Jeff Margolin has been working with clay since age 12 and became a professional ceramic sculptor. He prefers to work with pit firing and burnishing his pieces by hand with stones rather than using glaze. His sculptures draw inspiration from nature, classical design, and artists like Giger, Escher, and Dali. Margolin creates wheel-thrown or constructed ceramic works that are carved, burnished, fired, and finished with washes of watercolor to enhance the details.

1. Jeff
Margolin
Ceramic Sculpter

2.  Became serious with clay at the age of 12
 Not a huge fan of glaze, burnishes with stones
 Worked primarily with pit firing
 Paid for college working with clay and
selling pieces
 Noticed a growing nationwide market
for artisan craft

3.  Influenced by classical design
particularly differing ethnic designs
 Loves to draw from nature
 Nature presents repetition but always
with irregularities
 Likes Giger, Esher, Dali, Richard Shaw

4. Design Semiology

5.  Pieces are either wheel thrown or constructed
from strips
 Porcelain-like clay body
 Pieces are carved and burnished by had with
a smooth stone
 Pieces are burnished in one sitting and
large pieces can take up to 8 hours

6.  Pieces are fired in an electric kiln
 Hair and sawdust are applied while
the piece is cooling
 Finally, a thin wash of watercolor is
applied to the carving