latest posts

Marian Williams Pottery
Marian Williams Pottery

I LOVE IT!! Stefan Jakobs’ Raku Kiln Building Workshop

FiringIKEA trash can Raku kilnRakuTools and EquipmentTutorialsWorkshops

Recently, I was privileged to participate in the Stefan Jakob Raku Kiln-Building Workshop sponsored by the Gold Coast Potters Association.  Kudos for putting on such a great workshop!

I was skeptical in the beginning as to how we could create clay work, bisque fire it, build a raku kiln and then fire the raku kiln all in the three day workshop.  But it all happened!!! Too cool!!

Here’s the blueprint:  Ikea trash bin, fibre, ceramic buttons, and lots of work!

It wasn’t easy! In fact, building the kiln was really hard manual labour! Stefan was so well-prepared and had done some of the little bits before we arrived.  But we generally did all the work ourselves.

But there was great satisfaction at the end of the process – building the kiln was really not all that  difficult and I have a much greater understanding of kilns after building this one! And a wound, which I thought looked very macho!

Amazingly, the little kiln will bisque fire in about an hour!  Too cool!

We each also made a set of raku tongs that are the bomb-best ones I’ve ever used!  Homemade is best!

The process of rakuing in this kiln is the same as any other kiln, except no pyrometers, all done by sight!
Here are a couple of pics of the outcome!

I have since fired it at home and can truly do it by myself if I have to!  It is amazing that you can get it to 1000 degrees Centigrade with wood and so quickly!  We did probably 7 loads right after another without a hitch!!! Cool!!!

"Glazing" Is Like a Box of Chocolates! Glaze Results!

GlazesResults

I suppose glazing and firing in a reduction gas kiln and expecting specific results is like predicting life – it’s never quite as you had imagined or expected.  Not bad…just different.

To quote Forest Gump, “Life (and firing a gas kiln) is like a box of chocolates…you never know what you’re going to get.”

But…no whining from me…drum roll please…Here are the results from my latest firing.  Not what I expected!  Just different.

Some of these are going to get some glaze added and I’m going to refire them!  Can’t hurt.

Great Advice on Spraying Glazes!

ApplicationGlazesSpraying GlazesTutorials
Loren Lukens
I’ve been mesmerised by the glaze work of Loren Lukens!  Isn’t this gorgeous!  How does he get all that detail and the mix of those gorgeous colours?  I was wishing I could just talk to him and ask him questions!   So I emailed him!!! Yikes!  You never know if people will be helpful, flattered or annoyed!  But Loren sent me a lovely email and wonderful advice!!!

Here is what Loren Lukens said in his reply email to me:
Hi Marian,
The key to successfully spraying glazes is adequate screening of the
materials. This should be done right before you spray.  I store my glazes in
empty soda bottles, shake them up and screen them through a tea strainer
directly into my sprayer bottle.  I use a couple of small airbrushes for
accent glazes, but my main choice in sprayers is the Iwata RG-3 with a .6 mm
tip.  These are professional quality spray guns and cost a couple of hundred
dollars apiece ( I have 6 of them).  If I were doing it again I would buy
HarborFreight mini spray guns for $20 apiece.  They aren’t as good but so
much cheaper.
Have fun!
Loren
Loren Lukens
4208 SW 100St
Seattle, WA 98146
206 935-6740
www.bracepointpottery.com

The great part about the internet and the communications of our world is the ability to connect with others and LEARN!!!

Spraying Glazes

GlazesSpraying Glazes

After recovering from our trip to Europe, I’ve been busy, busy making pots and getting ready to do another glaze firing.

I’ve made lots of “new things” for me! Seems traveling does open ones creative senses!!

I want my glazes to be more exciting!  I love this pic that seems very “octopusy” to me.  I would like my pots to look a bit like this!

These pots below represent the “type” of glazes that I would like to achieve!

I’ve decided that to get the glazes I want, I’ve got to upgrade my spraying set-up. I currently have a Little Beaver system that looks like a little vacuum cleaner.  So I bought a new gravity-fed sprayer ($49 bucks at Bunnings!).

and a small pasch air brush from Brad at Picasso Ceramics.  Brad is AWESOME!!! He showed my husband how to set up the compressor, gauge, and hookups.

My husband, Ronnie, then built a board that holds all the pieces to my new spraying stuff!  WOW!!

