actual forms in actual space, however shallow, is very exciting; it's a different kind of excitement from the illusionism of painting: both are wonderful.