Spring 2014

Working on making glazes this semester was cool this semester. I liked learning the science behind the glazes and why they look and act the way they do. I plan to further develop the glaze for my flameware I began working on this semester. And maybe even work on some different color shinos for future wildfired pieces.
I have been working on developing my throwing skills, and this semester really helped me get in more practice time to hone in on specific forms. The projects this semester gave me an opportunity to refine each category of pottery. Thining cylinder walls, creating a decent foot ring, pulling handles, etc. And figure out some placement and aesthetic issues like where the handle should attach and really think about placement of texture. All of the throwing will prove beneficial for the future.
There is always room for improvement. With that said I don't think I will be able to think of everything that needs improvement for this blog. I want to work on cleaning up the bottom of pieces, thinning walls, glazing (creating, mixing, application techniques), making some bigger pieces, applying conseptual reasoning behind why and what I make, and predicting how my flameware will warp.
As an artist I want to continue to make things. Work on refining skills, hopefully sell some pieces, have my own studio and means of firing. I hope to take what I learn through ceramics (time management, problem solving, critical thinking, and social skills) and help others see that they can improve their mental health through art. I hope to do this through art therapy.
My son, my family, my art, my housework and my alarm gets me up in the morning. I come to the studio to center myself and some clay and remind myself that no matter how crazy and off center the world (or my clay) gets, it can be shaped into something beautiful or at the very least useful with a little time, practice, and work.

Woodfire!

Its been a while since my last post. There's lots going on the last couple weeks of school. Since my last post I realized my cookers were combination forms that fit the requirements for the project. So I made 3 teapots and 2 lug handled lided cookers. Of those the biggest and in my opinion the best teapot and cooker did not survive the bisque.

The woodkiln has been fired and proved to be a fun and exciting time. Nervous and excited to fire without the kiln Whisperer. The bfa students are stepping up in the Woodfire world. I'm confident we can accomplish a firing on our own.

Work for the wood kiln overall came out awesome. I used Liz Kraus shino, stasha's crab claw, chucks shino, shaner shino, iron saturate, and some bisque flashing slip. I think I'm going to have to mix up some more chucks next semester. I really like the way it reduces to produce some grey spots with a little bit of crackeling in the shiny spots. Next semester I will also make an effort to glaze less work for tumble stacking. I liked how my peices turned out that survived the tumble. I got some great flashing and nice ash accumulation.

Flameware

This clay is so beautiful it diserves its own post. Before cone 10 and after.

Combination forms

This project has been slow to start for me. I've decided to revisit teapots. I've made two and I'm just not happy with how they turned out. They look too much like my previous teapots. While I feel the different components fit together to make better forms than my last teapos I'm just not satisfied with them. I'm going to revisit the cylinder forms I made at the beginning of the semester and see if I can't make something that relates to my mugs a little more. I will also incorporate the previously used line texture. Here's to a productive week.

Late blog. I blame spring break.

Finished the lided forms project this week during break. I have attached lug handles to a few "roasters". I think of the three I got one really nice one. Id like to make a couple more just because I feel like I'm really getting the hang of these lids and would like to have another nice one. I'm considering putting a whole on the underside of the lug handles so the pans may hang on the wall or from a hook for a show.
I was asked while I was working why I didn't use the line texture I've previously used. I've read the flameware chips easily with sharp edges and am trying to avoid that issue. However I'm not sure how the flameware would react if I put the lines in then dulled the edges a bit. Dallas brought this to my attention. And I think ill give it a try.
Line blend tests today and hopefully ill get some throwing in. Also, I will invest in a wheel next semester. I would get so much more done if I could work from home and I think Dalton would like to play in some clay. Possibly inspire some new ideas being in the home location where most of my objects will be used.

Lided

I finally for the chance to work with my flameware! And thanks to the line blend tests I know what the clay body looks like after firing to cone 10. A pretty brown that will go well with my other Woodfired stuff. I constructed these lids by throwing them upside down, trimming, then attaching a small piece of clay then throwing the handle. The flameware drys much faster than my stoneware so I wasn't able to attach handles in time. I think for some casserole roasters these aren't too bad. The lip opens a bit which makes it a little easier to pick up without handles. But lesson learned. Handles sooner. I will make some lugs to use as handles on the next set and hopefully get some nice pans I can use on the stove.

Fusion and glaze testing

This week the class worked on fusion tests and picked materials to create glazes. I have chosen to create a glaze for the flameware I mixed earlier this semester. I will be testing petalite and epk. My test tiles have been dipped and are drying. Mixing the epk was challenging. It kept clumping up on me. I have a feeling a screen will come in handy when mixing up a batch of the glaze. Can't wait to see what the clay looks like after being fired.