ceramic
art
trends,
tools,
and
C e l e b r at i n g 1 5 Y e a r s • 1 9 9 5 - 2 0 1 0
®
TIMES
Clay
techniques
Volume 16 • Issue 86 SPRING 2010
Bernadette Curran: Oxidation Firing with Dramatic Results Shino & Carbon Trap Exhibition
$7.95 U.S./$9.95 CAN
Ten Tips Every Electric Kiln Potter Should Know
PLUS: Water Blue Glaze Variations • Asbestos Hazards of Outdated Kilns • The Studio Scales You Really Need • How to Make a Chip ‘n’ Dip • Is Your Claywork Cover-Worthy?
New from L&L Kilns! SCHOOL-MASTER K-12 School Kilns A new kiln - designed for K-12 schools. Two sizes: 7 and 10 cubic feet. Includes a industry-leading Five-Year Limited Warranty. Also includes the new four-button One-Touch™ Intuitive Kiln Control. One touch and you are ready to fire the bisque and glaze programs typically used in schools (also easy to adjust simple parameters like cone, delay, hold, heat-up and cool-down rates). You can even create four custom ramp/hold programs • “Easy-Lift, Easy-Load” stainless steel spring hinge system with full-support when door is up and back (there is no support bar to get in the way of loading) • Mercury-free • c-MET-us listed to UL499 standards
EASY-FIRE Square & Rectangular Kilns
The School-Master Kilns feature a Five Year Warranty and our One-Touch™ Intuitive Kiln Control
L&L has combined its unique square & rectangular kiln construction with the many great features of the Easy-Fire Series to come up with a value replacement for oval kilns. Six sizes: from 7.8 cubic feet to 14.6 cubic feet. The Easy-Fire Square and Rectangular kilns feature a square or rectangular body shape and construction as used in our
more expensive DaVinci Series • The spring hinge is a modified and reinforced version of our Easy-Lift spring stainless steel spring hinge used on the Easy-fire kilns (except with support bars) • 3” brick with all brick construction (including lid) • The stand consists of six of our strong aluminized Easy-Fire stands • The separate control panel is mounted the element box • Automatic DynaTrol with Dynamic Zone control (two zones for 18” high models and three zones for the 27” high models) • Mercury-free • c-MET-us listed to UL499 standards (pending) • Three-Year Limited Warranty
eQUAD-PRO Production Kilns These are enhanced Easy-fire kilns with extra power and super heavy-duty elements using our Quad element holder system. Two sizes: 28” Diam x 27” High (10.2 cubic feet) and 28” diam x 36” High (13.6 cubic feet) Automatic DynaTrol with thee-zone control • 3” brick • Quad element system (fours rows of super heavy gauge elements per 9” high section) • Extra power with branch fusing for high production work • “Easy-Lift, Easy-Load” stainless steel spring hinge system with full-support when door is up and back (there is no support bar to get in the way of loading) • Mercury-free • c-MET-us listed to UL499 standards (pending) • Three-Year Limited Warranty
L&L Quad elements system have been used with great success in our JH Crystalline Glaze Kilns
HERCULES Front Loading Kiln Compare this professional-quality kiln - feature by feature - to anything on the market and you will see its incredible value. One size: 24” x 24” x 24” (8 cubic feet). Adjustable door • Plug seal with gasket • Heavy-gauge (1/8”) welded case
Compare features & value
with separate but attached stand • Leveling pads • Extra-tough K25 2500°F 4-1/2” firebrick arch • Other insulation is 3” of K23 brick with 2” of mineral wool backup insulation • Elements on door, sides and back • Automatic DynaTrol with two-zone control • Door power safety shut-off switch • Direct wire • Mercury-free • MET-us listed to UL499 standards
L&L Kiln’s patented hard ceramic element holders protect your kiln. 505 Sharptown Rd, Swedesboro NJ 08085 Toll Free: 888.684.3232 Fax: 856.294.0070 sales@hotkilns.com
OWNER REGISTRATION Leon Roloff Artist: 55 years experience -El Cajon, California -Taught High School Ceramics for 35 years “I bought my first GG in June of 1983 for $128.50... Could have just bought replacement sliders, as I’ve never had any trouble with my old unitbeyond replacing the pads a couple of times. I decided to help the economy and buy the whole new shiny unit. I like the new sliders. I got 26 years out of my first GG, and 26 years from now I’ll be 102 years old. You may not have a chance to sell me another.”
Thanks Leon! Giffin Tec Inc Contact your local clay supplier - Giffin Grip Model 10 3 90 days Money Back Guarantee, 10 years free replacement for parts that wear out or break in normal studio use
contents
®
TIMES
Clay
SPRING 2010 Volume 16 • Issue 86 On the cover: Oxidation-fired Tumblers by Bernadette Curran. Cover inset photo: Shino Bowl by Caroline Cercone.
Is your work ready for the Clay Times cover? ®
Enter the Clay Times national juried show, “A New Decade of Clay 2010,” and your work could earn you a cover story in the magazine and participation in the Sept. 2010 group exhibition at Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort ... plus a potential ceramics scholarship to Lake Tahoe’s Sierra Nevada College! Juror: Richard Shaw. Turn to page 8 for show information and submission details. TM
Covered Jar by Matt Hyleck: part of SHINO REDUX show, p. 32.
features 14 The Hermaphrodites: Living in Two Worlds On view in conjunction with NCECA 2010 at Wexler Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
27 Electric Kilns: Maintenance and Firing Discover the top ten things every electric kiln owner should know to keep your firings safe and successful ...
32 SHINO REDUX 2010 Wardrobe by Chris Antemann, in Hermaphrodite show, p. 14.
Malcolm Davis juries an encore show at the Clay Art Center, Port Chester, New York 5
contents
®
TIMES
Clay
SPRING 2010 Volume 16 • Issue 86
departments
At left: Shino Platter by Tom Coleman. One of several works featured during the Clay Art Center’s recent SHINO REDUX exhibition. Story appears on pages 32-33.
