– Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
– Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
I’m just not that subtle. I’m a Texan. An opinionated woman -known to some as a bitch! I’m not even subtle in my glazing!
I go for the bold and colourful! As with my personality – I’m bold, outgoing, and my language is definitely colourful (thank you Australia!).
However, I recently saw a piece of work that made me “rethink” subtlety and it’s power. It might not be such a bad thing!
This is the bowl that I saw on Instagram! http://instagram.com/p/yOUDiQLCIx/
It’s by a potter, Yukari Obuchi – Japan.
Such subtle use of colour. The copper red is there, but just not so “in your face “.
What do you reckon? Gorgeous?
Another potter using the subtle copper red approach is Tineke van Gils -Netherlands.
Click here for her website. Her facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/tineke.vangils.9
Her work is just exquisite!
So I’ve decided in my next glaze firing to try for a little subtlety – tame that copper red/blue thing down a bit. Could be good! I’ll keep you posted.
As for subtlety in my personal life, I’ve decided to work on that too. I’ve decided (after seeing it in action!) that there is NO REASON to be a bitch! It’s not pretty, necessary, or ok – EVER! So I may not be subtle, but I won’t be a bitch! Pray for me, I may need help on this one!
Over and out, Tonto!
Marian
I love stamps! I have the homemade clay kind. The plastic kind. The wooden kind. The rubber kind. They add such great texture and interest to a piece.
But you know what! I can never seem to find the one I want when working. So I’ve organized them! Holy moly- what a concept!
Ronnie, my husband, cleaned up this old cabinet, added wheels and greased the drawers. Wahoo! A new storage chest for all my stamps!
We also found this cool little colourful storage box keeper for smaller stamps.
I’m pretty excited to think I’ll be able to find what I need!!
Here’s a few pics of some stamped work.
Stamp on side of bowl with wooden stamp.
Stamped rim of blow with handmade clay stamp.
Stamped edge of bowl with wooden stamp.
Stamped side of bowl with wooden stamp and clay handmade stamp.
Handmade roller stamps – ready for the bisque!
Stamped cups.
Metal stamps – cutout flowers – appliqued.
Stamped heart- rubber.
Stamped applique – handmade clay stamp.
Stamped handles- wooden stamps.
Stamped mug – handmade clay stamp.
Textured floor of casserole – rubber mat stamps.
Zsolnay!!! Have you ever heard of him? Neither had I?
But I found this image on Pinterest and was blown away! I thought it was a current day artist…but no!
So here’s the skinny on Zsolnay.
I did a little research and found that Vilmos Zsolnay, from Budapest, Hungary, was born in 1828. Vilmos took his father’s ceramic factory to worldwide recognition by creating one of a kind porcelain pieces made with the eosin glazing process.
During the war, the factory did the wartime production of insulators and has only recently made a comeback. Actually, it is quite a comeback! They have a contract with IKEA that should make them rich! IKEA!!
For more on Zsolnay, check out Jason Jacques website at – Click here!
There is also a huge website in Colorado Springs, Co – www.zsolnay.com Where you can shop for Zsolnay!!
Another interesting website is from the Zsolnay Cultural Center – Check it out here.
The work has such vibrancy, colour and imagery!
I’m absolute blown away by this art!
Marian
Maybe I don’t have ANYTHING in common with Keanu Reeves, but I do think his character in the Matrix movie, Neo, and I have a lot in common.
You know that scene in the Matrix where Keanu Reeves “gets it”? He’s learned how to fight – and it comes to him automatically…almost in slow motion. Or was it the kissing scene that got me going? But I digress….
That’s what it’s felt like this week! I’m focusing, being deliberate, being careful, thoughtful and it is so weird that it almost seems like I’m working in slow motion. So that’s where I figure that Keanu Reeve and I have something in common – we are finally “getting it”!
I’ve struggled with my work – tried to work feverishly to make enough stuff to make me a good potter. But I’ve slowed it all down. I’m focusing. I’m trying to work more deliberately, more planned, more careful!
Very exciting! Here’s a sample of this week’s work!
Peace out my lovelies,
Marian
John Britt and George Ohr got me to thinking.
