The Return began by throwing 50 cylinders weighing 5 kilos each, on the potter’s wheel. Both ends where trimmed to create an interlocking fit so they could be stacked vertically.

Before firing each “tree” was over 9 feet high. The shrinkage from the firing had to be calculated and added to the raw, unfired clay to obtain a finished height of 8 feet. After trimming, pairs of cylinders where laminated together and covered in paper thin slabs of porcelain that where then torn and manipulated, carved and marked to give the appearance of birch bark. Once the “bark” was on, each section was then layered with many coatings of porcelain slip which had been tinted with ceramic stains. After these were quite dry, the layers of slip where then scrubbed with a smooth sponge to reveal the topography of this highly textured surface. This technique reveals the layers of colour in organic patterns of light and dark hues. Metallic Black glazes, White Lichen Crackle glaze, and Volcanic Crater Glaze where then applied to the surface. Terra Cotta Pale Yellow and Light Brown porcelain slip were airbrushed on as accent colours. The final touches where drippy washes of grey and streaks of black porcelain slip.

The central tree with the emerging figure was its own special project and required the creation of three small scale sculptures to determine the specifics of the portrait, expression, and integration into the tree-form. The head and chest where made separately and integrated into the nearly completed vertical form. Glaze tests were made with particular attention to the skin tone. In the end it was decided to use oil paint and metallic powders on top of a matt glaze to enhance the colour and luminosity of the skin. Beeswax was melted and applied to the bees and honeycomb details.