Amoeba Candle Holder #5 (In-Store Pick Up Only)

By Alyssa Robichaud Ceramics.

*This piece is only available for in-store pick up. We apologize for the inconvenience!

Custom made for Prelude & Dawn! 

Shiny smooth Amoeba Candle Holder in white.

Measures approximately 5.5″ high x 5.5″ wide x 1″ thick.

Fits most standard candle sticks. For a snug fit, melt a little wax, or put a little sticky tack inside the holder to secure the candle.

The Process:

Each piece begins with a sketch that evolves into a hand drawn pattern. I trace the pattern onto clay slabs that I roll out with a rolling pin then attach them together by scoring the edges and applying clay slip. Once attached, I let the forms dry until they are leather-hard and then begin to trim them. When I am happy with the shape, I smooth the surface and reveal the final form. At this stage I cover them lightly with plastic to allow them to dry slowly over two weeks, which reduces the risk of cracking.

Then they are fired in the kiln reaching temperatures higher than 1900 degrees celcius. After this first firing they are sanded down to a smooth finish and rinsed to remove the dust. Once dry they are ready to be glazed.

I hand paint several coats of glaze onto each piece allowing time to dry between coats. The final glaze firing reaches temperatures higher than 1800 degrees. When the glaze fire is complete the pieces come out rich, shiny and smooth.

Every aspect of the process is done completely by hand. There are sometimes minor imperfections that occur such as inconsistency in the glaze, or a spot of glaze on the rim or bottom of a piece. Some variation is characteristic of handmade work and lend it personality and uniqueness.

About Alyssa Robichaud:

Hello! I live and work in Nova Scotia, Canada. I always knew I wanted to be an artist and after high school I enrolled in NSCAD University where I studied sculpture, media arts and art history. After NSCAD I became deeply interested in philosophy and decided to pursue it, eventually going on to complete a Masters degree in philosophy at Dalhousie University that culminated in a thesis on the nature of creativity. Throughout these studies I continued to make art working primarily in drawing, painting and woodburning. It was sometime later, in 2016, that I discovered ceramics. I am self taught and spent many hours trying, failing and trying again. My pottery journal is filled with drama.

 When I tried hand building with clay it felt like a homecoming. My first slab built vases were a revelation and I never looked back. Making ceramics with slabs is a mix of drafting, designing, physical labor and delicate hand work. I love every part of the process. The look and feel of ceramic pieces made this way touch a deep aesthetic sensibility in me. I believe I put my best self into this work and hope that some of the joy and enthusiasm it sparks in me is passed on in some way to all who see it.