Ceramics

We have just finished our two week elective on ceramics and I must say I did enjoy it, possibly because you don't have to approach it backsideways to give it some meaning! We learned many things from Elaine and Kieran from coiling, slabbing, pinch potting, throwing and something I had never heard of before Raku.

We packed a lot into just two weeks from video's on ceramic artists such as John Ffrench with his beautiful brightly coloured works influenced by his studies in Florence and further afield to Annie Turner who's sensitive ceramic forms reflect on the tidal rhythms, natural meanderings and contrasting landscapes of the River to create very interesting pieces.

We had many demonstrations from our Tutors

We worked both indoors and outdoors doing Raku
                                                           Work by John Ffrench

Work by Annie Turner

The first day we had to do some markmaking black on white and white on black for possible designs

                                                                                
                                                                         

First pieces I made before firing using pinching

                                        

                          Made some pods at various stages of opening for my naked raku firing

Some of my offerings for the kiln

                                         Preparing pods for naked raku by first dipping in resist

Then it has to be dipped in a glaze, all this is done on an area where you do not want the smoke to stain it, but the smoke will still make a subtle pattern on the part which has been resist & glazed 

Items then brought to the outside raku kiln

                                                                            

After firing at a high temp.1200deg.

                                                             Into a bin of sawdust

                                                  Cover with the lid and leave to cool off

                                                        This is what they will look like

Some of mine before you remove the shell like surface

                        On with the eye protection and get cracking and see what design you have

These are my finished raku pieces

My glazed pieces

I enjoyed having an opportunity to paint