Michelle Herholdt,
Molding Hands Ceramics,
Edmond, Oklahoma
Website: http://www.moldinghands.com
Email: michelle@moldinghands.com
Artist Statement:
Nature is my inspiration and growing up in the surrounding areas of the Magalies mountain range in South Africa, helped me form my artistic perspective. The vast combination of colors in plants and animals and the texture of tree bark, moss and rocks.
Studio Description:
My studio is located on our 1.25 acre property, right next to our house. The previous owner used it to store his boat, and we renovated it into a studio space. We are still in the process of putting up drywall and shelves, but it serves my purposes.
What type of clay do you use?
Midrange stoneware and porcelain.
What temperature do you fire to?
Cone 5/6.
What is your primary forming method?
I use slabs for hand building.
What is your favorite surface treatment?
I enjoy using texture on my work.
Do you make any of your own tools?
I cut my own ribs from metal to use as needed during the building process.
What one word would you use to describe your work?
Elegant.
What is your favorite thing about your studio?
All the space. It is 450 square feet.
What is the one thing in your studio you can’t live without?
My slabroller.
What are your top three studio wishes?
To have running water, proper heating, and lots of shelf and storage space.
What’s on your current reading list?
Sculpting the figure in clay - Peter Rubino.
How do you save money on materials and supplies?
I recycle all my clay scraps.
How do you recharge creatively?
I enjoy taking walks in the local parks and taking photos of anything around me that piques my interest.
Do you have any DIY tips for studio efficiency?
Think about all the processes that you use to create your work, and set up a workspace for each process in order.
What challenges have you given yourself to overcome?
I am experimenting with different sculpting techniques to make my work look as realistic as possible.
What did you first piece look like?
I made my very first piece on the wheel. It was a shallow bowl covered with a denim blue glaze. My kids love to put their snacks in it.
What ceramic superpower would you have and why?
To be able to tell what the outcome of an experiment would be, in order to save time, disappointment, and to work more efficiently.
Who is your ceramic art mentor and why?
Antoinette Badenhorst and Curtis Benzle have taught me a lot about their processes.
What is your studio playlist?
Contemporary Christian or Classical music.
Why do you create art?
It is what I was born to do. It is a medium for me to make sense of my experiences and to accentuate and share the things that I find beautiful.
What is your best studio tip?
Show up everyday, even if it is just to put your ideas on paper.
If you could change one property of clay, what would it be?
That it could forget any mistakes.
