Cala | Bisque Porcelain
Cala | Porcelain | 25 x 22 x 8 cm | 2024
Backstory
Portugal 2024
Cala began as a study in stillness and inwardness—a hand resting on the chest, not as a symbol, but as a gesture of turning toward the self. The name means inner beauty, and that became the premise: a figure cracked and broken on the outside, yet unchanged in its internal presence. What’s visible on the surface says nothing about the state within.
The piece was made using black porcelain, a material I return to for its quiet, absorbing quality. It doesn’t reflect much light; it asks you to come closer. And when you do, it reveals its own kind of depth. Cala resisted me every step of the way. Pieces broke off before, during, and even after firing. Its fragility made it hard to handle—but also gave it its tension, its charm. It never felt safe. That felt honest.
Unlike Emrys, I didn’t need to force the breaks. They appeared naturally as part of the process. The sculpture held its shape, just barely, and that was enough. There is only one Cala. It carries all the risk and failure that went into it—and something quiet, still intact.
Techniques
MEDIUM:
Chavant NSP Medium
https://chavant.com/chavant-nsp
Plaster of Paris for mould making
Black Ice Porcelain (added fibre)
https://www.sio-2.com
Tools (I used a few fine details tools from FormX)
https://formx.eu/tools/index.php
TECHNIQUE:
The process began with a sculpture in oil-based clay, focused on the broad form and the gesture of a hand on the chest. I cast the model in plaster, then applied a thin layer of black porcelain slip to create a hollow replica. I then added elements to create the final piece. The material was pushed close to its limits—fragile even when dry and unpredictable in the kiln.
It was then fired high fired at 1220 °C
