Wednesday, November 11, 2015

More Playing with Clay

The studio was closed today for Remembrance Day (the Canadian equivalent of Veterans Day), but I had a bit of fun playing with clay at home this morning.  I had two goblets I had assembled, and was thinking to finish them with the twisty vines and leaves like the last goblet, but I was not as pleased with their shape, they looked a bit clunky.  So I decided to carve them instead, so I could lighten up the parts which looked too heavy.  I think they have the feel of rough hewn wood (or stone).  They could look pretty cool, if I don't ruin the effect with my choice of glaze.  I may even try one in iron oxide, and only glaze the inside and rim of the cup.  We'll see.
Clay pottery stoneware carved goblets in progress.
...and in sunlight (it was beautiful weather today!) :
Clay pottery stoneware carved goblets in progress.
I also have my first pierced sphere (see this post and this one also), made from white clay, which I will glaze and have fired to Cone 10 (rather than raku fired, like the other two pieces).  I decided to decorate it with underglazes, and then will spray with a Clear glaze.  So I first taped it off, so I could get some nice clean lines :
Pierced clay ceramic candle holder vessel in progress.
Since I won't get the beautiful black lines which I do from the raku firing, I decided to paint a section in black, and the other with a bright red :
Pierced clay ceramic candle holder vessel in progress.
Then I used Forest Green underglaze near the base, and Purple (although I'm pretty sure it will be Blue when fired to Cone 10) on the sides.  Here it is, upside down :
Pierced clay ceramic candle holder vessel in progress.
...and then right side up again :
Pierced clay ceramic candle holder vessel in progress.
I think it could turn out pretty nicely.  I can't wait until next week; it is our final class, and opportunity to finish glazing all remaining pieces.  Then sadly we will be locked out of the studio for a couple of months, until pottery classes resume in late January.  I don't know what I will do during that period.  If I don't play with clay on my kitchen counter, I think I will go crazy.

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