9 EDITOR’S DESK Exciting new changes in store for CT readers!
11 WHAT’S HOT Clay world news, events, and calls for entries
13 GREAT GLAZES Basic formulas to try at Cone 6 Oxidation & Cone 10 Reduction
34 THE GALLERY A selection of unique works by CT readers
columns
42 SLURRY BUCKET Studio-tested tips to save you time and money
45 POTTERY CLASSES Where you can learn claywork in your community
48 CLASSIFIED MARKETPLACE Goods and services offered especially for clay artists
50 ADVERTISER INDEX A quick reference to find your favorite ceramics suppliers in this issue (be sure to tell them you found them in Clay Times!) 6
17 AS FAR AS I KNOW “Water Blue Glaze Revisited” by Pete Pinnell
21 BENEATH THE SURFACE “Bernadette Curran, Part 1” Interview by Lana Wilson
23 TEACHING TECHNIQUES “Making A Three-Bowl Chip ‘n’ Dip” by Bill van Gilder
31 KILNS & FIRING “New Kilns & New Valves” by Marc Ward
37 BOOKS & VIDEOS “Two Books for the Beginning Potter’s Library” reviews by Steven Branfman
39 TOOL TIMES “Weighing Your Scale Options” by Vince Pitelka
43 STUDIO HEALTH AND SAFETY “Old AsbestosInsulated Kilns” by Monona Rossol
49 AROUND THE FIREBOX “Originality and Destiny” by Kelly Savino
Editorial & Advertising: Polly Beach claytimes@gmail.com Circulation Manager: Rachel Brownell ctcirculation@gmail.com Accounts Manager: Nanette Greene clayaccounts@gmail.com Proofreader: Jon Singer Regular Columnists: Steve Branfman, Books & Videos David Hendley, Around the Firebox Pete Pinnell, As Far as I Know Vince Pitelka, Tool Times Monona Rossol, Health & Safety Kelly Savino, Around the Firebox Bill van Gilder, Teaching Techniques Marc Ward, Kilns & Firing Lana Wilson, Beneath the Surface Contributing Writer: Joanie Turbek
®
magazine
TIMES
Clay
®
T
his year marks Clay Times’ 15th anniversary in print. It still amazes me that our original local newsletter has evolved into such a widely embraced, worldrenowned magazine. Back in 1995, pottery making was a relatively obscure subject—even difficult to research at public libraries due to a widespread lack of available ceramics books and periodicals. But 15 years later, ceramic arts publishing has exploded into a vast ocean of information. And considering the downward spiral of printed periodicals during recent years, I’m especially pleased to report that thanks to all of you—our loyal supporters—we’ve weathered the storm and are firmly committed to making our next 15 years even stronger than ever!
roots Clay Times has established throughout the world ceramic community, we’ve grown a global communications network with a foundation strong enough to monitor the latest and greatest developments of the clay arts field on a daily basis. As a result, an expanded version of the magazine itself and our original Website at www.claytimes.com, “Clay Times Online ,” will debut in mid-April. It will serve as an unprecedented communications network and resource for ceramic educators and students, professionals and hobbyists, collectors, and clay enthusiasts worldwide, offering daily newsfeed and a single all-encompassing resource and forum where you may access and share anything and everything having to do with ceramics.
To achieve this goal, we realize that flexibility is key. We need to listen to the voices of our readers and advertisers, and do whatever possible to continue providing you with the very best of the services you desire. One very clear, overwhelming concern of late is the need for us all to operate on a ‘greener,’ more ecologically-aware basis. Clay Times is answering that call in several ways:
• Several subscriber-only supplements to the print publication will now be available online throughout the year. As such, we are combining our previous 6 bimonthly print issues into 4 quarterly issues to be published in spring, summer, fall, and winter—PLUS we’ll be adding a colorful studio poster insert in each seasonal issue. This will allow “fresh” clay news to be accessed online daily, and will greatly reduce the overall annual waste generated by paper used for printing.
• We’re now printing the magazine on 100% FSCcertified, 75% post-consumer recycled paper. (The very green, new Vermont-based company that prints CT even generates 100% of the heat for their printing plant from waste captured from the printing process itself.) • We are expanding our online, “paperless” presence dramatically. Thanks to the very strong
TM
Spouting Off I Editor’s Desk
Keeping Up with the Times — for 15 Years!
ceramic art trends, t oo l s & t e c h n i q u e s
• We’re now offering online “paperless” invoicing—but we need your help! Log onto claytimes. com to provide us with your e-mail address, and your name will be entered into a drawing to win
a spot on our “Cruisin’ for Clay 2011” potter’s cruise to the Caribbean next April! Tune in to claytimes.com for further details as they arise ... [
✦ Printed on 100% FSC-certified and 75% post-consumer recycled paper ✦ Published by: CLAY TIMES INC. 15481 Second St. • PO Box 365 Waterford, Virginia 20197-0365 540.882.3576 • FAX 540.882.4196
Toll-free subscription line: 800.356.2529 Clay Times® (ISSN 1087-7614) is published quarterly, four issues per year. Periodicals Postage Paid at Waterford, VA, and at additional mailing offices. Annual subscriptions are available for $33 in the U.S.; $40 in Canada; $60 elsewhere (must be payable in US$). To subscribe, call toll-free 1-800.356.2529, or visit www.claytimes.com.
M.F.A. in Ceramic Arts The M.F.A. and Graduate Certificate in Ceramic Arts provide students with skills and knowledge from which to build a strong aesthetic direction. Kevin Crowe Multi Chambered Kiln Firing: May 1, 8 and 15 Throwing Large Forms: June 21-26 Catherine White Composite Sculpture June 5-6, 12-13 and July 12-15 Joyce Michaud Master’s Throwing II: June 17-20 East Asian Coil Video available in March
POSTMASTER: Address service requested. Send address changes to: Clay Times, PO Box 365, Waterford, VA 20197-0365. Copyright © 2010 Clay Times, Inc.
Shawn Grove Wheel Courses: June 28-July 10
All rights reserved. The material contained herein is derived from various sources and does not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. All technical material is offered as general information only and should not be acted upon without expert supervision. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the publisher.
Phil Berneburg Clay and Glaze Chemistry, Theory and Practice: June 30-July 7, July 6-9 and July 12-14 Visit Hood’s Web site for more information. Hood College Graduate School Art Department (301) 696-3456 n Fax (301) 696-3531 www.hood.edu/ceramics Hood College subscribes to a policy of equal educational and employment opportunities.
CLAYTIMES·COM n SPRING 2010
Freelance editorial and photographic submissions are welcome: Please contact Clay Times or visit our Web site for writer’s and photographer’s guidelines.
9
davens ad color
12/11/09
10:30 AM
Page 1
Serving You For
Years! 0
2
Featuring a large selection from the brands you trust: Glazes • AMACO • COYOTE • MAYCO • OPULENCE • LAGUNA • MASON STAIN Equipment • BRENT • CREATIVE INDUSTRIES • L&L KILNS • NORTH STAR • SKUTT • PACIFICA • AMACO
Clays • AARDVARK • LIZELLA • LAGUNA • STANDARD Tools • CHINESE CLAY ART • GROOVY TOOLS LLC • GIFFIN GRIP • MICHAEL SHERRILL’S MUDTOOLS • MKM POTTERY TOOLS • KEMPER
We welcome school orders!
