Raku Lidded Vessel

I have been working on multiple pieces in the studio and thought I would post an update on a particular piece of work.  I made a wheel thrown vessel with a lid, out of stoneware clay, and fired it in a Raku kiln with Raku glazes I made up at IPFW.

I fired the piece a couple of weeks ago, but finally got around to photographing it.  Hope you enjoy the work.

Ceramic Cup off to California!

Tomorrow I will be sending off this cup for the upcoming invitational show out at Sacramento City College, in Sacramento, California.  The dates for the show are:  November 17- December 8, 2015, at the Kondos Gallery on the campus of Sacramento City College.  If you are in the area you should check it out.  Unfortunately due to the classes I am teaching this semester, I won't be able to attend the opening, but it should be a great exhibit.  The cup was fired to cone six, with multiple firings below the maximum temperature.  The cup is created with food safe glaze lined in the interior and around the rim.  The exterior of the cup below the rim is not food safe and are sculptural glazes.  

More Ceramic Cups?

I have been working on some ceramic cups for an upcoming exhibition, as well as for some gifts for the holidays.  The cups are all thrown on the wheel, using stoneware clay, and will be fired to cone 6, in an electric kiln.  I have been working on some new glazes, since the work I am creating needs to be functional, and have had some interesting results with some of the glazes.  I am still doing more tests and hopefully will have some results to post shortly of the finished work.  

Below are some images of the cups in progress.

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.

Pottery?

I know it's been some time since I've posted anything.  I've been working on glaze development and forms for some pottery…yes, pottery.  I know it's not something I do all the time, but with teaching, I find it necessary to become well rounded in another spectrum of the ceramic medium.  I haven't stopped creating sculptural work, but have taken some time to revisit an old acquaintance…the pottery wheel.

I'm always looking at ways to mimic natural materials in life and came across an article by Steven Hill, a master potter, who creates glazes to mimic effects of high fire glazes (reduction), in an electric kiln.  I find this really interesting, since I myself don't own a high fire kiln.  I have been looking into glazes specifically for pottery and continue doing tests, until I can come up with a color palette and form I like.  I know this is all subjective, but it's nice to explore new areas that cause me to think differently about the work being created.  I can understand better the difficulties one encounters when creating pottery, which in turn is better for my teaching.

The images below are of some recent work and glazes that I created recently.  The pieces were all wheel thrown, and multiple glazes were used (3 glazes on each cup).  I fired the work in an electric kiln (oxidation), and fired it to cone 6.

Wheel Thrown Vessel Form-Update (1)

So, I know I posted recently about a wheel-thrown vessel I was working on.  Here is a photo of the carving I had talked about previously.  The light colored area in the middle of the form is a light blue slip.  I still plan on building up layers through multi-firing the work.  I just thought I would post an update of the work.

Wheel Thrown Vessel in Progress

Here is a vessel form I threw on the wheel, the picture was from last week and since then I have added a handle to the lid.  I also have carved away some of the clay around the base to mimic the cogs of a gear.  I will post more pictures as the progression continues.  I plan on doing multiple firings and printing on the surface as well.

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.