While on vacation for Chrissy in the USA, I came to the realization that I’ve let so many distractions into my life that my own work has suffered, if not regressed! So I’ve decided to attack my priorities anew and get myself back on track!
One thing that got me to thinking was John Britt’s new book on Mid-fire Glazes.
It is written so expertly, yet simply and it has really made me think about what I’m trying to achieve – why the struggle for cone 10 reduction? Why have I tried Raku, woodfiring, pit firing, and all sorts of other things?! (who knows the answer to all those questions?! When I fiugre it out, I’ll let you know!)
Britt’s book is amazing! A great read!
One of my favorite tips- TO AVOID RUINING YOUR KILN SHELVES WITH DRIPPY GLAZES (like that would never happen, right?!)
1. Roll thin slabs of clay
2. Bisque them
3. Kiln wash the thin slabs
4. Place the thin kiln-washed slabs on your kiln shelves
5. Fire your work on those thin slabs!!!
Saving your kiln shelves! Brilliant! and WHY didn’t I think of that?????
Plus his book is full of hundreds of brilliant glazes and LOADS of information!!
Buy it here from John Britt’s website (and he’ll sign your copy!)
I still love my cone 10 glazes and can’t see changing now, but the idea of midfire glazes lurks in my brain and his book makes it totally DOABLE!!
Another amazing book that I read while on holiday was George Ohr: The Greatest Art Potter On Earth by Eugene Hecht.
George Ohr – fascinating guy!
His work is totally öff the charts” in terms of creativity and originality! But it again makes me wonder why I’m not doing the “Marian pottery” that I so long to create!!!!
Isn’t his work great?! It excites me to see no limits!
Here’s a video about George Ohr and the Museum of his work in Biloxi, Mississippi – on my “bucket list”of places to visit someday!
I basically have no excuses – I just need to keep working and creating! It’s all happening!
Peace out, Potter buddies!
Marian
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It’s important to know how to tell if you gas kiln is in reduction!
I’m reposting this blog post and have added some info as I feel that it is pertinent to all of us potters that are trying to do reduction gas firings, whether they are cone 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10!
For some reason, I thought achieving reduction in a gas kiln was almost unattainable. It seemed to me the “holy grail” of pottery and firing. So when the kiln went into reduction without great effort or fanfare, I was totally euphoric!!
Why did I covet the “reductionist” of glazes? Well, it’s pretty obvious when you look at pots that have been fired with the same glaze, to the same cone/temperature and compare the results.
I know that even the glaze gurus, like Steven Hill, are converting back to electric and cone 6 glazes.
Here is the link where a comparison is made: http://stevenhillpottery.com/StevenHillPottery/ElectricGlazeFiring.html
I’m sure they have their reasons. But for me, I’ve always wanted to high fire in a gas reduction kiln. I DO think it looks magical – better colours, better flow, better tactileness, better everything!
Reduction is achieved in a kiln when the fire burns up all of the oxygen in the kiln and the fire must then seek oxygen in the glazes and the clay body in order to keep burning. The resulting effect is, in my opinion, very different from the electric glazes.
The benefit of gas reduction firing is well-put by Scott Cooper at St. Earth Pottery, “Unlike electric kiln firing, fuel gives you real flame, atmospheric currents and draft, the ability to fire in a reduction atmosphere, and a nice component of drama.”
So, how did we get the kiln into reduction? Simply by cutting off the oxygen supply by:
1. Closing the kiln flue by slightly covering the opening with fire bricks.
2. Closing down the oxygen wheel on the gas torches going into the kiln.
Note: I now only reduce from the flue and leave the oxygen at the burners alone. I start reduction anywhere from 750 degrees C to 900 degrees C and get copper reds with no worries!
To determine if the kiln is in reduction you can remove one of the peep hole bungs and if a 3 to 4 inch flame comes out, then you are in reduction.
In addition, the flames will be burning out of the flue.
Yahoo! Reduction!!! Euphoria!!! Glorious Reduction!!!
