Ceramic Reliefs and Tile Works
Traveling – especially in Italy – I’ve been exposed and influenced by the historical works that grace the walls of the churches and even on corners in the streets. These pieces are religious icons. The very structures designed to frame the characters, angels, and saints inspire my designs of my very dimensional reliefs. These pieces are easily hung on a wall, as they have the necessary hanging system installed on their back side. As read in my artist statement, it’s included how much birds have been a part of me since I was young, and their spirits inhabit my work as well.
The tile works are also inspired by birds and anthropomorphic leanings can indicate inspiration from the human conditions. These are closer to being tile work as they are very low-relief surfaces. These, too, are easily hung on a wall, either as an individual tile or set, or they are mounted on a substrate surface that is ready to hang.
As most of my clay work entails – they are usually twice fired, the second time with an oxide-stain. From there they may be fired again with glazes on them, or I’ll have used Prisma-colored pencil for the surface color, added patinas, and any other additions that seem to speak to me. All share my own special stylized-realism.
Italianate Box Frame with Bird, Eggs and Feather
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Terra cotta clay, oxide-stained, metallic wax patina, and glass
Dimensions: 15” height, 12” width, 2.5” depth
Collection of Gayle Sanchirico
From Pamela's Italianate series - "This is fine art!" the juror exclaimed at the juror's walk-through when this piece was exhibited. Gayle agreed and purchased it immediately.
Friend and glass-artist, Susan Fox, provided the eggs.
New Family
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Terra cotta clay, oxide-stained, metallic wax patina
Dimensions: 14” height, 11” width, 3” depth
$1500
From the collection of Aidan Menzies
From Pamela's Italianate series, Influenced by trips to Italy and the impression made by the large, formal gilded frames emphasizing the art within. These pieces are a combination of low and high relief areas. It's a about a new family - first baby. Pamela gave this to her first grandson at his baptism. This piece has received a blue ribbon in a local exhibit - check out Pamela's resume
Hidden Treasures
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Terra cotta clay, oxide-stain, metallic wax patina
Dimensions: 14” height, 10” width, 4” depth
Pamela's collection
This piece came from the Italianate series, but breaks out beyond the "frame-box" with the realistic branches that add movement, depth and additional texture. Crows love shiny objects and love to hide them. Easier to see in the detail are the watch parts that the crow is reaching down and hiding in his special place. These objects belonged originally to Pamela's dad - he repaired watches, and had many extra parts and jewels
Royal Bird with Five Eggs
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Terra cotta clay, oxide-stained, glass, and metallic-wax patina
Dimensions: 15” height, 10” width, 105” depth
From the collection of Susan and Dan Fox
From Pamela's Italianate series, influenced by trips to Italy and the impression made by the large, formal gilded frames emphasizing the art within. Interpretation can be made about the story portrayed including the feather and eggs. This piece is a combination of high and low relief.
This piece received a Honorable Mention in a local exhibit. Check out Pamela's resume.
. . . and then there was four
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Terra cotta clay, oxide-stain, metallic-wax patina.
Dimensions: 10” height, 10” width, 1.5” depth
From the collection of Deborah Lehman ($225 if desired as a commission piece)
A similar box to the Italianate series, this piece served as a memorial to Pamela's Uncle Glenn. Her father, Karl, was the oldest of seven siblings. A few, at the time, had passed. At this point his closest brother, Glenn, had died and Pamela did this piece as a memorial to her uncle and to those that had passed before him. The feather symbolizes family as "birds of a feather," and the leaves represent those that have "fallen." If you have a reason for such a memorial or family piece. Pamela can do something similar for you.
Voyeur
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Terra cotta clay, oxide-stained, glass, metallic-wax patina
Dimensions: 13” height, 10.5” width, 4” depth
From the collection of Anne and Len Buckman
An off-shoot of the Italianate series, as Pamela erupts the surface in depth and width with her life-like branches. These branches create a sense of movement throughout the piece. The birds range from low to high-relief adding to a greater sense of depth.
