Box of Secrets final build

Following the successful creation of the twig mould, I decided it would be effective to use this mould for both of the boxes required for the project, but to approach them very differently in material and character. One box will be made from stoneware, while the second will be constructed in porcelain paperclay. The paperclay box will be taller and more delicate in feel.

The lid of the paperclay box is intended to be decorated with decals, which will need to be ordered soon to ensure they arrive in time. In terms of overall form and surface, I am hoping the paperclay will evoke a sense of freshly fallen, gentle snow. This may be enhanced with a very light wash of copper carbonate to introduce a subtle green hue to the main body. The feet will be beer bottle lids, similar to the Grolsch type, to be glued on after firing, possibly each carrying a decal.

The second box, made from stoneware, has a much sturdier presence. The tops of the walls have retained a strong, striking silhouette from the twig mould, and these will be left visible by using a lid that fits internally rather than overlapping the rim. The lid itself has a rocky quality, with a finial designed to resemble the wheel and cable from a chairlift mechanism. I am hoping to glaze these elements in a more metallic grey palette. The glaze for the rocky surface is still undecided, as are the final choices for the body and feet of this box.

At this stage, both boxes feel full of possibility, with decisions still to be made as the forms begin to assert their own character.