Zoo Ceramics Animal Sculpture and Giftware
Tracy's Gallery - The Court of the Crows - Crow Cardinal
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DESIGN
CROW CARDINAL
REF
TM31C
PRICE
£185.00
CODE 8
Including UK Parcelforce 48
PRICE
P&P
UK
Parcelforce 48
EUROPE
WORLD 1
WORLD 2
WORLD 3
£175.00+
£10.00
£40.00
£100.00
£125.00
£150.00
Price in red guide only please contact us for accurate quote

Cardinal Crow

The Murder of Crows
Crow Executioner Crow Knight Crow Cardinal Crow Jester Crow
Cardinal Jester
Wizard Crow Witch Crow Aristocrat Crow Pirate Crow Crow Scribe
Wizard Witch Aristocrat Pirate Scribe
Crow Prince
Crow Princess Nanny Crow
Nun Crow
Chorister Crow
Prince Princess Nanny Nun Chorister
Crow King Crow Queen Cradle Crows Crow Clock RAF Fighter Pilot Crow
King Queen Cradle
Crow
Crow
Clocks
Other
Crows

Cardinal Crow
Cardinal Crow

Cardinal Crow

COMMISSION    If there are no Crows in our Etsy shop, there maybe some in our Zoo Ceramics Gallery and if so, we will send you images of the available pieces. Otherwise it will take about three months to create some new designs from which you can make your choice and we will send you updates of the work in progress.

DESCRIPTION   The Cardinal Crow is adorned in rich ornate vestments, from the decorative emblems on his chest to the carved decoration on his crosier. On his head he wears an elaborate mitre and a cloak of midnight blue and brown feathers are fashioned with a raised collar and the tail feathers that fan out at the base have delicate relief pattern on the edge. The crow's feet are striped and the beak is sharply painted with a pale mottle and the eyes are glazed with a hint of dark earth and night sky tones.

ARTIST’S STATEMENT   I love making bird sculptures and the Crows are one of my favourites. So many different influences go in to my crow designs, the quirky ceramics of the Martin Brothers, the poetry of Ted Hughes, Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, programmes like “The Tudors and “The Game of Thrones.” Suddenly my Crows started to demand thrones, crowns and swords. Some rebelled against their naked state and required elaborate attire, but there is something very satisfying about a simple crow form in all its naked glory; with its hooded form wrapped in a cloak of inky black and midnight blue.

THE COURT OF THE CROWS   The crow is part of my “Murder of Crows" body of work and explores the connotations and implications that surround the quotes that make up the collective nouns for groups of animals and birds; sometimes referred to as the Deeds of Chase. So far I have created a "Rat Pack" a "Parliament of Owls" and this range features the "Murder of Crows". I incorporate a humanistic element into the designs in a deliberate attempt to anthropomorphize the pieces, so the crows have a subtle collar or costume, the tawny owl chicks have spiky hairstyles and the rats have a characteristic hat or costume. The Murder series became so popular that I constantly added new pieces to the range, until it eventually became the Court of the Crows.

First came the common Crow naked and forlorn.
Next were crowned the Crow King and Queen on their regal thrones of thorn.
The Cardinal arrived to offer religious guidance.
The Knight Crow fought enemies and declared"Good riddance!"
The Executioner was needed to dispatch these foes.
The Jester Crow just wanted to lighten their woes.
Witches and Wizards added their magical power.
Aristocrats graced us with their presence and grandeur
Royal offspring raised their beaks in distain,
And Baby Crows hatched to start the saga again.


SIZE  About 36 cm high by 12.5 cm wide and 19.5 cm deep from beak to tail.
WEIGHT   Approximately 2.225kg
COLOUR   Black stained body with dark chocolate brown, midnight blue and white glaze details.
MATERIALS   Valentine’s Stoneware crank and smooth modelling clay fired ceramic to 1260 degrees.
RANGE   The Murder of Crows series developed in to the Court of the Crows range and now includes the following designs, Aristocrat, Cardinal, Common Crow, Cradle Crow Chick, Executioner, Jester, King, Knight, Pirate, Prince, Princess, Queen, Scribe, Witch, Wizard and Crow Clocks and Characters.


METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION   Clay is rolled and press moulded in to body sections, that are then assembled to form the basic structure. The piece is allowed to dry a little between stages to give it the strength to carry the weight of the design. The crow is then carved with fine textures and marks starting form the beak and ending at the feet. I usually work on several crows at a time and usually finish the carving by the end of the first week. The work is then left for up to three weeks to dry out fully, before being fired in an electric kiln to 1000°C. It will take another 24 hours for the kiln to cool down so that all the work can be emptied out and glazed. We make all our own stoneware glazes, which are dipped, poured, painted and sprayed on to our designs. Once glazed all the work goes back into the kiln for a second firing of up to 1260°C. This firing will fix the glaze permanently in to place and also make the piece frost proof and water resistant. From start to finish each large Zoo Ceramics design can take about a month to complete.

SHOP POLICIES   For all other information on how to order, payment options, discounts, packaging, delivery times, guarantees and returns and commissions, please refer to our shop policies in the ORDER section.


Cardinal Crows
Cardinal Crows


Decorating Cardinal Crows with antique wood blocks

Crow  Executioner Crow  Knight Crow  Cardinal Crow  Jester Crow  Wizard Crow  Witch Crow  Aristocrat Crow
Pirate Crow  Crow Scribe  Crow Prince  Crow Princess  Nanny Crow  Nun Crow  Chorister Crow
Crow King  Crow Queen  Cradle Crows  Crow Clock  RAF Fighter Pilot Crow
      HOME   
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