Bob uses Western Canadian stoneware clay and paperclay to form each sculpture. After a lengthy drying process, he fires them in an electric kiln to approximately 2000 degrees Fahrenheit. He uses stains and oxides with porcelain slip (liquid clay) to colour each piece.

“I love making my own glazes and infusing muted colours to allow the form to take center stage. I often add media such as found objects, gold, and encaustic wax. A small seashell I found in Central America, or a splash of gold invites the viewer to consider the piece in a different way. These playful touches add vitality to individual pieces.

I need to make art that brings me joy. Not only must the work emerge from my joy, but it must express an energy. I draw out that energy in the clay through the juxtaposition of rough and smooth surfaces, colour, and movement in each piece. People have said that each of my sculptures seems to have a personality. I love to hear how the work touches my collectors’ hearts in that manner.” – Bob Acton