Earth Formed Vessels

Artist Chris Gryder uses silt, clay and concrete to perfect his art.

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Artist Chris Gryder had always envisioned himself becoming an architect, but while studying in Arizona's Arcosanti desert, he discovered the use of silt, clay and concrete as crafting materials. Soon, he found himself "playing in the dirt." It's this twist of fate that led to the creation of his amazing earth-formed vessels.

Making one of his vessels begins by mixing silt, an 80 % to 20 % mixture of sand to clay, with water. The damp silt mixture is then poured into a plywood box. This combination is left to sit for up to an hour, so that it may solidify. Next, Chris carves out the center of the silt using a 'negative' process. While taking away silt using spoons and small shovels, he creates a mold that he cannot fully see. Chris then pours slip or colored clay inside the vessel form.

The exterior of the clay hardens over the next eight to 12 hours. He then removes the still-liquid interior of the clay using a ladle. The remaining shell is approximately one-quarter to one-half inch thick. Over the next week, Chris delicately removes first the plywood box, then the outer layer of silt. With the vessel now in a bone-dry stage, Chris brushes on ceramic oxides that add color without damaging surface texture. He bisque fires the art piece and then adds a luster glaze composed of copper and cobalt to the vessel's interior. Highlights are added using a dark slip wash. The piece is then fired a second time.

The finished product is an artwork that possesses the unique traits and patterns of raw earth forms, while also exemplifying Chris's singular artistic style.