I felt much more on the ball this week. I got right up to the studio, cleared the mess out of it, organized, cleaned, and got back down to work. Here's this week's pitcher:
On Monday I sketched out my idea. Tuesday, I threw the body out of some reclaimed porcelain (I wasn't sure if it was stoneware or porcelain until I saw black swirls in the clay and found that the clay in my water bowl settled right to the bottom in a thick layer. My stoneware tends to stay mucky). I cut the spout out of a slab and pulled a handle, then left them out where the dried completely up. It was too wet to work with on Weds, so I left the damp box I keep my pieces in uncovered and came back on Thursday. Made a new spout and let it sit out to dry, made the handle and covered it up.
Some time in the distant past (2001 maybe?) I made a bisque mold with deep impressions of fiddleheads I gathered from the woods around our house in the country. There were SO many ferns in those woods. I rolled out a piece of clay, stuck the fiddleheads in, then let them dry. Once I fired the clay, it made a nice mold for sprig decorations. Wedgwood Jasperware is decorated with sprigs taken from similar molds. I used to use this particular mold a lot, but haven't as much in recent years. Yesterday, Thursday, I spent most of my studio time molding and applying the fiddleheads. This morning I attached the handle and cleaned up most of my fingerprints, gouges, and excess clay. Once the piece is leather hard I'll go over it again with a soft rib and sea sponge.
I haven't decided how I'll glaze this. I've used white and green before, and also celadon. I'm also considering a transparent cobalt blue. We'll see.
It's funny, but my favorite thing about this piece is the "2" under the handle.
I also started working on some valentine's related pieces this week. I'm planning a small home sale Friday, Feb 8, after work. I'll also have some pieces online. Those will come out at the end of this month. I have a lot of work to do to make it happen, but I think it's doable.
Have a great weekend, friends.
On Monday I sketched out my idea. Tuesday, I threw the body out of some reclaimed porcelain (I wasn't sure if it was stoneware or porcelain until I saw black swirls in the clay and found that the clay in my water bowl settled right to the bottom in a thick layer. My stoneware tends to stay mucky). I cut the spout out of a slab and pulled a handle, then left them out where the dried completely up. It was too wet to work with on Weds, so I left the damp box I keep my pieces in uncovered and came back on Thursday. Made a new spout and let it sit out to dry, made the handle and covered it up.
Some time in the distant past (2001 maybe?) I made a bisque mold with deep impressions of fiddleheads I gathered from the woods around our house in the country. There were SO many ferns in those woods. I rolled out a piece of clay, stuck the fiddleheads in, then let them dry. Once I fired the clay, it made a nice mold for sprig decorations. Wedgwood Jasperware is decorated with sprigs taken from similar molds. I used to use this particular mold a lot, but haven't as much in recent years. Yesterday, Thursday, I spent most of my studio time molding and applying the fiddleheads. This morning I attached the handle and cleaned up most of my fingerprints, gouges, and excess clay. Once the piece is leather hard I'll go over it again with a soft rib and sea sponge.
I haven't decided how I'll glaze this. I've used white and green before, and also celadon. I'm also considering a transparent cobalt blue. We'll see.
It's funny, but my favorite thing about this piece is the "2" under the handle.
I also started working on some valentine's related pieces this week. I'm planning a small home sale Friday, Feb 8, after work. I'll also have some pieces online. Those will come out at the end of this month. I have a lot of work to do to make it happen, but I think it's doable.
Have a great weekend, friends.