NOW WITH 2 LOCATIONS!
CLAYTIMES·COM n SPRING 2010
770.451.2105
10
5076 Peachtree Road • Atlanta, GA 30341 • Fax 770.455.7012 davens@davensceramiccenter.com
Davens North: 1581 James Burgess Rd. • Suwanee, GA 30024 • 404.642.6564
View our catalog Online:
davensceramiccenter.com
MARK your CALENDAR now for the 2011 post-NCECA Clay Times “Cruisin’ for Clay” Conference at Sea! Depart Tampa, Florida following NCECA conference closing on Saturday, April 2 • Cruise to Cozumel and Costa Maya, Mexico with 100 potters & guest artists • Return to Tampa on Thursday, April 7 • Awesome clay speakers & demos! For details, updates, and early registration discounts, visit www.claytimes.com
Conferences ‰ “NCECA 2010: Independence,” the 44th Annual Conference of the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) takes place Mar. 31-Apr. 3, 2010, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The event will include informative lectures and demonstrations by leading clay artists, as well as a trade show where attendees can view and purchase the industry’s latest goods and services for potters. Area schools, universities, museums, galleries, and nonprofit and alternative spaces will host exhibitions of clay objects and tableware, sculpture, and more. For complete details, log onto www. nceca net. (Be sure to visit Clay Times at booth 300 for giveaways and special offers!)
‰ “Cruisin’ for Clay,” the acclaimed Clay Times Potters’ Cruise Conference to the Caribbean, will take place again next year—
immediately following the 2011 NCECA Conference in Tampa, Florida. Back by popular demand, this 5-night event will be held on board Royal Caribbean’s ‘Radiance of the Seas’ cruise liner and will feature informative demos and presentations by some of the nation’s most highly acclaimed clay artists. The ship will depart the port of Tampa at 5 p.m. Saturday, April 2, setting sail for Cozumel and Costa Maya, Mexico, and will return on the morning of Thursday, April 7. All conference activities will take place while the ship is at sea, so you’ll have plenty of time to relax and explore when the boat is docked. Better yet, your travel expenses to and from Tampa, our departure port, will already be covered by your NCECA conference budget! So mark your calendar now, and check the Clay Times Website often at www.claytimes.com for conference programming updates and earlybird registration specials ...
Calls for Entries ‰ The Kansas City Clay Guild is accepting entries postmarked by Apr. 10, 2010, for its Tea Bowl National, to take place May 10-July 9, 2010. Juror: Pete Pinnell. Entry fee: $30 for three works. $1000 will be awarded in prizes. Contact: Susan Speck, 5932 Nall Ave., Mission, KS 66202 or e-mail president@ kcclayguild.org. For more information, visit: www.kcclayguild.org.
‰ The South County Art Association of Kingston, Rhode Island is accepting entries from New England artists through Apr. 16 for its show to take place Apr. 22–May 15. To learn more, call 401.783.2195, log onto www.southcountyart.org, or e-mail ocart@verizon.net. ‰ Contemporary Work in Clay is accepting entries through May 7 for its Sept. 30–Nov. 5 show at the University of Tulsa School of Art in Tulsa, OK. For details, call 918.631.3700, log onto www.utulsa.edu/art, or e-mail whitney-forsyth@utulsa.edu. ‰ Entries of wood-fired ceramics are being accepted through June 15 for Wood Fired Pottery for the 21st Century, to take place September 1–19 at New Fire in Arroyo Seco, New Mexico. For details, call 575.776.1042 or e-mail newfire taos@gmail.com. ‰ Is your work ready to be featured on the cover of Clay Times? That’s the grand prize to be awarded to the winner of the upcoming Clay Times “A New Decade of Clay 2010” exhibition, to take place September 17-October 16, 2010 at the beautiful Northstar-at-Tahoe resort in Truckee, California. Additional cash awards and prizes will be offered, including the chance for a ceramics scholarship to Sierra Nevada College at Lake Tahoe’s Incline Village, Nevada. Juror: Richard Shaw. Entry fee: $25 for up to three entries (digital preferred). Submission deadline: July 12. For prospectus and complete details, log onto: www.sierranevada.edu/clay. TM
CLAYTIMES·COM n SPRING 2010
‰ The American Art Pottery Association Annual Convention takes place in Cleveland, Ohio Apr. 21-25, 2010. Events include a two-day pottery show and sale; art pottery auction; educational presentations by guest experts; pottery displays; author’s book signing; guided bus tours to pottery and tile installations and collections; and much more. All activities are open to the public (fees may apply). For complete information, visit www.aapa.info.
• ceramic art world news • events • • calls for entries •
Hot Stuff I News & Events
5
What’s Hot
11
Hot Stuff I News & Events
‰ The DHM Digital Gallery invites designers working in fiber, clay, wood, metal or glass to participate in The Art of Applied Design, an international juried competition. Entry deadline: July 15. Entries must be functional objects commonly used within interior spaces, such as furnishings (hard or soft), utensils, fixtures, or containers. Purely decorative objects are not eligible. Evaluation is based on uniqueness and creativity of design, craftsmanship, and quality of submitted digital images. The online exhibit will run Sept. 15-Dec. 1, and will include e-mail addresses of accepted artists to facilitate their independent commercial interests. For a prospectus, visit http://ches.okstate. edu/dhm/gallery; or e-mail any questions to dhm.digital.gallery@ okstate.edu. ‰ Blue Spiral 1 of Asheville, North Carolina is accepting entries through July 15 for Emerging Clay, to take place January 6–March 26, 2011. Entry is open to artists from the states of AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MD, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA, and WV with less than ten years of experience. For details, call 828.251.0202, e-mail info@bluespiral1.com, or log onto www.bluespiral1.com.
GClay Times
®
CLAYTIMES·COM n SPRING 2010
original Potter’s T-shirts make wonderful gifts! View & order the full line of designs online at www.claytimes.com
12
To view additional “What’s Hot” listings, please visit www.claytimes.com.
‰ The San Joaquin Potter’s Guild of Modesto, California, is accepting entries through August 1 for Hands in Clay 2010, to take place August 3–September 4, 2010.
To list your clay conferences, calls for entries, exhibitions, and ceramic news items in Clay Times, please e-mail the complete details to: claytimes@gmail. com, with “What’s Hot” in the subject line, or visit www.claytimes.com and click on the “What’s Hot” link to fill out an online submission form.
