Process Study: Blue Staircases (Clay)

Realizing the Clay Forms

I wanted the stairs to look as if they defied physics, to be impossible to climb. Creating precise edges in clay was really difficult. I also had to make the staircases look physically impossible without actually falling over.
From a technical standpoint, this made the bottom two steps essential: they had to be heavy enough to support the titling form.  

Glazed Objects

I glazed (the ceramic version of paint) the forms to highlight the juxtaposition between matte and gloss. 
As a painter, I attempted to create gradients with the glaze like one can with acrylic or oil, so it appears that one color is fading into another. 

Displayed Together

Ultimately, I decided to display the two sculptures together. I liked the tension they created by almost touching, but not quite. After all, it worked for that little known painting The Creation of Adam.