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Marian Williams Pottery
Marian Williams Pottery
Copper Red and Rutile Glazes

Subtleties In Glazing

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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!).

Copper Red and Rutile Glazes
Copper Red and Rutile Glazes

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/

Yukari Obuchi's beautiful subtlely glazed bowl.
Yukari Obuchi’s  beautiful subtlely glazed bowl.

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!

copper red, glazes, tineke van gils,
Beautiful subtle glaze work by Tineke van Gils.
copper red, glazes, tineke van gils,
Beautiful subtle glaze work by Tineke van Gils.
copper red, glazes, tineke van gils,
Beautiful subtle glaze work by Tineke van Gils.

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

copper red, glazes, tineke van gils,
Beautiful subtle glaze work by Tineke van Gils.
Clay stamps, Wooden cabinet, repurposed, stamp storage, stamps

Pottery Stamps!! Adding Texture

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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!

Wooden cabinet, repurposed, stamp storage, stamps
My newly commissioned stamp cabinet.
Clay stamps, Wooden cabinet, repurposed, stamp storage, stamps
Two drawers of clay stamps that I have made.
Wooden cabinet, repurposed, stamp storage, stamps
Repurposed Cabinet For Stamps

 

We also found this cool little colourful storage box keeper for smaller stamps.

Stamps, pottery stamping, pottery studio organization
Cool New Storage Case – Rubber Stamps and Plastic Stamps
Stamps, pottery stamping, pottery studio organization
Handmade Pottery Stamps
Stamps, pottery stamping, pottery studio organization
Small Stamps For Edges.

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, art ceramics, eosin

Zsolnay

Amazing PottersGlazesInspirationLuster/Lustres
Zsolnay, art ceramics, eosin,
Vilmos Zsolnay

Zsolnay!!! Have you ever heard of him?  Neither had I?

Zsolnay, art ceramics, eosin
Zsolnay Bowl

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.

Zsolnay, art ceramics, eosin
Zsolnay Vase

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!

Zsolnay, art ceramics, eosin,
Zsolnay Vase
Zsolnay, art ceramics, eosin,
Zsolnay Vase

I’m absolute blown away by this art!

Marian

What Keanu Reeves And I Have In Common

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Keanu Reeves - What We Have In Common
Keanu Reeves – What We Have In Common: Source

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….

keanu reeves, pottery, he gets it, motivation
Keanu Reeves: He gets it too!

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!

raku, feather raku, terra sigillata
Raku Forms for Feather Raku
Pottery bowls, pottery stamps, altered pottery
Bowls! Stamped and Altered.

 

Peace out my lovelies,

Marian

George Ohr, art pottery, crazy potter, biloxi,

Ohr and Britt – Getting Me Back On Track!

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john britt, midfire glazes, cone 6 glazes, glaze recipes
John Britt’s New Book on Midfire Glazes

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 on Amazon!

Buy it here from John Britt’s website (and he’ll sign your copy!)

Or if you are in Australia or New Zealand try this website for the Book Depository! (it says free shipping anywhere in the world! That’s good!)

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!!

George Ohr: The Greatest Art Potter On Earth
George Ohr: The Greatest Art Potter On Earth

Another amazing book that I read while on holiday was George Ohr:  The Greatest Art Potter On Earth by Eugene Hecht.

George Ohr, art pottery, crazy potter, biloxi,
George Ohr – The Crazy Potter of Biloxi, Mississippi

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!!!!

George Ohr, Vase,
George Ohr Vases
George Ohr, vase, pottery, art pottery
George Ohr Vase
George Ohr, art pottery, vase, pottery
George Ohr Vase

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

Copper Reds…How Do I Know If My Kiln Is In Reduction?

FiringFiring a Gas KilnGas - ReductionGas KilnGlazes and GlazingKilnsReduction

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

Raku, Balloon Bowls

How To Make Raku’d Balloon Bowls!

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I decided for my contribution to the exhibition entitled Fragility at Sheoak Gallery at Fingal to do Raku’d Balloon Bowls and Garden Totems.

Image

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!!!