For additional information, please call 209.634.3653, e-mail info@ sanjoaquinpottersguild.org, or visit www.sanjoaquinpottersguild.org. [
ODYSSEY CENTER FOR CERAMIC ARTS 2010 SUMMER WORKSHOPS
Innovative Handbuilding Techniques LANA WILSON • May 31-June 4
Satake
Forbes-deSoule
The Art of Raku STEPHEN FORBES-deSOULE • June 7-11
Porcelian Pots for Service SILVIE GRANATELLI • June 14-18 Cordova
China Painting: New Directions PAUL LEWING • June 21-25 The Misunderstood Extruder HAYNE BAYLESS • June 28-July 2 Japanese Aesthetics JOHN DIX • July 9-10 FIGURE: form + content CRISTINA CORDOVA • July 12-16 Gamble’s Low-Fire Clay Adventure DAVID & TRACY GAMBLE • July 19-23 Narrative Ceramics JAMES TISDALE • July 26-30
Granatelli
Finding the Beauty in Imperfection AKIRA SATAKE • August 2-6 Lewing
Bayless
Gamble Tisdale
Dix Wilson
865.397-2914 info@wardburner.com
www.wardburner.com
www.highwaterclays.com ODYSSEY CENTER FOR CERAMIC ARTS, 236 Clingman Ave, Asheville NC 28801 odyssey@highwaterclays.com • 828-285-0210
Basic Matte Base Glaze Cone 10 Reduction Soda Feldspar Whiting Talc Silica Frit 3269 Nepheline Syenite Ball Clay (Tenn #10)
USA
So many options at Cone 6
16.8% 15.8 9.9 19.9 14.9 4.9 17.8 TOTAL
Readers Share I Glaze Recipes
Great Glazes
Minnesota Clay Co.
100.0%
Test the above base glaze with various quantities of different stains or colorants to determine your favorite effects on various clay bodies. (Refer to the sample chart of colorants for oxidation and reduction firing at www.claytimes.com.) See us at booth #206 at NCECA Conference in Philadelphia, PA.
FPS Base Glaze Cone 6 Oxidation
www.minnesotaclayusa.com
Created by From Miry Clay Pottery
800-CLAY-USA
Nepheline Syenite 35.0% Whiting 15.0 Frit 3110 17.0 Zinc 2.0 Bone Ash 1.0 Talc 3.0 Silica 27.0 TOTAL 100.0% add Copper Carbonate add Tin Oxide
1.5% 1.5%
Each formula is provided in percentage (by weight). Results vary with clay bodies and firing conditions; always test first to be sure you’re happy with the results. To mix a glaze batch to store in a 5-gallon bucket, multiply each percentage ingredient by 50 grams (for a half-bucket with room for dipping) or 100 grams (for a very full bucket). It is the responsibility of the user to have glazes tested for stability. [
CLAYTIMES¡COM n SPRING 2010
The above is a stable base glaze, worthy of experimentation with many different colorants (such as the blue-green copper carbonate addition listed above). Omit the tin oxide for a transparent glaze, or leave it in for solid, opaque coverage.
13
THE HERMAPHRODITES:
Living In Two Worlds term as it applies to sculpture that can be categorized equally as contemporary fine art sculpture or decorative art. The exhibition concentrates on works by contemporary ceramic artists who also adopt other processes, materials, and techniques commonly found outside of their discipline. Featured artists include Chris Antemann, Beth Cavener Stichter, Cynthia Consentino, Anne Drew Potter, Judy Fox, Gerit Grimm, Bridget Harper, Sergei Isupov, Myungjin Kim, Dana Major Kanovitz, Kelly Rathbone Garrett, Dirk Staschke, Mara Superior, Tip Toland, Jason Walker, Kurt Weiser, Red Weldon Sandlin, Irina Zaytceva, and several others.
CLAYTIMES·COM n SPRING 2010
TOM HOLT PHOTO
“The artists in this exhibition produce sculpture that is categorically often confusing when placed in private or public collections,” remarked show curator, Leslie Ferrin. “Depending on the curatorial mission of the institution or vision of the collector, works by these artists can be found in contemporary collections of fine art, decorative arts, and even, at times, design. The title of the show was chosen to first draw attention from its social meaning, and then challenge its interpretation from various metaphorical perspectives.”
14
C
oinciding with the 44th annual National Council for Education on the Ceramic Arts Conference in Philadelphia (March 31-April 3, 2010), Wexler Gallery of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is hosting “The Hermaphrodites: Living in Two Worlds,” a group show curated by Leslie Ferrin, owner of Ferrin Gallery in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. The exhibition takes place on the gallery’s
second floor and runs from March 5-May 1, 2010, with an opening reception on Friday, April 2 from 5 to 8 pm. “The Hermaphrodites: Living in Two Worlds” showcases figural sculpture that both embodies the literal definition of hermaphrodites (encompassing both genders) and the conceptual nature of the
Wexler Gallery is located at 201 North Third Street in the historical district of Old City Philadelphia. For further details about the show, please e-mail Sienna@wexlergallery. com, call 215.923.7030, or visit www. wexlergallery.com. Co-sponsor Ferrin Gallery is located in downtown Pittsfield, in the heart of the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts. To learn more about the gallery, please visit www. ferringallery.com. [
Pictured, this page: At left: Red Queen by Kurt Weiser. 19" x 12". Painted porcelain. Below: Infiltrator by Dana Major Kanovitz. 38" x 33" x 23". Paper pulp, steel armature, oil paints, human hair, coyote pelt & mixed media.
Pictured, opposite page:
Below: The Heavenly Horn of the Moon by Tip Toland. 39" x 9" x 14". Stoneware, paint, chalk pastel.
CLAYTIMES¡COM n SPRING 2010
Above: Bounty by Dirk Staschke. 15" x 24" x 10". Ceramic, paint, mixed media.
15
kilns for
potters
CLAYTIMES·COM n SPRING 2010
freedom 2527He– 11.9 Cu. ft., Cone 10
16
23 raku– 7 Cu. ft., Cone 10 Raku, bisque or glaze in Olympic raku gas kilns. The unique firing chamber keeps temperature hot inside the kiln even when opened. Sizes range from 18” to 28” wide to accommodate small to large pieces. Propane or natural gas.
