March-April 09, Southern Pottery Session No. 2

Blue Series

When trying to learn a craft practice is paramount.  After one session my shelves became full of pieces that I weren't particularly proud of.  Not proud enough to give away.   And pieces that weren't functional.

So in this next session I focused on the end user and the craft of each piece.  Mostly, these pieces are lighter (weight).  I was testing the aesthetic of different forms and profiles, testing the bounds of what I could achieve with the clay.  Also, testing the shape of the handles in relation to the size of the mugs.  Trying to reconcile the aesthetic of the handle with the form it is joined to.  Unfortunately the shape of handle I prefer doesn't function with the piece well.  Still figuring out this trick.  I did succeed in giving away most of these pieces and I believe that most of the mugs are used.  

Blue.  Either layered with 'Gloria's Ace' (which creates the brown and greener hues) or with black.  I really like the blue and Gloria's Ace combination... the problem is that when you completely layer a piece in these two glazes the coating often becomes too thick as the glazes run to the bottom and this looks really messy.  I continue to run into this problem.

 

(I love the center mug the most.  The handle is a bit angular and thin... but I achieved a compromise between form and function in this piece.  Its glaze is the Gloria's Ace with blue on top combination.)

This final piece remains one that I'm very proud of.  It was made as a wedding gift for Adam and Kristen Strength, Adam being a very good friend from the University Presbyterian Church of Baton Rouge.  I wish I had measured its height before I gave it away, I think it measures around 10".  I made this piece relatively early in my career and I don't think I've ever made a piece larger than it.  hmm... one would hope that skills would improve with time...  The fern pattern is achieved with a wax resist method (glazes do not adhere to surfaces that are coated with wax).  Therefore the orange color is just waxed clay.  The handles are a miracle:  relatively the same size and shape, in a piece where the balance of those elements are important.  The smaller piece pictured above was a study in form and proportion before I made the one below.