Wood Fired Cups

I know it has been some time since I've posted anything...almost a year, so I thought I would try to keep up with what's going on in the studio on a regular basis.
I have been creating new sculptural work and have also taken some time to explore functional ware.
I have also been working on reorganizing/rearranging the studio to make it a little more efficient with what I am working on currently.

Below is a picture of a finished wood fired porcelain cup that I have been exploring surfaces with.  I designed the cup from hand and then created a three piece mold for the basic form of the cup.  The handle was created using another mold.  I had issues with the handle and slip casting it, so I had to use the two piece mold as a press mold and then created the handle using the two parts.  By doing this it helped to give more stability to the handle as well as a nice balance of the weight, in regards to the weight of the cup form.

I will be posting other glaze experiments over this form until I find a combination that I will explore in producing further down the road. Enjoy.

This is one of two cups:

This is cup #2:

Cups in Progress

Those of you who know me, know that it is very rarely that I dedicate time to creating pottery.  Recently that seems all I have been working on.  I still have other work in progress at various stages, but thought I would share some images of the forms I have been exploring as well as the design and feel of handles on the work.  I will post more images of the finished work once it is finished.

Wheel Thrown Cup

I've been busy working on finishing up new pieces, so I can take images of the work for my portfolio.  I have also been working on the wheel to reinforce my skills.  I don't usually make functional work, but I'll be teaching advanced ceramics next semester, so I thought I should brush up on using the wheel.  It's interesting how my approach to using the wheel has changed since I first was introduced to it as an undergraduate.  I guess it's the years of watching other professional artists and how they use the wheel, that has seemed to alter the way I use the wheel now.  That being said, I enjoy using cups other artists have made and decided to create one for myself.  Below is an image of a cup I made recently.  It's in the drying stage and I plan on hopefully getting it in the kiln soon.  I'll post some updates of the cup and the stages it goes through, in becoming a finished piece.