Glazes

I've been doing a lot of research into midrange matte glazes. I've accumulated a fair quantity of cone 1, cone 3, and cone 6 glaze recipes. Several from a well known and popular book called Electric Kiln Ceramics by Richard Zakin. I've decided to do some line blends of a couple of his glazes. I expect to get a green/blue, a rich blue, red/yellow, red/brown, black and metallic matte glazes out of this battery of testing. It might not happen immediately because I'm trying to use a handful of materials instead of everything under the sun.

Patrick Horsley's workshop made available to me some of his glazes, however they are formulated for reduction, but I've decided to see what the red matte looks like anyway. The first tests will all go into the next load which will be fired to cone 1. While I'm shooting for a handful of very specific colors I'm preoccupied with glaze fit at the moment. I will post pictures of the tests when they come out early next week.

If you have an electric kiln you should own Richard Zakin's book:
http://ceramicartsdaily.org/bookstore/electric-kiln-ceramics/

Thrown, Assembled and Altered Forms

The jar posted above is the first of the pieces made at my home studio after the workshop.

I recently attended a workshop put on by the MHCC studio showcasing Patrick Horsley. He's a NW potter who used to work with one of my long time friends Don Sprague. Pat has spent 40 years perfecting his methods and expressed why he does what he does as he worked. Don taught me the thrown and altered techniques about 13 years ago, but in my early 20's I found these technical forms difficult and tedious. When I took Pat's workshop I rediscovered the techniques Don had instilled in me early in my career. Now in my mid 30's I find these forms challenging and extremely fun to build. So far I've spent the last several days experimenting with large squished oval jars like the one pictured above.

I wholeheartedly endorse Pat's workshops, it did wonders to redirect my body of work back towards something I should have been doing for the last decade. If you have the time for a class, Don Sprague teaches a very similar technique for making these same types of pots.

 This was the second large jar I made at home. It's got a bit more shape to it, and the sides have been cut to a sharp corner.

Pounders

I'm still struggling to make these mugs as light as I'm used to with other forms. I'm starting to think I won't be able to get them as light as I want. I might have to compromise some in weight to get the form and design I am shooting for in this set.

The pot in the picture above has slightly less weight in the body than the previous mugs I've made, however the handle was a bit more bulky than most for some reason. It feels very heavy in comparison to my other forms, but it has the spiral chatter marks from my tool just like I've been trying to achieve. At this point I just need to work on addressing the weight. It's not terrible, but I'm unsatisfied.

I did go to a gallery day before yesterday and looked at some pieces. I came across some pots from three of the guys who taught me how to make pots. I was amazed at the size and weight of Don Sprague's bowl. Probably 14 inches across by 6 or so inches deep on the inside, and it weighed almost nothing. The walls were uniformly thin, and the foot was not overly heavy. By comparison I picked up a pot next to it made from a slab. The artist intended it to be visually heavy with a rim on the slab bowl about 5/8" thick decorated with cuts or scrapes. The small bowl of about 6 inches across and only 2 1/2" deep weight about the same as Don's bowl.

So because of the emphasis of well made pots from my early instruction from Don Sprague, Wally Schwab and many others, it's of vital importance to me that my work not be heavy, wasteful or poorly made. It's a struggle for me to make some forms as light as I think they should be, but I can't sacrifice quality for design.