Bowls and Platters

Brick Red Bowl

3 x 12 inches

A mixed green salad or fruit salad would work well in this large red bowl. There's quite a bit of variation in the red interior. All the bowls were draped and made not long ago. This second and last two bowls were paddled over the drape molds. The first and third bowls were just draped and the rims cut. All of the rims have to be sanded quite a bit to be smooth.

Amber and Brown Bowl

2.5 x 6.5 inches

Brown is not really my favorite but the amber and brown tones of this bowl are wonderful. If only I took this bowl out of doors to photograph but the cold kept me in. This bowl is a good size for a very generous helping of soup or a serving bowl for vegetables.

Blue Green Bowl

3 x 9 inches

This glaze is continuing to disappoint me since it's supposed to be a shiny green and gold and it keeps turning out blue with slightly green highlights and matt.  Not all kilns or clays are the same. I may want to go back to using Maccabee clay instead of Little Loafers. I used Maccabee in Florida and got used to it's qualities. That would mean I'd have to drive much farther to get my clay.

1.25 x 5 inches

Here are two small bowls where I brushed red clay slip and put the green glaze over the top. I'd like to make a set of bowls a little larger with the copper carbonate and clear glaze over the top. Once I do that then I'll have to test to be sure they are food safe and don't leach any copper. 

Turkey Platter

10.5 x 10.5 inches

Somehow the border on this platter and the rooster platter burned out; I'll have to check my notes. Still they have an antique look and they're suitable for kitchen or dining use.

Rooster Platter

14.25  x 8.75  inches

I did use underglaze for the red on the rooster and it's fine.

Armadillo Platter

14  x 8.5  inches

This armadillo is darker than I expected but he kept his wary eye look which I like. These platters no matter if they are square or oblong almost take up one full shelf. So not much can be fired in a load. Unleass I purchase two more shelves which I may end up doing.

Cobalt Blue Handled Vase

7 h x 4.5 w inches

This handled vase or basket had copper carbonate streaks but the cobalt is a much stronger colorant and the copper isn't visible at all.

Experimental (Color Wise) Ornaments

Most of the ornaments (chemical experiments) I thought were a lost cause ended up being fine. Again cobalt is a much stronger colorant than copper carbonate. The ocher makes a nice bright yellow. It took me what seemed like hours to string jute threads for the ornaments. Not sure they are really worth making but as test tiles which can be sold, I guess they serve their purpose. The lower enclosed room is acting as a passive solar gold mine; I sat out there today perspiring while stringing the ornaments. Who knew enclosing the room would help lower our heating costs in winter. Thanks for reading and for all your comments. 

Drape Mold Bowls, India Ink, Water Color

The other day I made a couple of drape mold bowls. (I put the wood spoon to show the size). For these bowls I take a slab of clay and drape it over the back of a bowl form. For this one I let it dangle freely and cut off the bottom edges randomly. I took it off the mold when it was still flexible and it splayed out a bit which I wanted. The discoloration on the edges of the clay is the vegetable spray I use to release the clay from a stainless steel form I'm using. It won't be visible after firing.

For this smaller bowl I paddled it close to the form and pressed the seams together. I kept it on the mold till it was more dry and it stayed in an upright shape.

Green ware is piled up every where in the studio, time to get some firing done. Worked at ArtWorks yesterday, maybe today I'll start firing. I need to bring something to ArtWorks to keep me busy when there aren't any customers. I have that crochet doily on the back of the chair because at my last home my cat Betty scratched a lot of holes in the top. The chair is still usable so I make do with the well worn chair. Ha.

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I may have to take up India ink drawing again. Something I can do without having to take too many supplies with me to ArtWorks. Maybe I'll put water color or colored pencil on afterwards. Will have to research more about the process. The thing with India ink is once you draw a line, if it's a mistake you can't change it. Maybe I should use pencil to start with. Ha.

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The last time I did an India ink drawing was junior high days in summer school. I did mostly architectural drawings. Wish I had some of them now. I might have had a steadier hand back then. We shall see. Yesterday it was 76 F and later this week we're supposed to get below freezing. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.