Raku, Balloon Bowls
Oscar is ready to help Judith and Hattie with their Balloon Bowls.
Raku, Balloon Bowls
Oscar seems a bit bored with the project, but Judith is loving it!
Raku, Balloon Bowls
Judith and Hattie’s Raku’d Balloon Bowls! Muy Excellente’!!
Cone 10 Gas Reduction Refires

Copper Reds and Reduction Refires – Cone 10 Gas Firing – Does It Help A Glaze To Refire It?

Cone 10 FiringsCopper RedsFiringFiring a Gas KilnGas - ReductionGlazesGlazes and GlazingGlazingRefiring GlazesTop Slid

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!

Cone 10 Gas Reduction Refires
Blue Green Rabbit’s Fur resprayed onto bowl.
Cone 10 Gas Reduction Refires
Blue Green Rabbit’s Fur sprayed over glaze.
Cone 10 Gas Reduction Refires
Added more glaze as the first firing was very thin and ugly.
Cone 10 Gas Reduction Refires
Sprayed more chun on to the edges, but didn’t add more red (I was out of red glaze!). But it reduced and got a better red colour.
Cone 10 Gas Reduction Refires
This big bowl was just tooooo stripey. The refire softened the stripes.
Cone 10 Gas Reduction Refires
Added more chun to the edges.
Pottery class, raku

What I Learned In Pottery Class – While Teaching IT!!

CreationRakuWorkshops

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!!!

Pottery class, abbot's glazes cone 6 pottery
A plethora of great glazes and great pieces of handmade pottery!

 

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!

Pottery class, abbot's glazes cone 6 pottery
Beautiful food on beautiful plates!

 

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!!!

Pottery class, raku
Balloon pods raku'd!
Pottery class, raku
Balloon pods raku'd!
Pottery class, raku
Balloon pods raku'd!

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

 

Craft NSW Emerging Artists 2014, Lyndall Bensley

Lyndall Bensley, Ceramic Sculptor

Amazing PottersCreationEventsExhibitionsSculptureTop Slid

I recently had the privilege of traveling to Sydney, NSW, Australia to attend the Awards Event for Craft NSW Emerging Artists 2014 with finalist, Lyndall Bensley.  It’s so fun to be in the presence of brilliance and creativity and possibility – all of that is Lyndall.  And on top of that she is a top chick!

We arrived in Sydney and walked across the road from our hotel in The Rocks, to see a stunning display in the window of Crafts NSW!!!! How exciting to see Lyndall’s entry, her Humpback Whale Tail, in the main window! – for all passer-bys to see!  Pretty exciting!

Looking in at the gorgeous whale tail.
Looking in through the window at Craft NSW.
Whale tail by Lyndall Bensley
Lyndall giving some final touches to the whale tail.
Taking care of baby.
She’s a beaut!

We then walked around Circular Quay, ran into some really amazing gallery opportunities, and then visited the Chalk Urban Art project in front of Customs House.  Absolutely brilliant!

Lyndall Bensley at the Sydney Opera House
Cruise ship at Circular Quay, Sydney Harbour
Lyndall Bensley and the Sydney Harbour Bridge
Chalk Urban Art-
Lyndall and the chalk.
Chalk Urban Art-
This is the picture they were drawing from…
Amelia, Jenny, and Lyndall
Chalk Urban Art- Dom and Lyndall
The starting process…

That evening at the Exhibition Awards, we were chuffed to be among such good company – amazing talent in many types of craft.  It must have been a daunting task to select a winner.  Although Lyndall didn’t win an award, she won.  She won on so many levels.  So proud of her- she’s one to watch for greatness!

Craft NSW Emerging Artists 2014, Lyndall Bensley
Lyndall Bensley and Marian Williams
Craft NSW Emerging Artists 2014, Lyndall Bensley
Lyndall Bensley and her humpback whale tail.
Craft NSW Emerging Artists 2014, Lyndall Bensley
Presentations at Craft NSW

I recently read this on a notebook I have.  It sums it up.

“The purpose of human life is to serve and to show compassion and the will to help others.  Creativity is the ability to introduce order into the randomness of nature.  Life is an exciting business and most exciting when it is lived for others.  You cannot do much about the length of our life, but you can do a lot about its depth and width.”

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