This is a barrel shaped, four-foot tall, foot and a half wide ceramic sculpture. It is divided into two parts that can be separated. The piece was hand coiled and not totally smoothed, showing my finger marks on the surface. The head on the top was partially caste from a dolls head. The base of the sculpture has two compartments that go into the side. One is rectangular and the other is in the shape of a gothic style arch. These two compartments are stacked one on top of the other, with the arch on top. The arch contains a hand made doll. This doll has a ceramic head, legs, and arms all with an encaustic surface treatment. The doll’s body is cloth and the fabric has a storybook style image of a queen or princess. The rectangular compartment has the face of a gold antique lady’s wristwatch. Both interiors of the compartments are finished with a white cracked or crawl, dry surface glaze, while the outside is ringed with gold leafing.

On the outside of the lower section is a patchy dry, bluish green glaze. I let the red body of the clay show through in the areas where the glaze was thinly applied. Around the sides are five cameo shaped images of different sized black beetles. They are collaged onto the surface using encaustics, with a yellow ocher background and then framed with gold leafing.

The top portion is cone-like and oddly torso shaped. There is a small cavern where the chest is located that holds dried, pressed flowers. A baby doll- sized head emerges out of the top and bear-like ears have been fused or morphed out of the head. A small dog proudly crowns the top of the head. The surface treatment for the upper portion is created from different found fabrics collaged in encaustic. The fabrics are embroidered tea towels depicting cups and saucers and small birds or antique style children’s patterns.

The uncommitted title refers to the great bear constellation in the Northern sky. On the right lower part of the sculpture, I pressed small metal balls into the clay body in the shape of this celestial body. In this way I am connecting it to the “And The Stars Go With You” piece with my interest in the wonder of the universe. I bring this representation to life by capturing the act of play and pretend, where the figure is dressed up as the bear. This gives power to transcend who you are on earth into something else. Children do this naturally through play.

In Myth the bear is considered a dangerous and noble animal, connected to the lunar and Mother-Goddess. The bear is sacred to Artemis and was kept in her company as well as being one of her disguises. The bear is the symbol of self in dreams, the dangerous aspect of the unconscious. The small dog perched proudly on the head of the bear is a symbol of the present. He courageously stands on a bear’s head fearless. This is my dog Charlie who is by my side, inspires me, and gives me courage.

This piece is essentially about my experience as a child in my grandmother’s care. By using my grandmother’s old embroidery pieces and children’s fabrics as a surface treatment, I am referencing the time aspect of the hours of stitching she did to decorate personal items and sew clothing. I am also thinking about her personal touch to things she lovingly made for me such as clothing or knitted blankets. This type of activity has been lost in our modern society as our lifestyles have become hurried and stressed. The way in which the fabric has been applied is quilt-like and, if I am the bear, I am putting myself in a place of comfort, wrapping myself in the safety of the remnants of my grandmother.

In addition, my grandmother took great pride in her flower gardens that also took time and care. The flowers that are in the heart space of the chest signify this passion. The beetles surrounding the sculpture signify death. In myth the soul can reside in the beetle for a while after death. I am using myths in this piece to symbolize the thoughts, memories, and feelings I have about my grandmother.