Learning to Put a Lid on It

It was very sad that our raku class was cancelled today, especially after I rushed to get my pieces made and glazed last week.  Apparently I was the only one.  So now I will need to wait until November, to fire them.

On the positive side, I was able to attend the 2nd class with Fredi Rahn.  The course name is "Lids, Caps and Covers", but I like to think of it as "Put a Lid on It".  I have been learning so much, I can't believe it.  Last week she showed us various types of lids, and various types of containers which could receive those lids.  I learned one which I have never seen before, which I was very excited to try out.  So last week I threw one container with two different styles of lid :

Then I tried to throw a closed form, but didn't quite manage to close it, but created a very pleasant shaped vase anyhow:

This week I trimmed and finished those lids, and was very pleased with how this one turned out :

It was difficult adding those texture lines, as my profile tool was wider than the lid, but I somehow managed.

I knew I wouldn't like the sunken lid for this pot, but since I followed Fredi's advice, and recorded the measurements, I could at a later time go back and threw another pot for this lid.  I think it would work well in a tea pot.  Although I've made a few tea pots before, and I know how much work they are.  So unless they are in the shape of a dragon or have dragons climbing on them, I don't think it is worth my while.

After that, I threw that closed form which I was attempting the prior week, and pushed in a groove with my sanded-down popsicle stick.  This was the method I was very excited to try, as I love that shape and low profile lid which looks like it is integrated with the piece.

Just before class ended, I cut along the bottom of that groove, and tweaked both pieces a bit so that they fit together.  Next time I'll trim them on the outside so they meet seamlessly.  I am excited at how this may turn out, and with this possibility.  I think I see a lot more of this lid method in my future.

After that, I decided to throw a few plates (it was open workshop, not class, at that point), since I had made a few nice ones recently and then tossed them off the balcony.

I threw one with the grey clay, and then switched to this beautiful brown H440 clay, and threw two more.  I was really happy with how they turned out.  But then the real magic happened when I decided to stamp the rims :

I don't know how that brown clay responds to glazes, so unless anyone has any glazed already, I made need to actually do a few glaze tests to decide how to glaze these plates.

My friend Roma wanted to trade for a bit of my brown clay, so she could threw some marbled pieces.  Look how beautiful they turned out :

Mine was a little bit of white marbled into my brown, but much less successful.  I guess I was pretty busy working, so didn't even stop for a photo. 

I am exciting about all I will learn in this course, and about the many ideas I have swirling in my head, which I want to explore also.