If you are WOWED reading about my pottery adventures, be sure to check out the Pottery Adventures of others at Mud Colony!!!!

wood firing raku kiln

Irrestible Raku!!

GlazesRaku

I’ve always wanted to learn how to Raku on my own!  So, I’m pretty excited about this!

Stefan Jakob’s Raku Kiln Building Workshop is coming up on the weekend of Oct 26, 27, 28th at the Gold Coast Potters’ Association.

Looks like fun!

Upcoming workshops

Raku Kiln Building with Stefan Jakob from Switzerland

Picture

26, 27 + 28 October 2012 at Mudgeeraba 
In the past 15 years, Stefan Jakob has built around 2,000 raku ‘Ikea rubbish bin’ kilns all over Europe. He’s quite the character, setting up in the streets and sharing his love of raku with the world. In October, Stefan will be coming to the Gold Coast and hosting a workshop which will include making ceramic pieces (under Stefan’s expert tuition) then building your own wood fired ‘rubbish bin’ kiln, which you get to take home, then firing your work on the Sunday.
A booking form will be included in next month’s newsletter and it’s likely the workshop will fill very quickly so make a note to get your deposit in ASAP.
Cost for the 3 day workshop, including your own kiln to take home, is only $250 for members. If you only want to watch the kiln making process and join in the raku firing the cost is only $100 for members.
A $50 deposit will be required to ensure your place. Bookings: Megan Puls 5578 2195

Chinese Food Steamers

Creation

I bought one of these when I went to China – they cook vegetables sooooo well! It’s in Texas!! So….guess I’ll make one! I still have some of that terra cotta left!

Ceramic food steamers were used in Neolithic China 6 to 7000 years ago and steaming food is still one of the best and healthiest ways to cook, especially vegetables.

 

 

Many steam cookers, require that the clay steamer is placed above a pot with boiling water.

 

The steam enters through a central chimney with the obvious advantage that you don’t lose the juice, nutrients and the steam locks in the flavours of the food.

Glazing days-#%€!!- a Love Hate Relationship

GlazesMusings

I LOVE gorgeous glazes! I LOVE luscious colours deftly intertwined on a well-crafted piece of pottery! But I DO NOT LOVE glazing!!!! It’s really hard work! But the hardest part is that I get frustrated with all the decisions to be made – what glaze on what pot? Should I combine these two glazes? Will this combo of glazes run off the pot?? Anyway, it’s all really stressful to me! I’ll be so happy when I know my glazes, trust my glazes and then it will be so much easier!!!
JUST SAYING,,,,!

I Dream Of….A Matte Blue Glaze!

Glazes
Source
THIS is the colour that I want!

In all my glaze testing and searching, I’m trying to find a glaze like this one!  If you know of a recipe for such a glaze, please point me to it!  I found a matte blue, but it seems to be more of a powder blue.

Movin’ On

Creation

I’ve just finished using PB103 white clay for several weeks. Now I’m moving on to a darker clay body- Keanes 9. It will be interesting to see if my work changes or reflects as a result of the clay COLOURS! What’s your opinion?

Mud colony is a great place to check out other potters and their work!

– Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Hanging Wall Vases

CreationHanging wall vases

I recently made a fairly basic hanging wall vase.   One of the things that I couldn’t figure out too well, was how to hang it!!

So I saw this vase, which is a 16th Century Japanese Wall Hanging Vase, and it had a really cool little hanging device.

In Japanese homes. wall vases are used due to the fact that their homes are small and this allows for better use of their space.  Brilliant!

Japanese Pottery ToolsThe cool little hanging device is called a “Hanaire Rings” and they are for creating hanging vases!  Check out this website to get your very own Hanaire Rings!
Great glazes, huh!  You’d think we would have the glaze thing nailed – they’ve been doing it since the 16th century on this piece!
So I decided to see what other potters are doing to create hanging wall vases and found some really interesting and great examples!  Here are a few of the ones that I liked.
Click here for website

These large hydrangea leaf wall vases were made by Michelle Curtis at Earthen Vessels Pottery.

They have great colours and look fabulous!

All in all, there is no limit to the types of hanging wall vases that can be created.  All it takes is some clever imagination and effort.  Let me hear what you’ve been making!
1 … 25 26 27 … 36