&
strong, duraBle affordaBle! Olympic Freedom kilns really free you up! Each Freedom kiln comes with their own emergency repair kit — 2 elements, crimping tool, pint of mortar, wiring schematic and extra thermocouple at no additional cost to you! And Freedom furniture kits contain shelves and posts to fit your kiln and a free bag of assorted stilts (33 stilts) for firing glaze ware. Freedom kilns are equipped with electronic controllers and fire to cone 10. Sizes range from 14” wide x 14” deep to 25” front to back, 37” wide x 27” deep.
Olympic commercial electric and gas kilns are heavily insulated (6” of insulation and air space) for energy efficiency and built to last with heavy angle iron frames, stainless steel skins. The electric kilns have options for electronic controller, 480 volts, 3-phase, and 3-zone control. Olympic DownDrafts are designed to fire on propane or natural gas. Stainless steel or galvanized vent hoods can be added as an option in addition to pyrometer and blower burners. Olympic commercial electric kilns range in sizes from 5.5-53 cubic feet and the gas kilns range from 9-40 (useable space) cubic feet.
&
Beginners professionals downdraft 12 with Vented Hood – 12 Cu. ft., Cone 10
fl36e– 36 Cu. ft., Cone 10
Contact an olympic Kilns distributor or us for a distributor near You today! Building the finest Kilns for Your Creative spirit! sales 800-241-4400 Help line 770-967-4009 fax 770-967-1196 email – info@greatkilns.com
www.greatkilns.com
Cone 6 Oxidation Gerstley Borate 6% EPK 7 Frit 3110 77 Silica 10 TOTAL 100% add Bentonite
3%
by PETE PINNELL
Perspectives I As Far As I Know
‘Water Blue’ Glaze Revisited
Josh’s Water Blue Variation
Fig. 1: In the original article, this was color variation “O”, containing 8% red iron oxide and 6% copper carbonate (I’ve started calling it “Grass Green”). This cup experienced a very slow cooling cycle (the one detailed in the first article), developing a mirror-like iridescence. You can see examples of popped bubbles at the intersection of the bottom of the handle and the body, and also under the end of the thumb rest. The cross-hatch texture you see is scratched into the surface of the damp clay.
I
or the outsides of utilitarian pots (I wrote more about this in the first column). In fact, this glaze crazes so much, and the crazing is so close together, that it’s not terribly noticeable unless you’re looking for it. Instead, what tends to stand out with this glaze (besides the bright color and glassy surface) is the way it pools, revealing and emphasizing even the slightest textures in the surface of the clay.
As I mentioned in my previous article on this subject, Ferro Frit 3110 is a very alkaline frit, meaning that it will tend to have particular characteristics. For one, alkaline frits (and, by extension, alkaline glazes) tend to have a clear, bright, relatively intense color response. Another characteristic of alkaline glazes is they have a higher than normal rate of thermal expansion, which means that they craze on almost any kind of clay body. Third, these glazes tend to be more fragile than usual; that is, they don’t stand up well to exposure to the acids or bases found in foods. This crazing and fragility tends to limit their use to sculptural forms
Because of its alkaline nature, this glaze also has a tendency to settle. That’s because small amounts of alkali (sodium ions in particular) can leach out of alkaline materials, like this frit. This soluble alkali will cause the clay portion of the glaze to deflocculate, meaning that the clay particles repel each other, rather than being attracted together, which allows the other, heavier particles in the wet glaze to settle to the bottom of the bucket. Someone added 3% bentonite to this recipe, obviously in an attempt to fix this problem. Bentonite, by the way, is a very fine-grained volcanic clay that potters add to a glaze when there
Fig. 2: This color was variation “G” in the original article, containing 6% copper carbonate and 1% cobalt carbonate (I’ve started calling it “Blue-Green”). This cup had a scattering of popped bubbles throughout the surface after the first glaze firing. I painted a little dot of glaze over each of the bubbles, refired the cup, and the bubbles disappeared, leaving no residual mark. Note the slight roll of glaze at the bottom of the cup: the glaze became thicker at the bottom (over the course of two firings), but didn’t run off the cup. isn’t enough clay in the recipe to keep the other materials in suspension (note that this recipe contains only 7% EPK, which is a bit on the low side). However, if there is enough alkali, it can deflocculate the bentonite as well, so the glaze will continue to settle excessively (which is what this glaze did for me). The remedy for this problem is addition of a solution of Epsom salts and water (yup, the same
Epsom salts that are sold in drug stores). Epsom salts act as a flocculant, counteracting the tendency of soluble alkalis to act as deflocculants. If you haven’t flocculated a glaze before, don’t worry—it’s quite easy. Dissolve a cup of dry Epsom salts in a pint of hot water (I do this in a glass quart jar). You can keep this solution in your studio and it will stay good just about forever. A small amount of it can be added to a liquid glaze to thicken it and prevent it from
CLAYTIMES·COM n SPRING 2010
n the November/December 2009 issue of Clay Times, I introduced some new color variations on the classic Water Blue glaze. I was intrigued enough with the glaze that I decided to use it myself. This experience has resulted in my learning more about the glaze, which I’ll share with you in this column. (Just to refresh your memory, the base glaze recipe appears in the box above.)
17
Perspectives I As Far As I Know
Water Blue Glaze (from p. 17) settling. For a 10,000-gram batch (that’s about 5 gallons of liquid glaze) you might add a few tablespoons. It’s not rocket science—just add a bit and stir the glaze, continuing to add until the glaze thickens and the settling stops. You may need to add some water after flocculating, but if the particles are flocculated, then the glaze won’t hardpan when it settles. It will, instead, form a thick, soft layer on the bottom of the bucket.1
David Snyder of All Fired Up said, “Everything Paragon does is normally a grade above what is the standard for the industry.”
“Paragon is by far the most solid-built kiln made” —David Snyder David Snyder began repairing kilns at age 15 in his parents’ ceramic shop. He lives in Charlotte, North Carolina and services kilns in an eight-state area. “Paragon is by far the most solid-built, virtually repair-free kiln made,” said David. “I can honestly say it’s the best kiln made in North America. “Over the years Paragon has led the industry in innovation,” David said. “I’ve always found that everything Paragon did was followed by other kiln companies two or three years later. “As a professional repair person, I prefer selling a top quality kiln and then never having to worry about a warranty issue rather than selling a kiln of lesser quality and having to worry that I will have to make a trip for warranty service repair. “I like the balance of firing in a Paragon kiln, and quality of construction,” he said. “Their control boxes are heavy duty. The fall away easy access switch box is really nice. One thing I love about Paragon is the clear wiring diagrams for every kiln they make. Elements are pre-stretched with pre-bent corners, so there’s no worry about the element fitting or not. New element connectors come with every element.