Friend and glass-artist, Susan Fox, provided the eggs.
Bird Spirit Rising
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Terra cotta clay, oxide-stained, metallic-wax patina, glass, colored pencil, petrified frog, chicken breast bone.
Dimensions: 15” height, 15” width, 9” depth
Sold
Inspired by the religious icons in Italy, Pamela designed this piece to look as though it had doors that would close. Her realistic branches reach through the doors, into the offering box below, where a petrified frog (placed after this photo was taken)and chicken breast bone were placed. The feather symbol and medallion near the top add to the spiritual aspect, as do the wings rising above the nesting glass egg.
Glass egg created for this piece by glass artist, Susan Fox.
Nobody's Home
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Terra cotta clay, oxide-stained, metallic-wax patina.
Dimensions: 15” height, 12” width, 5” depth
Collection of Nancy Mantel
One of the first from the frame-built series; with the life-like branches adding the additional depth, structure and texture to this piece, Pamela has caught the watchful crows attitude. The whole piece has more color than is shown here. The textures, and relief from low-to high, add movement and interest from background to foreground.
Nancy places or hangs objects in or from the Crow's beak to suit her mood.
Sentinel
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terra cotta, oxide stain, metallic wax patina, glass.
Dimensions: 15” height, 12” width, 2.5” depth
From the collection of Diana Constance
All "murders of crows" have their sentinels, warning or notifying each other.
From Pamela's Italianate series, this mid- to low-relief piece has a rustic icon appearance with two glass eggs from Susan Fox, glass artist, lodged in a protective reversed arch.
Night Fandango-Broken Dreams
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Terra cotta clay, oxide stained, cast glass, metallic-wax patina
Dimensions: 14" height 9" width 2" depth
In the collection of Beth Gasperich
This began as an Italianate-piece, but accidents do happen with clay work. So, with 'lemons' we make "lemonade."
The Night Fandango . . . has a glass moon that Pamela cast in the kiln.
Raven Reveal
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Terra cotta clay, mounted on board, colored pencil, metallic-wax patina.
Dimensions: 27” height, 21” width, 4” depth
From the collection of Pamela Day
Pamela tried a larger Italianate-inspired piece - thinking 'outside the box.' But accidents can happen in the kiln, and a large section was blown out of the piece - most of the raven. Working with what was left this piece revealed itself.
Lookin' for Trouble
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Terra cotta clay, oxide-stained, glazed; mounted, framed
Dimensions: 10” height, 26” width
Collection of Rick and Kathy Lovernick
Young birds out and about, looking for trouble. The Lovernicks had three adolescences at home and could certainly identify with these three.
Bird Tile Set
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Terra cotta clay, oxide-stained, glaze, metallic wax patina
Pamela has created these tile sets a few times. Couples love them. Each tile hang separately, but may be reversed in their placement to express a message, if need be.
Something's Brewing
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Terra cotta clay, oxide stain, metallic wax patina
Dimensions: 20” height, 18” width
Pamela's collection (Similar commissioned - Framed set $400)
The first from Pamela's tile sets. Very stylized bird characters done in a very low relief, emphasizing color and a variety of textures on the surface. Mounted and framed.
Tell Pamela your story for a framed commissioned piece
Storm's Brewin'
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Terra cotta clay, glaze, and metallic wax patina.
Dimensions: 20” height, 18” width
From the collection of Glenna and Craig Fritz-Hutton
From Pamela's tile set series - very stylized bird characters done in a very low relief, emphasize color and a variety of textures on the surface. The characters expressing continued concern about their complicated existence.
Romantic Sunset
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Terra cotta clay, glaze, metallic wax patina.
$250
Dimensions: 12” height, 17” width
Gannet-like birds have also been a favorite of Pamela's. Their large stylized shapes offer the opportunity to create color- scapes and an illusion of form. They seem to express themselves emotionally, as well, which fits well with Pamela's expression of caring and romance.