A few days ago I sculpted the lovely Chris. Firstly Chris has the most amazing skin she has luminous skin and looks I would say around 50. She is 71! She used to be a teacher also. She was in charge of ASN for Shetland and The Islands .
I'm struggling with this clay and the fine lines around her eyes I'll go back at it tomorrow I've ordered some new tools.
Chris is very musical so we're going to make her the musical hippie free spiriter that she is.
WOMEN & GIRLS, I WANT YOU TO FEEL BEAUTIFUL, WORTHY AND SEEN. Please come and sit for portraits.
My name is Natasha Phoenix, I'm a sculptor and I am hoping to put on an exhibition that consists of a room full of head portraits of women and girls. I want to change society showing that all women are worthy of being represented in sculpture. That we are each beautiful in unique ways. The truth is there are more portraits of animals than there are of women! Let's change this.
It costs nothing to sit for me. If you like the portrait I can make you a copy to buy.
The feedback I've had from people who sat for me has been so positive. All have said that they've never felt more beautiful and it's really boosted their self-esteem.
'I sat for Natasha recently and it was such a joyful and special experience. The sculpture Natasha did is a beautiful work of art, skillfully created at her home. I felt at ease straight away, was able to switch off from the world and just relish the experience. Seeing yourself in a portrait has a profound effect on how you see yourself - and Natasha made me feel beautiful . And she's got great chat!'
Annie McRae -August 2023
I have portraiture in the Permanent Collection in Surgeons Hall Museum Edinburgh. Three of my pieces were long listed for the National Portrait Awards 2023.
I am currently in exhibiting at The Holy Art Gallery , London. Will be exhibiting in Edinburgh Oct 2023.
Next month I will be training with the world's best portrait artist Maudie Brady.
Practical Information
This is an opportunity for all women and girls.
I am based in East Lothian and I'm flexible on days.
We do the portrait in my Studio with a really comfy seat. You can get up and move about as much as you want. We play music, make a playlist of you like. Read a book, use your phone, wear headphones, have a good old blether. You do whatever suits you while you are sculpted.
You can bring a friend.
Sit for me as long as you feel comfortable, some people sit for 4 hours some people sit for 8.
It will be more accurate if you do a 2nd sitting but you don't have to,I can do it from photographs.
The original will be made in clay. To have a water cast copy it costs £1400, a cold cast bronze is £1800. You're under no obligation to buy a copy but I would like your permission to exhibit the original piece. For for more info please message .
If you want to follow my work and have a think about it, you can find me here and also on my website
https://www.facebook.com/natashaphoenixsculpture
Instagram - Natasha Phoenix Sculpture
www.natashaphoenixsculpture.com
Ok not exactly famous, but in the local papers not bad. I haven't been keeping up with the blogs because I've been super busy with 4 children and a business.
Here is the article that I wrote for the East Lothian Courier.
Well today was a lovely workshop, where everyone created fantastic pieces. So I'm going to add the photos and let them speak for themselves. Remember to contact me if you want to do a workshop or if you want any tips or hints with Raku.
So i've been making baby owls, mini baby owls ! There is such joy in sculpting each one and the little faces. Each one has a little personality. See if you can spot the evil owl LOL .Here is what they look like when they're finished
Okay so if you're not into making Raku then the search for the perfect white raku glaze it's probably not that interesting to you. But if you are into it then it really is the holy grail!
The quest to find a glaze that is shiny, crackly on smaller items, and doesn't leave bubble marks.
I have made so many recipes, I've tried the Fergusons to the watkins .
I have discovered my perfect recipe. So here it is because I'm a sharer
80 high alkaline frit
20 nepheline syenite
10 tin oxide
make it thick, best left overnight before using!
Fire till shiny, leave out for a minute till you hear a crackle then reduce quite heavily, it does scar if things touch it but it crackles better. You can put your piece on a fire break and line your reduction with paper to still get a good crackle without scarring.
Raku -enjoy !
Today I tried a little bit of experimentation with making a tile. It's for a commission to do three raku tiles with a beautiful dog on, whose name I can't reveal yet in case her owner reads it , it's a surprise .
I decided to use a photograph, I ran it through an app to get a black-and-white image. I then painted the image on using the least bubbly white glaze I could find. I then finished it with emerald glaze
Unfortunately the front didn't go as black as I would've liked so I had to set fire to a big pile of newspaper and burn it for several minutes. That worked quite well. I'm pretty pleased with that and I definitely will use that technique again.
I'm usually a sculptor or hand builder but lately I've been getting up early and doing some meditative throwing on the wheel. As I'm quite an excitable, jumpy person the wheel is not necessarily the best place for me to create art. You have to be very centred and very calm to use the wheel correctly. Since I've been using it as a form of meditation I've actually started to throw some decent pots. Here is a picture, it's not spectacular but I'm so proud. Small Zen steps
I've booked in a new workshop date for 23 rd September 11.30 am .
Now I need to make some glazes , better clean out my cauldron!
glazing otherwise known as magical alchemy !
One of the people from my workshop yesterday wrote a fantastic post on Facebook documenting the workshop from her perspective. So I've got her photos and I'll write it up. I'll add some of the photos from the other people who attended.
Pots ready to be glazed
Pot glazed, perhaps a wee bit too thick
Getting the kiln ready
In the kiln, ready to go. Excited!
Natasha listening for that all important crackle
In for some reduction, not too much
Into the water without exploding. The look of pure concentration on Tasha's face
It's survived!
Washing off the carbon and revealing the beauty beneath
Gorgeous
It has reduced beautifully
Some glaze has come off in the kiln due to being too wet and too thick
With Natasha's help, applying kinsugi means the piece is perfect again
The final piece is perfect in its imperfection. The kinsugi just enhances it!
Claire's piece
Mona's 2 pieces from attending two workshops
Suzi's amazing piece of raku
Well that's the workshop finished, some absolutely amazing pieces. Feeling a bit jealous that they get to take them all home.
Such a nice group of people who all brought delicious food with them.
There were some dramatics, and thankfully not with the raku . While they were eating the glass roof in my dining room shattered and came to the floor. Thankfully no one was hurt as they moved in time. We just carried on with the raku , because hey had already happened, stopping would've change nothing.
Today we used blue glazes, copper turquoise,turquoise, white with stains, and white. Here are some photos of the amazing pots people made.
Annie brought her own pieces to glaze and quite frankly I'm actually jealous they are gorgeous. She is so talented.
Annie's 2 beautiful pieces
White crackle with leaf prints.
Jo scrubbing her pot
Burping pots
Before the ceiling came crashing down on us happy glazing.
Another day ,another workshop. So today have a wonderful group of all women coming to learn how to do Raku.
It's been raining heavily so instead of putting the marquee up with I'm having it inside my dining room. Hopefully everyone will bring wellies.
Here is a picture of my demonstration piece, not sure what I'm gonna do with that yet, I'll go with the group suggestion.