“The switch boxes are made of thick steel. They don't use cheap wire mesh on their switch boxes. The wire mesh is spot-welded and fails after a few years. Stands are heavy duty. The galvanized steel base plate is a great feature especially for setting up a new kiln when you have to shift the kiln on the stand. For kilns without a steel base plate, you have to lift the kiln completely off the stand to adjust the kiln even a quarter of an inch. Otherwise the stand will dig into the bare brick bottom. “Another factor is element design. One production potter I know does literally day in, day out cone 6 firings in his Paragon Viking-28. He had his kiln for right at three years before needing new elements. The element replacement in that kiln could not have been simpler.” Call or email for a colorful free catalog or to find a dealer near you.
2011 South Town East Blvd., Mesquite, Texas 75149-1122 800-876-4328 / 972-288-7557 Toll Free Fax 888-222-6450 www.paragonweb.com info@paragonweb.com
THE BONE CLAYTIMES·COM n SPRING 2010
™
18
High-fire porcelain potter’s tool • 6½" x 1" approximate dimensions HANDMADE IN THE U.S.A. Will not wear out like wood!
$20 includes shipping & handling e-mail: xgceramics@sbcglobal.net • tel: 818.779.0990
I’ve had a number of people request that I publish a recommended specific gravity for new glazes. Specific gravity is a measure of the relative density of a substance compared with a reference material, like water (for liquids) or air (for gasses). For glazes, we compare the weight of the glaze with an equal volume of water. Glazes always weigh more than water, because glazes are made from rocks, and rocks are almost always heavier than water (even when finely ground). This is why all those rocks we tried to skip across lakes when we were kids tended to sink—the rocks had a higher specific gravity than the lake. For purposes of comparison, we assign water a density of one (1.0), so things that have a lower density than water have a specific gravity of less than one, while those with a density higher than water will be more than one. For instance, the oil that you put in your car has a specific gravity of about 0.9, which is why leaked oil in a parking lot will float on the water in the pot holes. Glazes are heavier than water, so their specific gravities will always be higher than 1. The best way to measure the specific gravity of a glaze is by weighing it. I use an electronic digital scale and a large plastic cup (it came with an immersion blender) that has milliliter gradations on its side. Place the empty cup on the scale and press the tare button so the scale removes the weight of the cup. Then pour the glaze into the cup until it reaches the 500 ml line (and do so as accurately as you can). Divide the total weight of the glaze by 500, and you’ll have the specific gravity. If your scale won’t handle that much weight (over 600 grams) or you don’t have that large a graduated cup or cylinder, then you can use a smaller cup. Just remember that you divide the weight of the glaze (in grams) by the volume of the glaze in milliliters. I don’t measure the specific gravity of glazes very often, but it is an excellent way to make sure that your glazes are the same density every time, which can prevent the loss of work from applying the glaze too thinly or too thickly. I mixed several batches of these glazes (in different colors), adjusting each of them by feel. When I weighed them for this column, I was a bit surprised that the specific gravities of all were almost identical: about 1.4 (each 500-ml cup weighed about 600 grams).
Perspectives I As Far As I Know
shelf, so you should use old kiln shelves and plenty of kiln wash until you learn the feel of the glaze.
Ceramics Monthly Ad 02/2010:Layout 1 3/2/10 11:
2010 Catalog is is Not the only thing new at Florida Clay Art Co. 407 330 1116 www.flclay.com
CLAYTIMES·COM n SPRING 2010
I mentioned in the previous article on this subject that this glaze bubbles pretty badly on stoneware. This is because the glaze begins to melt very early in the firing, trapping gasses Fig. 3: This is the same color variation (Grass Green) as in illustration 1, but cooled more quickly so that it remains more transparent and has only a trace of iridescence on its surface. that are still being I think it’s interesting that the amber color of the iron shows more strongly where the glaze ejected from the body. is thinner (near the rim), but becomes more of a copper green as the glaze becomes thicker No bubbles formed on (further down on this tea bowl). The cross-hatch texture in scratched into the surface of the any of my porcelain damp clay, and revealed by the pooling glaze. test tiles, but some developed on my pots because of the wax Potters are often tempted to use a hydrometer burning out of the body. This is pretty easy to to measure the specific gravity of glazes, deal with: I add a one- to two-hour soak at 1000° but hydrometers don’t work accurately for F on the way up in the firing to allow the wax suspensions (liquid glazes are suspensions, to burn away before the glaze begins to melt. not solutions). Don’t believe me? Try this: Mix a 1000-gram batch of this glaze and let it sit Certain color variations of this glaze have a for a few weeks. Remix it, place it in a tall, tendency to develop crystals, some of which narrow container, and measure the specific are quite jewel-like. If you want to emphasize gravity using a hydrometer. Add a teaspoon or crystal growth, then program a soak at about so of the Epsom salts solution (or enough to 1600° F (that’s 100° F lower than recommended flocculate the glaze), mix it well, and then test in the original article). If you instead want to it again. The true specific gravity of the glaze emphasize clarity and lack of crystals, then should go very slightly down, due to the water don’t do this soak. you added along with the Epsom salts. Instead, the hydrometer will show that the specific Refiring any of these colors will tend to make gravity increased—and depending on how them more iridescent, especially those that thick the flocculated glaze becomes, it may contain copper or manganese oxides. A very also reveal that the specific gravity increased slow cool from the highest temperature down a lot. Remember, with specific gravity we’re to about 1700° F will also tend to produce checking weight, not viscosity, so in this case this effect. the increased viscosity of the thickened glaze will fool the hydrometer into indicating a The hardest part of preparing this article higher weight. was trying to photograph these extremely reflective surfaces. It’s easy to photograph the This glaze is easily applied by dipping (after extruded test tiles that I normally use: I just it’s been flocculated), and doesn’t move so line them up on a flatbed scanner and take much in the firing that the running can’t be a high-definition scan. Pots tend to reflect controlled. I only use it on the outsides of pots, everything around them, though, so please and I apply a clear glaze to the inside and the try to ignore the reflections in the images ... [ rim. After the interior glaze has been applied, I paint wax emulsion to the glazed rim and the upper inch or so of the interior (that way, 1 Footnote: For more on how this works, see there is only a tiny sliver of overlap between “Adjusting Glazes for Application” from the the interior glaze and the exterior). The pot is March/April and May/June 1998 issues of Clay then dipped upside down, so that the rim (the Times, which you can read at the Clay Times top of the pot) enters the liquid glaze first, Website at http://www.claytimes.com/articles/ and exits the glaze last. Of course this means glazeadjusting.html that the glaze application is thicker at the top, and thinner at the bottom. The glaze tends to move downward during firing, so a fairly Peter Pinnell is Hixson-Lied Professor of Art at even fired coating results. The glaze tends to the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. You can collect at the foot, so if you pile on the glaze, it reach him at ppinnell1@unl.edu or through his will definitely run off the foot and all over the Facebook page at www.facebook.com.
