Impressionistic

Spent what seemed like hours making a surface on this piece, hoping to make it appear worn and faded, but it wasn't quite right. It was so faded there wasn't anything visible (shown in second photo). This piece is about 12.5 inches tall by 6 by 2.5 inches wide.

After I put the piece in the drying cabinet I looked at the photo below and decided to try improving the surface. The upper photo is what I ended up with, which is now drying in the cabinet. The piece evolved into an impressionistic look. I wanted to tone the flowers down more, but Gary, my clay advisor, said to leave it alone.


Was thinking of glazing some of the pieces made with this clay. Supposedly it can be glazed with a clear, but it would take numerous firing experiments to get it right. Remember the moon craters? I don't want moon craters for these types of pieces. Since I'd have to fire test pieces to a lower temperature than anything else I make, it's not practical to do the testing.

It's times like these when I wish I had a tiny test kiln. I keep looking, hoping to find a used one at a reasonable price. Since this piece won't have a glaze I added the interlaced top grid to discourage functional use. I'm thinking of making a sticky label for the bottom of these non functional pieces saying they're for decorative use only. I'll have to work on that.


My cat, Betty, is relaxing in one of her favorite spots, balancing on the back of the chair. Every day for the past week or so we've been having thunderstorms, and each day storms have gotten progressively worse instead of better. Tonight it's supposed to let up a little so I decided to take a risk and fire the kiln. The kiln is up to 1298 F. Please keep your fingers crossed lightening doesn't strike and the electricity doesn't go out. Comments and suggestions are welcome.

Moon Craters

Have you ever had clay go so completely wrong and think, I like it. Later do you think I can use this, and wonder if anyone else will like it? Do you throw the pieces away or say to yourself, so wrong and yet so right?


When I called the studio today to see if my pieces were fired, they said yes. Then they asked how did you get the dots on the inside? I said, oh those are slip I'll explain it when I get there. As I was driving up there I thought, Gee, I don't have any dots on the inside, only the outside. Could they have bled through? No, that wouldn't be possible. When I got there I walked up to the shelf and saw moon craters, perfectly formed moon craters. I love them, EXCEPT, I wish they were on the outside instead of the inside.


Many moons ago, I love that phrase and it sure works for this situation, I made several pieces with cassius basaltic clay with porcelain slip applied to the outside of some pieces. I was warned not to use the clay because it could be fickle. Then I was warned to only use it for sculpture and not functional pieces. Then I was warned the clay is subject to dunting and bloating and not to use glaze. Then I was warned that the slip would just fade out due to the dark color of the clay. Some of those warnings were correct. But the slip turned out just perfect, the clay did not dunt, but it did bloat right through the interior glaze, which gave me moon craters.


Did I listen? No. Do I ever listen when it comes to clay? Well maybe some of the time, but most of the time I want to try it for myself. I want to see what will happen. What do you think I am going to make next? Of course, a sculpture using cassius basaltic clay with moon craters on the outside and I think they will be so wonderful to see, to feel, to look at, to contrast with the black cassius basaltic clay.




So from now on if someone tells you not to try something with clay, please follow their advice and listen to them. But, of course you know I'm not going to listen to them, after all this is one of those times for the phrase do as I say, don't do as I do. I intend to make use of this clay and glaze mishap, a moon sculpture is in my future.

More work up next, some good, some not so good, so come back again and please make comments, I'd love to hear from you.