Seal of approval

Ceramics can’t be hurried, so sculpting a family of seals in clay was a slow but satisfying process.

Next to dachshunds and cats, seals are among my favourite animals. Those big, intelligent eyes, their plump, glossy bodies and their ability to transform from floppetty land-lubbers to the most powerful and agile of swimmers…they’re amazing creatures. It’s also a privilege to be able to watch them on the Norfolk beaches during the winter, having pups and mating for next year’s nursery.

To draw them from life you need to be well wrapped up, and sheltered in the dunes from the worst of the wind, but the seals’ relaxed approach means they keep nice and still, holding their poses as if they were life models.

I spent some days last November at Horsey Beach on the Norfolk coast, taking pictures and drawing as much as I could before my fingers became too numb to continue.

Seals have appeared in several of my paintings and prints, but I used the references from Norfolk for a sculpting project at the Clay Club, a ceramics class run by inspirational ceramicist Sally Johnson from her garden studio.

There was one family group I particularly wanted to create, based on a picture my daughter Maddie took at Horsey Gap.

A huge male, a mottled mix of black and brown, dwarfed the mother and pup who were sitting alongside, but they seemed to be enjoying a peaceful afternoon together on the sand. He bellowed irritably a couple of times, but the smooth grey  female responded by rubbing her nose along his flank and that seemed to settle him again.

I modelled the three figures in earthenware clay, and Sally suggested making a ‘beach’ base for them to sit on, but firing each piece separately so the seals could be moved around if need be. Mixing the glazes was challenging, especially the textures for the sand and rocks. I used clear glaze sparingly, to give a sheen to the wet sand and some of the seals’ skin, while avoiding a full-gloss effect.

One thing ceramics teaches you is patience. Some might call it mindfulness. But there is just no hurrying the process. With a first biscuit firing, and then the final glaze firing, it can extend for weeks, especially if a kiln needs to be full before being fired up.

So when my seals finally emerged successfully from the kiln, with the colours I’d hoped for, and no cracks, I was so pleased. Thank you, Sally.