Here is Mike outside the studio sanding a piece in preparation for it being fired the first time. The sanding needs to be done outdoors, and the sander needs to wear a mask, because the very fine clay dust is hazardous to lungs.
Here is a piece with the glaze on it, waiting to be fired. This piece was thrown as a bowl, then altered to have corners. It was dipped in one glaze, then had a pattern painted on in wax, then was sprayed with a second glaze which was wiped off the wax.
This bowl was carved after it was partially dry. It was sprayed with a single glaze. At this point, every piece we glaze is a test piece and we are anxious to see the results of our experiments.
Our last assignment in this class was to create a set of something with four parts. I made two teacups and saucers in a flower design to match a teapot I made that is made like a gourd.
This shelf of work is waiting for glazing. The orange stuff is a wax which keeps the glaze off the bottom of the pots. Any glaze that is on the bottom or that runs down the piece onto the shelf of the kiln will attach the pot to the shelf -- bad for the pot, bad for the shelf. In the center is the teapot that goes with the two cups and saucers. Although they are presently different colors, they are made with the same clay and the cups and saucers will be as white as the teapot after their first firing.
After pottery class, we came home for baked chicken, pesto couscous, and a salad, eaten at the table on the porch.
The centerpiece of our lunch table was this set of wooden fruit which long graced the McCluskey's dining room table.
No comments:
Post a Comment