19
CALL FOR ENTRIES SHOW DATES
OCT. 1–NOV. 14, 2010 All applications must be postmarked by
JUNE 1, 2010 (or by June 10 with a late fee)
The best in contemporary American functional ceramics
SFPN JURORS HALL OF FAME
BILL VAN GILDER 2010 PETE PINNELL 2009 LINDA ARBUCKLE 2008 MALCOLM DAVIS 2007 TOM COLEMAN 2006 JOHN GLICK 2005 SUSAN PETERSON 2004 WAYNE HIGBY 2003 JACK TROY 2002 LINDA CHRISTIANSON 2001 KEN FERGUSON 2000 WARREN MACKENZIE 1999 CYNTHIA BRINGLE 1998 VAL CUSHING 1997 PHYLLIS BLAIR CLARK 1996 CHRIS STALEY 1995 BILL DALEY 1994 JACK TROY 1993 Sponsored by Market House Craft Center
Arrowmont 2010 Workshops
2009 BEST OF SHOW DOUG BLECHNER, SAN PEDRO, CA
Show is held in Historic Downtown Lancaster, PA and SHOWN ON SFPN WEB SITE ALL YEAR LONG! Send self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Market House Craft Center P.O. Box 204, East Petersburg, PA 17520-0204 For more information, as well as the 2010 SFPN application, visit www.strictlyfunctionalpotterynational.net or call 717-560-8816
O u r Wo r l d I s F l at …
with 10 [or 12] sides.
catalog & online listing now available CLAYTIMES·COM n SPRING 2010
work-study | studio assistantships | scholarships
20
SAVE THE DATE Figurative Association: The Human Form in Clay October 27-30, 2010
school of arts and crafts
Gatlinburg, Tennessee info@ arrowmont.org
(865) 436-5860
Advancer® kiln shelves are made flat to stay flat. At Cone 10, they won't warp, sag or crack, even under heavy loads and after hundreds of firing cycles! Made in the U.S.A., Advancer® brand is the only silicon carbide kiln shelf that is safe for use in top loading electric kilns. Its unique protective oxide surface is also highly resistant to glaze drips and runs. Advancer®… First and lasting, for your world. ©2008, Saint-Gobain-Ceramics. All rights reserved.
www.a rrowmont.org TEL : 508-795-5577
•
1 New Bond Street, Worcester, MA 01615-0136
E-MAIL : ceramicsystems@saint-gobain.com
A 16-year potter discusses her journey to a successful career in unique electric-fired works
part one of a series by LANA Wilson
things that had group-discounted rates. We didn’t really have art in the house, except our own creations. My grand-
Curran: Each of my siblings is uniquely creative in their own way. Perhaps it is not in a visual arts kind of way, but more
Curran: I think the ones that have attended my exhibitions or have been to my studio have a better understanding.
CLAYTIMES·COM n SPRING 2010
of a ‘survival of the fittest’ kind of way. Half of my siblings became classroom Curran: I showed teachers. To be a an interest in art at teacher, one has to a very young age, be creative in order and my parents to engage students definitely fostered in learning. The this throughout other half of my my childhood and siblings pursued continue to share finance, marketin these experiing, business/law, ences with me. and related fields. I have a brother who Recently, my paris an exceptional ents traveled to musician/vocalist. Penland with me, I have a sister who helping me lug is very creative in a craft booth to a Martha Stewart ACC (along with kind of way. She my husband) and Tumblers by Bernadette Curran. Wheel-thrown porcelain with handbuilt additions; drawn images always asks me if with multiple-glazes, electric-fired to cone 6. even assisting me I ever just make for an all-nighter something round, with my thesis with one glaze on show. When I was a child, they signed mother was an antiques collector. it! She is my proudest supporter, though. me up for any art programs they could. When we would visit her she would Growing up with that many siblings in I just loved it! My mom taught physical show us all of her latest finds—every deone household, we had to be creative education and my father worked as a tail, whether we were interested in it or to survive the rivalry. As the youngest, supervisor in the meat packing indusnot. I don’t think I appreciated this until I was a constant observer and listener. I try. I don’t recall museum trips to, let’s I was much older. witnessed all sorts of things. I tried every say, the MOMA, but I do recall plenty of sport, every club, to keep up with my oldWilson: I remember you were a demroad trips to historical and educational er siblings, but it was always the visual onstrator at Arrowmont’s Utilitarlandmarks. All ten kids and my parents arts (the one thing they didn’t do) that I ian Clay Conference and talked about would drive to just about any place there felt the most joy from. I don’t know if that being the youngest of ten children. was camping. For obvious reasons, we was because it was uncharted territory Then I asked you how you decided to did not stay in hotels. I remember going or because it was truly inherent to my be a potter. You looked up and said, with the whole family to Williamsburg, personal expression. “All the other jobs were taken.” I am where I witnessed various trades being curious—are any of your siblings in demonstrated: candle making, spinning, Wilson: Do your siblings understand the arts? forging, etc. Mostly, we did free events or what you do? Wilson: Did you grow up with an awareness of art?
Perspectives I Beneath the Surface
Bernadette Curran
21
Perspectives I Beneath the Surface
Bernadette Curran (continued from previous page) I think they don’t believe what I do until they hear it from someone else. My sister in North Carolina called me one day, flabbergasted because my niece’s art teacher had one of my postcards hanging in her office. My brother in Arizona e-mailed me in awe of how many hits my name had on the Web. Then he proceeded to ask me to make him a dinner plate with an image of his cat on it, and he attached a photo of his cat.
CLAYTIMES·COM n SPRING 2010
In my first year of graduate school when I was floundering about, Rebecca asked me a very helpful and yet obvious question: “What don’t you like historically in ceramics.” I found that much easier to answer than “What do you like?”
