Cow horn paper and gum paper vessel

I was asked to make a vessel maquette as part of one of Julian's sessions in the ceramic studio. Initially using paper, card and tape, with a view to developing a ceramic version after we refined our initial idea.

I felt drawn to make a cow horn because I'd been so connected with research around that shape on the day. In fact, I just gotten off the phone talking to the secretary of The Longhorn Cattle Society about how to source a horn and a pelt to use in my project as ethically and safely as possible.

I experimented a little using different materials and eventually settled on making the foundation structure using several interlocking cardboard tubes that were held together and reinforced by masking tape.

I then covered this all with a layer of gum paper, which I absolutely adored working with. It was visceral and pleasing to handle, it worked really well as a fast drying binding and reinforcing material and it has a finish which suits my maquette.

I experimented with some photography and video of this initial piece with Julian and was pleased with the results.

I wanted to include more of a natural curve/ twist to the piece, and decided the cut it in half, turn the top half and then reattach it to the bottom in order to achieve this.

I covered the whole thing with more gum paper to give it a pleasing finish but also to make it robust as a structure.

I really enjoy the shape of this object. It feels beastly and powerful and natural and ancient in some way.

I would like to play around with this form more, and so will make a slip cast mold to do so. Hopefully this will let me reproduce multiple versions of it relatively easily.