Sources:
http://robertcomptonpottery.com/Method-of-Gas-Firing-Pottery.htm
http://pottery.about.com/od/potteryglossaryqs/g/reduction.htm
http://www.newartpottery.com/My-attempts.html
http://www.negentropic.com/clay/process/firing.shtml
http://www.stearthpottery.com/this-week-at-st-earth/index.php
I decided for my contribution to the exhibition entitled Fragility at Sheoak Gallery at Fingal to do Raku’d Balloon Bowls and Garden Totems.
So I set about making Balloon Bowls and Garden Totems.
While talking to my bestie, Judith Wagenseller from OKC, Oklahoma, USA, I discovered that I should share my instructions for making these Balloon Bowls as they are quite fun, a good class project and look awesome raku’d.
First of all, I must give credit to Tea Tree Studios, Anna Couper and Angela Walford for the great inspiration and their process photos that I saw on Facebook!
The Balloon Bowls require the acquisition of certain pottery making skills, so would make a great class project:
- rolling a slab
- texturing a slab
- making slip
- applying slip
- making joins of clay edges
- use of oxides
– Quite a lot of stuff in one project, but I encourage you to try it!
Here is a pictorial tutorial of how I made them:
I start by placing an inflated balloon, tie-side down, into a large drinking cup or similar vessel.
Slabs are rolled out and textured with roller stamps, wooden stamps, or any other texturing tool that you might have.
Texturing with Wooden Stamps.
Texturing with Wooden Stamps.
Roller stamps that I have carved designs into.
A bucket of very thick slip.
The thick slip can be applied with brushes.
Score the entire clay strip with a toothbrush and then apply slip with the toothbrush as well.
Place a large roundish piece on the top of the balloon to get started.
Apply the prepared strips of clay, carefully joining the edges of the strips.
Strips can be added to suit your hearts desire! stop with you “feel” it is finished!
Dry the balloons with the tied end placed in the cup – you want the bowls to have a round bottom.
The Final Product
Raku’d Balloon Bowls
Judith and daughter, Hattie, set about making their Balloon Bowls and these are some pics of their process and results – pretty great!!! I love their cat in the photos – he’s soooo into pottery!!!
To Refire Or NOT to Refire – That is the question!
My last firing resulted in glazes that were not quite mature, so I decided to put them back through the kiln and see if I couldn’t improve them. To some, I sprayed on a bit more glaze, but I didn’t add any more copper red. Interestingly, I did reduce the firing – but at 950 degrees celcius – not the 750 degrees or 850 degrees that I usually do…and I got even better copper reds. So….what the hey! You just never know! Copper Reds are an illusive beast!
The results were pretty good, so thought I’d post a few pics. Better to refire than take the hammer to them if they can be improved. If they still look awful, then I bash them!
I think that the one that learns the most in a class is always the teacher and this is no less true in the class that I just taught at Murwillumbah Potters. It was heaps of fun, great people, but also heaps of work!!!
The final class was a dinner and the “assignment” had been to make a plate, a bowl and a cup upon which to eat our lovely shared dinner. Not all got them all done, but the results were amazing and it was really so fun just to serve and eat lovely food off of our handmade pottery!
Variegated blue and wine red.
Tenmoku, teadust and variegated blue.
Variegated blue and others.
Tenmoku/Teadust and Variegated Blue
Variegated blue
Wine red, teadust and variegated blue.
Woodfired – varigated blue.
Scoria and layered glazes
A gorgeous bouquet! Thanks! Great pot, Claire Byrne!
The last class was also a Raku firing as the students had made balloon pods from PB103 clay – a piece to teach rolling a slab, joining clay with slip and creating textures and stamps on clay. Pieces were bisqued, then oxides applied. We used several of my favorite raku glazes and my new fibre raku kiln. The results were absolutely spectacular and no cracks or breakage!!!
So here’s some of the stuff I learned from my pottery class:
1. Balloon pods are super cool and easy and make excellent raku work.
2. Abbot’s Cone 6 glazes are the bomb! Had to fire in my gas kiln-but got great results!
3. Raku pots don’t always break! Keep trying – don’t open the lid and shut it-it causes clouding.
4. I tried to stuff too much into too small amount of time. One project per class would have been better.
5. But most of all, I learned that I love to teach, but I also love to do my own thing. I can’t let teaching divert me from my own work.
Luv to all!
Marian