Clay and Wire Sculpture

Christine Federighi is a female, contemporary artist from the United States. She is currently a professor of Ceramics at the University of Miami.

Christine Federighi

Federighi works with primarily clay and wire. The figures are fairly large, almost life size. She constructs her works using the coil method. Large pieces are often built using a wire armature for support.

The rich surface designs are acquired through carving techniques. Federighi carves beautiful scenes or narratives into the surface, creating a relief sculpture on top of the sculpture itself.

After firing, the pieces are sealed with a solid color painted "ground," usually black spray paint. Oil paint is dry brushed over the surface for color and is used in a painterly way, layering one tone of color over another for a deeper and varied color quality. The oil is allowed to sufficiently dry, usually two weeks and then sealed with a clear, satin polyurethane.

“My patterns are images and symbols that have reference to places, situations or experiences in my life. I organize the shapes in a floating composition that wrap each figure form.”

“The images might refer to mountain landscapes of the Western United States, where I spend my summers or the tropical foliage and leaf forms of my Florida residence. Other symbols such as the spiral (infinity form), furrowed water forms, house shapes and stair sections have been introduced and used to continue the personal narrative and journal.”

“They (the images) also become part of the moving composition that wraps each figure. It is a man and nature or man and experience reference.”

“American Indian Art and Tribal Art of all cultures has always held my interest. I appreciate these artists's skills with material, their connection to nature and the spiritual, their sense of design and narrative. I also enjoy the work of contemporary artists whose work seems to reflect tribal influences.”

Clay and Wire Sculpture Objectives:

• Create a clay and wire sculpture of a figure, which is at least 8” tall.

• The figure can be realistic or abstract.• Use the carving technique as part of the

surface treatment.• Include symbols that are carved into the

surface which hold personal meaning.• Paint or glaze sculpture that is appropriate

for design.