Below is a review of the pieces I made during the spring semester. Gordon Humphries graciously photographed my work again... I am so grateful.
This set of tableware was a lesson in repetition, challenging myself to repeat the same form with precision. It took about 2 weeks of about 4-5 hours of work to produce the set. I made 10 of each piece which allowed me to throw out at least 2 that are odd, warped, cracked, ect. These are all washed with cobalt and then soda fired, which has an effect similar to salt firing (the speckles). The interior is white volcano ash. The were all fired in the same firing, the kiln was still cooling when we left for Kenya. I was really pleased with the work when I returned!
Bowls, small and large, as wel as a couple of serving bowls. I really like the way they look stacked, it becomes very sculptural. The foots are trimmed rather narrow which makes them appear to float.
The coffee mugs.
I really like these, Matthew doesn't like the lip - they don't drink as smoothly as he would like.
I really like the teapot. Great placement in the kiln -it got plenty of soda, great coverage. Leaf motif on lid. It pours well too.
Pitcher and bread jar - both with great kiln placement. Leaf motif on lid again.
These pieces were the experiment where I discovered the reaction with cobalt in the soda firing.
Avery slip, soda fired. Spider legs
This is another play on the African motif, wax resist decoration. The glaze was suppose to blush pink and green in the cone 10 gas firing but I must have mixed the glaze wrong.
I stumbled upon this glaze and mixed it up having no idea how it would come out... a nice surprise in the kiln. Not sure the function of this piece... but I like it.
I really like the shape of this piece. Lau luster glaze, copper carbonate, sprayed cone 6.
Lau Luster, Chrome Green glaze, sprayed, cone 6. This piece reminds me of both a pine cone and an artichoke. I was definitely playing with organic forms.
Lau Luster Glaze base, Chrome Green and Copper Carbonate, sprayed, cone 6. I was definitely playing with organic forms here - bulbs and onions. Love how dynamic this piece is - its different from every angle.
These vessels are wood-fired. USC just build a wood kiln this year, these were included in the first firing. The wood firing process takes 4 days, during which time the fire has to be constantly stoked with wood. Pieces aren't glazed, the wood ash creates all the variation and patterns seen here.
These sculptures were soda fired with a cobalt wash. The pair of forms is a play on the reversal or inversion of a form, challenging our notion of visual weight and stability. I gave them to Gordon in exchange for the photography.
