Thursday, April 28, 2011

Witches Dance

"Witches Dance" by Paganini and played by Wolfgang Marschner

Working on this piece, but I'm a long, long way from golden.

Here's a second approach as well by Elias


Absolutely beautiful...

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Personal BookMark



Something spooky for Saturday morning.

Friday, April 22, 2011

Orielly White Satin Matt, Cone 10

This is a very satisfying white cone 10 glaze.
Nice and stiff glaze during application, I can build up a nice layered application at the rim and expect it to resolve itself decently. When it's crash cooled, this is a glossy glaze with tooth. Milky crystal formations come with thickness.


56 Custer Feldspar
2  Barium Carbonate
8  Dolomite
10 Whiting
6 EPK
4 Zinc Oxide
3 Petalite
11 Flint
________
6 Zarcopax

This is curtsy of the Val Cushing Handbook.
If you haven't read it.
Find it!

My only hesitation to using this as a liner glaze is due to the Barium Carbonate used in the mix.


"Barium carbonate is widely used in the ceramics industry as an ingredient in glazes. It acts as a flux, a matting and crystallizing agent and combines with certain coloring oxides to produce unique colors not easily attainable by other means. Its use is somewhat controversial since some claim that it can leach from glazes into food and drink. To provide a safe means of use, BaO is often used in fritted form.
In the brick, tile, earthenware and pottery industries barium carbonate is added to clays to precipitate soluble salts (calcium and magnesium sulfates) that cause efflorescence." Wikipedia

Red Horse Clay

Grabbing all the clays and kaolins I can find to push through testing for the soda wash recipe.
This one is Red Horse Clay.


Looks like a heavy layer of iron oxide, a nice metallic sheen.
I'd never heard of it before, but I like what it does.

Red Horse Clay

Chemistry %

CaO0.45
MgO0.62
K2O1.20
Na2O0.30
Al2O322.03
SiO267.59
Fe2O36.62

Volatiles %

LOI1.18
Another analysis show 50% SiO2, 28% Al2O3 and 10% LOI.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Call for Submissions, 500 Prints on Clay

I've love Lark's 500 series and I'm very, very much looking forward to seeing what grows from this... gotta pass along their official call!
Can't wait to see what ends-up between the covers!

Call for Submissions, 500 Prints on Clay

Lark Ceramics is publishing an exciting new ceramics book in our “500” series, and we would like you to submit images for consideration.

Paul Andrew Wandless, author of Image Transfer on Clay, will jury 500 Prints on Clay, a 420-page, full color survey book.  This international collection will be beautifully presented and widely distributed throughout the world in Spring 2013.

We welcome outstanding ceramic works that feature image transfer techniques. Ceramic pieces may be created with any type of clay and employ techniques including: screening, monoprinting, stenciling, stamping, relief printing, lithography, kiln prints, decals and any combination of these or variations.

Artists whose work is selected for inclusion will receive full acknowledgment in the book, a complimentary copy, and discounts on the future purchase of books. Artists retain copyright to their work. Lark accepts high-quality digital images. No entry fee is required.

Submissions must be postmarked by September 15, 2011.
Detailed entry guidelines and permission forms are included on the 500 Prints on Clay Entry Form, which can be downloaded here.

Please mail your submissions to:
Lark Crafts/500 Prints on Clay
67 Broadway
Asheville, NC  28801 USA
Attn: Dawn
We look forward to seeing your work!

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

See'n Nothing but Potential

Just look at that glassing of that liner glaze dripping over the rim... this is why I love running new tests. The liner on this is a Cone 10, Orielly White Matte glaze. It's new to me, but I really like it. It seems to play well with the flashing wash that being tested.  (Tennessee Ball Clay.)

Nice peeling, eh?

This Flashing wash actually works well, (well... it works well sometimes), I just have to figure out how it works and why.
For me, this is why studio ceramics is so much fun, play, test, adjust. Each load is a gamble.


Learning from the losers is what makes things interesting.
This was applied too thick and fired too wet without being allowed to completely dry. With the high amount of clay in the mix, it just shivered off.  Gotta let it dry completely... can't let the surface boil... I think.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Monday, April 4, 2011

New Diggs

Make a wish and then make it happen.


I'm tired of drip, drip, driping sweat on whatever is spinning on the wheel during the summer seasons. Needed a break and found one. Just a mile away from the house. It's bit of a jump from having home and studio connected at the hip, but the distance still feels nice.

It's going to be a summertime hanging at UOP ceramics lab!