Wilson: How did you find out about the soda ash in a glaze creating that orange fuming effect? Curran: Oh yes, the orange fuming—a very happy accident/discovery. In anticipation of my thesis show, I had been firing all of my pots in the soda kiln, until one frightening day when the tech revealed that the soda kiln would be shut down for repairs. Why now? Why me? My pots were relegated to either the electric kilns or the downdraft kiln. In those sleepless days before the show, I chose electric. To my surprise, I found that certain glazes continued to fume as if they had been in an atmospheric firing—perhaps not as intense or concentrated, but there was some action. At the time I was disappointed, but then I realized I wasn’t going to have access to a soda kiln after graduation. I started to pay closer attention to which surface combinations and juxtapositions would instigate this faux soda. The drawn images actually became easier to read without the heavy, unpredictable deposit of ash on the surface. It definitely took some time to warm up to the idea of oxidation firing.
22
Curran: Chris Staley asked me, “Do you think your work is conceptual or intuitive?” At the time I answered “conceptual” because I thought it sounded more impressive. But I believe my work is indeed intuitive.
Nursing the Chickens by Bernadette Curran. Horse tray with salt and pepper set. Cone 6 porcelain; thrown, altered, handbuilt, and electric fired.
several reasons. Because Peter focused on the ‘positive’ in my work, it took away my fear of making something wrong. So I wasn’t afraid of making anything—and there were a lot of bad ‘anythings,’ but among them were some interesting beginnings. I recall one wild thing I made early on that was ghastly, but humorous and intriguing to Peter during our first critique. It was an oversized majolica frog sitting in an earthenware basket. Indeed this was a catalyst for my love of drawing animals and playing with narrative on a threedimensional form. Peter was also responsible for encouraging me to put my pots out in the world for sale, which at the time seemed foreign. What? Sell things I make? It was wonderful. I will always remember the first $15 I made. Having an audience with feedback made it very real.
Wilson: Tell us about your undergraduate work and MFA experience.
Wilson: What was the early style of your work?
Curran: I have a BFA from Pennsylvania State University where I studied with Chuck Aydlett, Chris Staley, and Liz Quackenbush. I spent equal time with all of them. I also apprenticed with Liz for two summers, so we became very close and continue our friendship to this day. I went to Ohio State University in Columbus, where Mary Jo Bole and Rebecca Harvey teach. Most all of my interaction there was with Rebecca Harvey and faculty from other disciplines, in particular the bookmaking and print-making teacher. I also studied with Peter Beasecker as a Special Student for one year. Studying with Peter was pivotal in my development for
Curran: The theme of animals as a catalyst for making pots came about early on after having taken a workshop with Ron Meyers, but it was the execution of the animal as both a form and surface that went through transitions to come to my current work. Early on, I experimented with the human figure as subject matter, but at some point it became too serious, too close to me. Animals not only allowed for personification, but they had these wonderful gestures, skins, and bloated body parts that intrigued me. Wilson: What provocative or helpful questions were you asked by your professors?
Upon reflection, it may have behooved me to delay graduate school for a year or two more than I did. I think some maturity and maybe another residency could have given me a little bit more focused direction. Wilson: How many years did you support yourself with your work? What were the best and worst of those years? Curran: I supported myself through my work and teaching gigs at community art centers for five years. The best part was that I was actually able to do it and come out ahead, even after all my expenses. The worst was making novice wholesale decisions that stifled my creativity and selling pots too cheaply. It was also difficult being the newest faculty at the local art centers; I got the leftover classes that no one else was willing to teach. But that pre-teen wheel class helped pay my studio rent. Wilson: Do you think you are more interested in form or surface, or equally interested in both? Curran: I am equally interested in both form and surface. Depending on the pot’s use, it will lend itself to one or the other. For example, a plate is a blank canvas for surface, while a butter dish calls for form. The challenge and intrigue is bringing those two worlds together on one pot. I would describe my body of work as falling into three categories: animals drawn on the surface of a simple pot (surface), animal or abode as pot (form), and third, the serendipitous pot that is one and the same, both drawn and moving in space as an enlivened volume. [ Lana Wilson is happy to respond to your e-mails. You may reach her at: lana@lanawilson.com. To view her new work and workshop schedule, visit her new Web page at: www. lanawilson.com.
Making a Three-bowl Chip ‘n’ Dip
TEXT & PHOTOS by BILL van GILDER
In Form I Teaching Techniques
It’s an Illusion
Necessary Supplies • (2) 3-lb. balls of throwing clay • (2) bats • (2) small ware boards • water and a small sponge • a ruler • a cut-off wire
Fig. 1
• a fettling knife or wire knife • a small, rubber rib • a trimming tool • an under-cut tool
A
The Project A chip ‘n’ dip server is one of the most useful pieces of pottery we can make. Every household I’ve ever been in has at least one of them: big bowls and little bowls. How we put the two together can make the finished piece interesting and salable, or boring and
So, to get them moving in a creative direction, talk about, draw, and show them this bit of magic: how to make three bowls from two bowls, and then combine them to end up with one finished piece—a threebowl chip ‘n’ dip server (Fig. 1). Diagramming projects like this one can often be a real help. Some students can easily relate to the making steps if they see them drawn first, through drawings made without too much detail, yet enough to get the idea across (Fig. 2, next page).
The Demo Set yourself up at your wheel with the tools and materials described in the Necessary Supplies list (above, left) and gather your
class. As you attach one of the bats to the wheelhead, describe the project’s ultimate use—a combination of bowls for serving shrimp and cocktail sauce, chips and salsa or guacamole, hot wings and bleu cheese dressing, “or whatever you’re hungry for.” Then, as you attach your first ball of clay to the bat, describe again the magic trick you’re about to perform: “I’m going throw two bowls now, and let them dry a bit. Then, I’m going to turn my two bowls into three bowls and combine all three to make one finished piece. It may seem complicated, but it’s really not as difficult as it sounds. Hang in there and watch. And it starts by throwing, or handbuilding, two identical 3-lb. bowls.” Throw your first 3-lb. bowl low and wide, with a sturdy, rounded rim. Use a soft rubber rib to curve and smooth the inside floor, then use the rib to smooth and remove the wet slip from the outside wall. Use your under-cut tool to trim a shallow bevel at the outside base, then lightly sponge the inside
CLAYTIMES·COM n SPRING 2010
s potters, we seldom hear the words ‘magic’ or ‘illusion’— something that fools the eye—to describe the work we do. But this project has a bit of that in it, or so I’ve been told by students. And magic is cool. The word alone gets students’ attention and keeps them really focused on what you’re doing— until you give it away! But that’s teaching … “This is how I do it. Let’s see what magic you can come up with.”
typical. It’s a challenging project to put in front of students, and you’ll be surprised to see what combinations they come up with if you can get them to ‘think outside the bowl.’
23