Franny Haight, Ambiguous Friends, 2024, high-fire ceramics

When I started this self-directed project, my goal was to sculpt a series of ceramic figures. To further explore the concept of character building, I set out to take a two-dimensional sketch featuring strange androgynous creatures and transform the drawing into three-dimensional figures. While I had initially planned on creating multiple figures, there was about a week during which I couldn’t come into the studio and had to adjust how I managed my time. Another concept I have been interested in experimenting with is the idea of having a modular aspect to the ceramic work. Initially, I thought about creating a ball and socket type of contraption on all of the figure's joints but eventually decided I wouldn’t have enough time to execute that idea as I had envisioned. However, I was able to pivot from my original plans and combine those elements by creating one body with a series of heads that can be switched out. 

While the inspiration for this work was based on a sketch, I can identify similar themes and techniques in a few different artists works. Renee So creates simple cartoon-like figures. Her work uses a lot of round and bubbly shapes, similar to the bumpy texture I used in my work. Interestingly, So also chooses her characters to be a solid neutral color. I think one of the first instincts when creating a character is to try to bring them to life with colors and tonal variations, but she can provide that life through the form instead of relying on color. Klara Kristolova’s work is a little eerie and animated. Her work combines mystical elements with human forms. Her sculptures have a very playful aspect that’s also a little awkward and uncomfortable. 

I really enjoyed making this work. The process of sculpting the figure was very intuitive and required working with a chunk of the material as is rather than adding or taking away from the clay. Occasionally, I’d glance over at the sketches as a reference, but for the most part, sculpting the body required me to pinch and massage the clay into the organic bumpy limbs that comprise the figure. While the process of sculpting the body was very therapeutic, I found the switch to making multiple heads to be the most exciting part. I tried to keep them cohesive by using the same bumpy forms on the surface, but I was strategic with the placement as they were the main elements in creating the character and differentiating each head. At this point, I was making decisions about whether I wanted the character to be clearly recognizable like an animal, or more abstract and outlandish.

While I’m satisfied with the end result, and I really like the modular aspect, my view of the completed figures and heads has shifted. Initially, I imagined that by bringing these characters to life as a tangible thing would give them more life and a sense of history. However, that's not really how I view them. To me, they feel a bit more like someone inside a costume or behind a mask. They are mischievous shadows or sneaky spirits, more like a sidekick than a main character. I have a habit of reflecting on my mental state in my work, and I think this is more evidence of that. I’ve been working through feeling like an imposter, managing perceptions, and wanting to hide and compartmentalize my feelings. When creating this work, I intentionally chose to reflect these feelings. I chose to pose the body in an awkward way and to help solidify the idea of the characters like shadows. I gave them a matte black glaze. Moving forward, I want to continue playing with these characters and a lot of the ideas I’ve formed around them, but I want to see how they evolve and if I’m able to break away from the feeling that there is a facade or costume to them and instead focus on giving them more life.