Glaze Combinations

This week in the studio I realized how long it’s been since I have updated. I am sorry I haven’t written for a while. I took a break from pottery to do some traveling over the summer.

I started Colorado Mesa University this fall for a degree in Studio Arts. I am taking Art History Pre-History to Renaissance, 2D-Design, Web Design, and College Algebra. I also take a pottery class at The Art Center in the evenings.

In the pottery studio I have been working on covered jars lately and carving a few vases. I have been experimenting with some new glaze combination at the studio as well. My new found favorites are a base glaze of a Blue/Green Satin Matte and a rim dip in Tamuku (see picture above) and a base of sheno with a new dark green Celadon over top.I have been experimenting with both and I'm loving the new results. Again my apologies for the absence. I promise to update more frequently. See you next week!

Vases and Flowers!

This week in the studio was spent working on flower vases. The project my Wednesday morning pottery class has is to make a four pound flower vase and then at the end of the class session we will exchange them. When we do our exchange we are going to make a flower arrangement to put in the vase from the flowers we have growing in our gardens. Terry, my teacher, had a great discussion about thinking ahead of what flowers will be in the vase and make the vase shape and design character off of that. I am thoroughly enjoying practicing my vase throwing technique. It's always fun to see what different shapes and designs everyone creates at the end. Here are a few pictures of some four pound vases I have done in the past.

Preparing for Empty Bowls Fundraiser

This week in the studio was spent making soup bowls for Catholic Outreach Empty Bowls fundraiser. I have been making soup bowls for empty bowls for four years. For those of you who do not know what the Empty Bowls fundraiser is let me tell you. The Catholic Outreach Soup kitchen holds the fundraiser Empty Bowls every October. Local potters donate pottery bowls and local restaurants donate soups and breads. The soup kitchen sells tickets that allow you to pick out a handmade pottery bowl then sit and have a bowl of soup from a local restaurant in the soup kitchen. The homeless have pizza in the park instead of lunch at the soup kitchen that day. The fundraiser supplies an enormous amount of the funding the soup kitchen needs every year to keep its doors open and kitchens stocked. I always try to make at least thirty bowls for the soup kitchen. Knowing that I am helping someone have a nice meal and warm place to eat is an incredible feeling and I hope every potter in town realizes what a need soup bowls are for this fundraiser and continue all of their generous donations to the organization every year!

Senior Project

This week in the studio was spent doing my senior project. I am a high schools senior at Mesa Valley Vision Home and Community Program. They encourage all of their seniors to do a demonstration on something that has been a hobby or has impacted them throughout their high school career. I did a raku and throwing demonstration for my senior project. I had everyone meet at the Art Center. I pulled all of the raku work by myself, but some of the ladies from my class helped with the trash can lids. After the first load was pulled I described to the audience the history of raku and the different processes. Next I gave a glazing demonstration. The vase I glazed in a white crackle raku glaze with brush work in various slips and stains.  I created a pottery portfolio with pictures of the first piece I made to my latest work. The next load was ready to come out of the kiln. I then removed the pieces out of the trash cans and prepared the cans with new paper, gaskets, and wood chips, then proceeded to pull the remaining three pieces. All of the pieces turned out beautifully. I then did a presentation on wedging clay and how to throw a vase. At the end of my presentation I had everyone write their name on a piece of paper and I auctioned off one of the vases I fired that day. Jill Hatten, a home school mom and RC at Mesa Valley Vision, won the vase. I also gave a butterfly dolphin luster vase to my RC Candace. They both loved them. Lexi Downs, a senior in Mesa Valley Vision, did her senior project on Celtic dancing the same day I did mine. Her dance group was fun to watch and described the technique and history. The dance and pottery was a magnificent combination and captured the crowd perfectly.

Sorry my post is so late. I was having some technical difficulties and haven't been able to post lately.

Tools

The Dolan trim tools and Mud wire tool

The new stamp

               This week in the studio was spent buying some new tools from a supplier in town. Wayne Petefish owns GJ Clay and has a great set-up with clay, tools, glazes, etc...I spent a long time searching for the appropriate trim tool and talking pottery with Wayne. I decided to buy a few of the Dolan trim tools. They work wonderfully. I purchased three different ones and they all did an amazing job on my pots. I also purchased a Mud Tools wire tool. Mud Tools makes a silicone coated wire tool that doesn't kink and has great handles. Wayne showed me a new item he is carrying. He just ordered some detailed wooden stamps. He let me test them in clay and they gum up and get clay stuck in the design. I bought two, one has an intricate flower design and the other has a simple leaf print. I enjoy stamping and can't wait to try out my new stamps on a piece...photos to come.

               After my shopping adventure I went back to the studio and focused the rest of my day on taping some raku pieces. I use an automotive pin stripe tape on pieces to get a clean wavy line. Pin stripe tape is the best to use because it is flexible and doesn't tear when it's stretched over a pot. Here is a picture of a raku piece I did. The black lines are where the pin stripe tape was. The glaze I used is a dolphin luster on the bottom and a copper luster on the top.