Welcome
Custom Horse Hair Pottery by CL Ramsdell
Unique custom memorial pottery which honors the memories of our loved ones whether four legged or two.
Meet the artist - C L Ramsdell
Background
I believe my horsehair pieces are a modern interpretation of the Apache tradition honoring a fallen war horse. The hair of the tail or mane was incorporated into the vessel, so the spirit of the horse was always present.
Though my artwork is so varied, it is also unified — if not visually, then in spirit — of an underlying reverence of nature, particularly of ties to the land, livestock and horses; a deep appreciation of the rugged west and South Dakota ancestry — both pioneering and Native American; and finally a quest to honor and hold close family.
Over the past several years, I have narrowed my focus to mostly large-scale murals and pottery – I first started as the designer for the Corn Palace, and the latter as part of my pottery business, Dakota Bones. Through much trial and error — which included using fireworks and smoke-bomb coloring — I developed my own brand of horse hair pottery, which I am continually experimenting with. I believe horse hair-fired pottery becomes a holder of memories, provides comfort and connects past to present in an incredibly moving experience.
Style
My work is heavily influenced by my love of the western lifestyle, the land I live on and the family which surrounds me. I am particularly drawn to creating custom memorial pieces for clients. I fire horse hair they provide into a vessel. I also provide a video so as to authenticate the piece.
Process
My horse hair pottery pieces remember the kiss of smoke when horsehairs sizzle and curl on the white-hot surface during the firing process. The combination of smoke and line pattern exudes a unique, almost musical quality, a kind of instinctive rhythm which intrigues me When the piece has cooled, I scrub off excess carbon, then apply wax to protect its surface. The result is a soft glowing organic patina which looks more like wood or marble than clay.