Ceramics -- By the Sea

This ceramic sculpture is composed of multiple hybrid figures.  Each figure was made in two parts and joined together.  A baby was sculpted in clay and a plaster mold was poured around it.  The clay was then removed leaving the impression of the baby as a one-part plaster mold.  A two-part plaster mold was made from an existing shell that had been coated with resist.  A hole was drilled into this mold.  To assemble a shell baby, porcelain slip was poured into the mold of the baby and into the mold of the shell.  When the clay had firmed up, the excess slip was poured out and the pieces removed.  Slip was then used to adhere the shell to the baby.  The pieces were bisque fired, glazes were applied and each figure was then fired to cone 10.  Very tiny lights were inserted into the bottom of each figure to complete the sculpture.