Balloon Dog

This ceramic balloon dog was made using extruded clay forms that were attached together to create the balloon animal shape. The piece was created for an artist’s choice class project and became a way for me to bring together ceramics, graffiti, and art history.

I used graffiti-style underglaze across the surface because graffiti is one of the main ways I bring my own style into the work. The palladium glaze was my first time experimenting with that finish, and I used it to create a shiny surface that nods to Jeff Koons’ balloon dog sculptures while still making the piece feel like my own. Since this was the final sculpture I made for the semester, it also felt like a small trophy for myself and a push toward making larger, more personal sculptural work.