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Marian Williams Pottery
Marian Williams Pottery

Gold Lustre Application Tips

GlazesGlazes and GlazingLuster/LustresTutorials
Nathan Bray’s Work
I’ve decided to add a little gold lustre/luster to some of my cone 10 fired work (thanks for the inspiration, Nathan Bray!).
Brad at Picasso’s Ceramics

So when I bought some gold lustre from Picasso’s Ceramics – Yikes! Expensive!!!
– I received a really great tip from Brad.

Since the gold lustre is in such a tiny bottle, to avoid a fatal mistake of a tip-over, Brad showed me his handy-dandy, homemade lustre bottle holder!

WOW!!  What a great idea!

All you have to do is to silicon glue a small piece of foam rubber to a heavy base (old kiln furniture) and then cut out small holes to hold the tiny bottles – no dramas!  Thanks, Brad for the great idea! and permission to pass it along!
Here’s wishing me good luck with the gold lustre – I’ll report back when I have some amazing results!

How to Make and Use Magic Water

CreationHandbuildingTutorials
Marian Williams’ Pottery
Attaching handles, welding seams, joining pieces of clay….Problems?!
Here is the easy solution!
Magic Water!  Lana Wilson’s recipe is (from website):
Magic Water
1 Gallon Water
9.5 Grams Sodium Silicate
3 Grams Soda Ash
OR
1 Gallon Water
3 Tablespoons of Liquid Sodium Silicate
1 1/2 Teaspoons of Soda Ash
I use a toothbrush to score and apply and have had really great success!  No more messy slip and cracks in pieces during the drying process!
Give it a go – you’ll impress yourself!

John Calver

Amazing PottersGlazes
As I’m (im)PATIENTLY waiting for my kiln to cool enough for unloading, I’m wishing and hoping and wishing and praying that my pottery will look a bit like the pottery created by John Calver on the cover of Ceramics Monthly in 2000.
I’m striving to create glazes that speak to me as these do….
John Calver’s Pottery
John’s pottery has all the qualities that I strive to achieve in my work:  great glazes, interesting shapes/designs, and beautiful works of functional art!
John Calver
John Calver

Birthe Flexner

Amazing Potters
Birthe Flexner

How is it that some of the best potters are not more internationally recognised?!  One of my favourite potters, and one of the most talented, is Birthe Flexner.  I met her through my good friend, Judith Wagenseller, owner of the House of Clay in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA.

 Birthe Flexner’s Work
Birthe Flexner’s Work
Birthe did a workshop at the House of Clay and her way of combining thrown and slab elements, her glazing techniques, and her work with soft slabs is the basis for what I see many potters doing today.  She was a woman ahead of her time!!
Birthe Flexner’s Work
Birthe is from Denmark and was greatly influenced by the Danish Design Movement of the ’50s.
Birthe Flexner’s Work
Her work is some of the best in the business!

Advice to Myself

MusingsTop Slid

When trying to figure out what kind of work you want to produce – trying to find yourself as an artist – it is good to contemplate everything.

Do I want to throw and alter pottery?
Do I want to raku?
Do I want to sell my work?
At markets?
 At galleries?
What am I doing???!!!!

This post by Lana Wilson is excellent and grand advise to us all!  I intend to follow her advice and see where it leads.  Peace out.

Mud Colony is the place to check out more amazing blog posts!

David Fry Ceramics

Amazing Potters
David Fry Ceramics

Occasionally,  I come across someone who’s work – glazes – I LOVE!  David Fry is now one of those potters!  His glaze work is what I dream of creating!   His commitment to the development of these beautiful glazes is truly astounding!  I’m working to create something nearly as gorgeous as this!

Mark Hewitt’s Pottery

Amazing Potters
Mark Hewitt’s Pottery

Colour me JEALOUS!  Love this pitcher (“jug”-here in Australia-I keep telling them that jugs are “boobs”, but haven’t changed them yet!)!  It has such great form and that glaze is perfect!  Reminds me of Gary Hatcher’s work (and I’m lucky enough to have one of his pitchers (jug) that looks like this!  Check out Mark’s work HERE!

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