Fleur McLaughlan
Artist’s
Bio
Fleur
MaLauchlan is a Winnipeg born artist, self taught in the art of crafting
decorative clay tiles. She has long been drawing pictures with a strong
sense of colour and design, first as a child and later as a student
in graphic design and fine arts. But it was not until she discovered
clay as a canvas that her images truly took form. "I have always
favoured precision over vagueness which is why I carve into the clay
- a technique which not only allows for accuracy but also clean colour
division and plateau exploration".
There are many steps involved in the tile making process. To begin,
each tile is hand rolled and then cut out to size. Designs are carved
into the clay during the soft early stages of the tile, (a process
which depending on the complexity of the design can take anywhere
from 15 minutes to a couple of hours). Imagery comes from creative
memory and photographs. This is followed by a slow drying period.
Before being fired, dry tiles are sanded and then brushed. Next comes
the most time consuming part of the tile-making process - the painting.
Because each tile is very detailed, small paint brushes are used and
four to five coats of each glaze must be applied to achieve the desired
shine and opacity. When glazing is complete tiles are fired one final
time to completion. Tiles are finished with steel wire for hanging
and are also suitable for laying.
In a subject matter that is always
broadening Fleur's current favourites are poppies, tulips, morning
glories, cosmos, the many landscapes and dragonflies. Most recent
works consist of tile sets on which an image spans the width of
two or three tiles, allowing for elegant horizons or slender stems.
On a creative level Fleur feels that tiles offer a wonderful freedom
and variation combined with a good dose of regiment. As art objects/pictures
tiles offer dimension, durability, and the successful merger of
texture and colour.
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