These are the new porcelain pots since last blog posting. The previously posted designs are shown again, below. The pots are about 7 inches tall, fired to cone 6 with underglazes and a clear overglaze all initially applied to the greenware.
After much thinking about Native American designs (see last post) I decided to not pursue this line of ceramic decoration. Rather, I am now working on some new abstract designs, and have translated several of these patterns, using colored underglazes, to greenware. It be a while before any firing occurs; more to follow on that. Design examples are pictured. I made these using vector graphics with Inkscape, a truly free public domain software that is a good substitute for Adobe Illustrator.
In extreme northern California, along the lower Trinity and the upper Klamath rivers, woven baskets and cups such as these convey tribal cultural language as well as illustrate the art-craftmanship of the region.
I’ve been searching for a glossy clear glaze to cover the sgraffito on my porcelain vases. These are my most recent results and I’m happy with them. The glaze recipe (which I found somewhere on the web) is:
ULATRA CLEAR GLAZE RECIPE cone 5/6 oxidation.
Minspar 200 (I substitued with F4): 8.6%
frit 3134 23.2
wollastonite 15.2
E.P.K 24.8
talc 4.3
Silica 325 23.8
It has been more that a year since I have done any ceramic work. Now, I am back in the studio working on a “fine” art type of porcelain vase. The one on the left is greenware. I use Mayo UG-50 jet black underglaze applied to the leather hard vase and, just as soon as the underglaze dries (two coats needed), I use an etching stylus to outline the figures or do scrafitto designs on the top and bottom black bands. The green ware is then dried and fired straight to cone 6; no bisque stage involved. The outside is not glazed but there is a clear glaze inside. The outside is then lightly finished using 220 grit wet-to-dry sandpaper. The porcelain is Kota cone 5-6 (Kentucky Mudworks).
After several months of chipping and grinding on the limestone block, I have finally come to some conclusion with the piece. The stone is about 10″ high and 14 ” diameter and weighs about 60 lbs. It is now residing in the Icehouse gallery, McIntosh, Fl.
My new project will be a limestone carving of a sleeping catfish. The stone is about 14″x11″ and I am using the 8″x 6″ clay model as a guide.
Catfish are a favorite theme for me. Years ago, several members of my family owned fish companies in Florida that bought and sold freshwater catfish.
Below are other works from my catfish portfolio.
This marble installation, about 60″ tall, is my latest work. The marble came from an almost abandoned quarry is Sylacauga, Alabama. I carried the stone back to Gainesville in my truck. There is a 6″ by 1/2″ stainless steel rod that secures the marble to the concrete base. I originally conceived of the design as representing a skeleton key being pushed through the stone. As time went on, the piece seemed more reminiscent of a Celtic motif.
Several years ago, I hand built several Shoji Hamada-inspired ceramic bottles but the result was not satisfying: it was difficult to construct the curved forms.
Now I have used press molds to make the main shapes. The bottle tops are then added using components made from smaller molds. The fish and raven figures are painted on bisque ware using a Jet Black (Amaco) or a Kings Blue (Mayco) underglaze. Finally, a cone 6 glaze (5/20) is used in an oxidation firing. The tallest one is 10″ tall.
For the last several months, I made small porcelain ceramic carts, about 10-12 inches high. The cart’s body is hand built, with 3/8 inch thick sides. The axles are wooden and the wheels turn. The carts are fired to cone 6, in oxidation.
This cart is an adaptation of previous larger ones that I have made. Those had a raven theme and illustrated a “forward” woman design.
Some animals are classified as “charismatic mega-fauna” because of how people experience their iconic and cultural effects. I used this idea in the hope that an elephant might make this cart more provocative. What do you think?
