New glaze, old pot

 I somehow had two vases that had been bisque fired in 2020 when I stopped going to the clay studio in Black Mountain.

They sat in boxes in my apartment as the pandemic passed, and I again returned to the studio this February. And now it's the middle of March, so I brought them in and glazed them last week. There are SO MANY studio glazes!

I chose a white liner, and then two dips into glossy green, first the bottom part, then after that dried, the top. It means pouring the white glaze into the vase, swishing it quickly around and pouring the excess out. Then that glaze has to dry a while (maybe an hour) before the clay can absorb the next glaze.

Before I start any glazing, I paint liquid wax all over the bottom and a 1/4 inch up the edge so no glaze will be on the bottom of the pot.

As you can see, there's a space between both the greens. But isn't bare clay. I dipped the top again into the white glaze, but it was very runny, and acted just like a clear glaze. Sometimes it gives mottled effects on the green, but not this time. If I make more vases, I'll try again!

Pardon my screen saver background...I have so much stuff around my house, there's no clear wall to photograph pottery against.

Today's quote:

When an individual is protesting society's refusal to acknowledge his dignity as a human being, his very act of protest confers dignity on him. -Bayard Rustin, civil rights activist (1912-1987)

Three overlapping glazes give all kinds of colors

Matt black, nutmeg and celadon over a white clay!

A simple bowl, just right for breakfast, or lunch, soup, cereal, salad...stew!

Unfortunately someone who was new to glazing copied my technique apparently, using glazes which don't do well with each other...something happened in the kiln and there was a big puddle I imagine, so we're not allowed to use one glaze over another. There are about 3 glazes which are very runny, and if they are put over each other (even 2 of them) there's not a color change, but a runny mess. Oh well, so there are a very limited number of pots with 2 or 3 colors of glazes.

Glazing like Georgia

O'Keefe that is! Her poppies...or my version of them....

Onto plates this time.

This was just before coating the with a couple of layers of clear matte glaze.  They will be sort of creamy colored, with hopefully brilliant red flowers.

In case you wondered...first the yellow in the center is over a layer of black, so it probably will be black with a few specks of yellow where it was thinner.  The little dots will probably blend in.  That's the plan anyway.

And why did I make 3 plates, you might ask.  Because one had a crack, so there aren't 4. And I plan to only use 2 for the show at the Red House next week.

And when they are glaze fired, they'll shrink a bit more, and be nice sandwich plates.

Finished planters

For the little succulents...

 These are small! But it was easy to make them and glazing gave me some test results.

 First dipped into Satin White, then just the rim dipped into Raspberry Red.

 Really!

 White with rim dipped into Plum

Celadon with rim dipped into plum. I love drippy glazes on the rim, so they never get into running onto the kiln shelf!

I actually bought "cactus" dirt for them...so will be getting some under my fingernails soon...and can show off the results! It's all a process.

Some simple planters

These have been bisqued for an age, and I finally got the mood to glaze them.  There are 2 kinds...two are made with lots of holes on sides and bottoms for orchids.

And the other three sort of squat ones are for succulents. One tall one may not have any holes and who knows what its use might be.

I think they are red/white/green and combinations of those glazes...I'll let you see them when they've been fired again.

The stamped pieces

 The deep bowl with stamping just completed...

 All 4 pieces with waxed bottoms getting ready to glaze.  Sorry I missed photographing the step of putting a wash into the stamped portions, then wiping it so it was more distinct. Then I brushed one coat of Matt Clear glaze over them only. Then I brushed a coat of liquid wax over just the stamped edges.

 One shallow plate has some fun blue glazes added here and there.

 The deep bowl has been glazed completely in nutmeg.

And the other plate is also nutmeg.  This is because I expect the color of the stamped areas to be tones of sepia.  That's what I glazed the tree with (see yesterday's post).

Tree stained and glazed

OK, these photos were taken before the actual glaze had been added! The perforated bowl was covered in celadon glaze, after waxing the outlined branches so they might remain white.  We shall see.

The tree itself had a coat of dark black wash, which was sponged to just leave it in the textural lines. Then I applied a coat of matt clear. This is expected to give a sepia tone to the white clay. We shall see.

By glazing them separately, I can decide whether or not the sculpture really works or not.  I admit to leaning toward "not."  In a week or so ...shall see!

Today's quote:
Like a tree, our growth depends upon our ability to soften, loosen, and shed defenses we no longer need.

Handing something to you

I got a kick out of using my own hands a models...just cutting around them on a slab of clay. Of course there was 15% shrinkage as it was fired.  And I'm not at all happy with the way the brown glaze turned out all splotchy.

Studio Sun. afternoon.

Yes, I've gone back to the studio.  But my work from last week is just now loaded into a glaze kiln.  It should come out tonight or tomorrow.
Yesterday I did some simple glazing on some simple mugs.

I'm still having difficulty with my fine muscle skills of my fingers...so no painted designs.

Today's quote: (we haven't had any in a while, have we!)

If you are feeling anxious, sad, or drained, try hugging a tree and allow her vast amount of grounding energy to assist you.

Rabbit rabbit and more rabbits

 Largest bunny has grass around her, with a cotton tail showing, of course.

 Smallest bunny sits up to look over the world, with a stand that suggests grass.

 The group of bunnies, with the medium size one also looking up to see with front paws raised over his belly.

 Medium bunny

The glaze is a thinned wash of Mayco Stroke and Coat black, then clear over everything. Grass is Stroke and Coat green or Jade. I love how the black thin wash turns brownish with clear glaze over it. It looks pretty rocky to me.

Here we all are at the Depot, waiting for someone who wants to take us home and enjoy feeding us smiles!

Fun with glazes

What happens when you drip different studio glazes first from bottom to top, then from top to bottom? Of course you need to be carful at the base of the pot that nothing will drip onto the kiln shelf.  Lots of drip lovers have had glazes dripping too far lately...but this one made it just barely.

I'm small, not tiny

 A small vase next to a tiny vase!

 Some fun layering of glazes...white clay, Plum, Matt Bronze Green and Glossy Green...with a Nutmeg tree