Product Description
Virgin Mary Candle Holder, Folk Art, Hand Painted, Mexican Clay 4.5"
The multicolored clay candle holders were used as a gift to newlyweds to ensure the couple would have many children and abundant harvests in their fields.
Making a multicolored clay figure can take a few days or several weeks depending on the size and complexity of the piece.
The clay which comes in clods is hit with a mallet until pulverized and afterwards sifted in a sieve until powdered. The leftovers are set in a water pond to rot for about a week.
In a working table where the powdered clay has been arranged the mud that was previously sifted is added little by little mixing them both together. The mix is then cut in 8 pound balls and kneaded until it feels like dough. The balls of clay are stored covered with a wet cloth to prevent them from drying.
The clay is then ready to be sculpted; most pieces are hand coiled with a few exceptions like flowers and leaves that are sometimes made with molds. When the sculptures are done they are left to dry which can take a few hours for a small piece or a few days for a larger one. Once dried the pieces are taken to the kiln where they will be fired for around 6 hours at 850°C (1560° Fahrenheit).
The pieces are left to cool down in the kiln for about 16 hours; once out of the kiln they are polished to smooth their surface and painted with a coat of white acrylic painting.
At last the pieces are ready to be decorated with the traditional bold colors and fine motifs that characterize the multicolored clay from Izucar. Acrylic paintings are the choice of every artist. After being decorated the piece is coated with furniture varnish to avoid the colors from fading (Dyana Agur, 2016).