Pottery

Pottery is a fun activity I have started practicing in a communal setting, where we each provide our own clay but share the work space, kiln, throwing wheels, molds, tools and dipping glazes. The highlight of my weeks are pottery days when I get to play with the clay. I use mostly commercial glazes, simply because as an artist I want more colour options than the community glazes offered. I can't seem to produce pieces fast enough to try out all the glaze combinations I'd like to test. These are a few of my favourites from the past couple of years. All are hand built. I haven't yet practiced wheel throwing.

One of my first successes, this was glazed with a base of Honey Flux (Amaco) all over, then random swatches of Indigo Float (Amaco) and Seaweed (Amaco) with a drizzle of Reactive Red (Spectrum) and drippy splotches of Running Hot Chowder (Spectrum) on the rim.

Spirit Boat -- This piece almost ended up in the garbage because the prow fell off in the bisque firing. I decided to use it for testing the commercial glazes I had just bought, and then I remembered the piece of driftwood I had kept for years, not knowing what I would do with it. A little glue and my boat had a new prow. Glazed with Seaweed and Oatmeal (both Amaco) , but Seaweed is strong and ate the Oatmeal. Finished with carved runes, synthetic sinew and charms I mostly found on beaches.

Made using one of my favourite molds, a wood turned bowl, this piece is glazed with a base of Snow Celedon, Indigo Float, Seaweed (all Amaco) and Kimchi (Mayco), which mostly disappeared. Ended up with small bare spots where the glaze crawled, so refired with Ancient Copper (Amaco, old formula) covering bare spots.

I was thrilled when this came out of the kiln with exactly the look for which I'd hoped. This is Celedon Bloom (Mayco) on the lower 2/3s, a band of Chun Plum on the top, then Light Flux where they meet and on the rim.

This piece is finished with just clear glaze. The contrasting colours are made by combining two kinds of clay.

I made this dish using the same mold as the first one at the top of the page. Everything I do is an experiment, either with the form or the glazing. This was glazed with Chun Plum (Amaco) all over, then small dots of Running Hot Chowder (Spectrum) brushed on randomly, followed by Rutile Blue (Amaco) all over. I love how the Chowder left turqouis spots, while the Plum and Rutile Blue together made purple.

Hex Bowl - This was the first time I tried making button feet -- so easy and effective, making it possible to glaze the entire bottom of the bowl. Glazes are Chun Plum all over, Rutile Blue on the walls and Running Hot Chowder along the rim and dripped down the inside corners.

Testing out some new glazes from Coyote. This is Archie's Base with one layer of Rhubarb all over, then Emerald Falls on the top inch. I love how the Emerald Falls turned blue along the edges of the flow.

Testing out another new glaze -- Blue Snowflake, a crystal glaze from Mayco on the top inch, then Chun Plum (Amaco) on the rest. Most of the crystals just melted and flowed down, and the pale yellow was unexpected, but I love the end result.

Experiments in decorating. The mirror shows the underside of this bowl, with a diamond shaped medallion on each of five sides. Glazed with Chun Plum (Amaco) all over except avoiding the medallions, then Lustrous Jade all over, including the Medallions.

The base on this one is Sky Celedon (Amaco), and I don't remember what I used on the top band -- I suspect Blue Rutile -- then Light Flux on the rim.

Another hex plate. This is one of my favourite molds. Glazed with Chun Plum (can you tell it's my favourite?) with a band of Textured Turquois on the upper edge.

This time I was experimenting with layers and Kathy McGuire's frozen pond technique, which usually has Running Hot Chowder dots sandwiched between two other glazes. In this case, I started with Archie's Base all over, then large sponged Chowder dots, covered by Blue Rutile. Then I did smaller dots of Chowder between the large ones, which I could no longer see, so not sure if the new ones landed in the right places. Then another layer of Archie's Base over all. I wanted to see if the small dots would turn out a different shade, but they didn't really. I finished with blobs of Blue Snowflake on the rim, which just ran like beautiful blue flux. My favourite piece to date.

I got some new Coyote glazes, so this was an experiment with seeing how the grooves would affect the glazes, and also a test for the new colours. I brushed on Gun Metal Green on the bottom 2/3s inside and out, Fairy Rose on the top 1/3, then dots of Running Hot Chowder at the top of each groove. I love the peacock tail effect I got on the outside. And I think Gun Metal Green is going to become one of my favourite glazes.

My newest favourite! I think I'm getting better at this. I did a base of Albany Slip Brown, then large dots of Running Hot Chowder around the top edge, straddling grooves carved into the clay. I followed with Textured Autumn all over.

Here is the underside of the bowl in the previous image. I started with a band of Snapdragon Celadon to stop the glazes from overrunning the foot. Same glaze order as the inside.

I'm pretty happy with this one too -- Pearl White as a base with Reactive Red on the tips of the points. It ran beautifully.

Google Sites

Report abuse