Love The Bowls!

I produced several different style of bowls in my

last batch of work, both hand built and thrown.

Some with unique added surface treatments.

Love Bowl: 8"x 4.5", wheel thrown, cone 6

with Cherry Blossom glaze. Hand stamped

words wrap the upper rim. Words include:

Love, Peace, Joy, Pottery

Brocaded Square Bowl: Hand built, Cone 6

with interior of multiple glazes poured in

randomly. Outside surface has a hand

stamped brocade texture. Rim is uneven and

varies in height.

Set of 4 Bowls (only 2 shown): Metallic black mat

interior with combination of glazes on exterior

to replicate wood fired finish. Cone 6 in electric

kiln.

Tea Cups & New Glazes!

I have a love for Japanese craft and

especially their ceramics. Below is a small study

of new glazes using my small Japanese inspired

form.

All cups are about 2.5"H x 2.25 Diameter, Wheel thrown

with stamped flower design. Cone 6. Electric Kiln.

These two cups were glazed by dipping using two

different glazes which gives a warm earthen wood

fired appearance.

Red Tea Cups, High Gloss Red. I have been

working on a red of this quality for over a

year.

Blue Green Tea Cups. Glaze broke brown on

the interior surfaces?

Copper Patina Glaze. Very Art's N Crafts

inspired and exactly what I was hoping for.

HOT to Fire

Heat Index has been up to 110 degrees this week in the Ozarks and I decided to fire my kiln!

My studio interior temperature neared 100 degrees as the kiln reached Cone 6.

Below are just a couple of pieces from the firing, but watch over the next few days as I post more images.

I am excited about my glazing! I am finally getting a couple of things I like zeroed in that I will be using more consistently going forward.

Set of 4 Bowls (Two Pictured), 6"x 2.5", Wheel Thrown with multiple glazes.

The Twins, Wheel Thrown and cut in half and altered with stamped brocade texture added to interior walls. The exterior of this piece uses a combination of two glazes that I have discovered gives a wood fired appearance! I am excited about this combination.

Pots Under Construction

Smoothing the Rim of a large bowl.

Under Construction. Thown pot cut in half and then flat side added with stamped texture.

Under Construction. Tall Vase. Wheel thrown and cut in half. Slip used to reassemble pot that has pushed out from the joint will be left as is for visual texture. My hope is that this slip material will not only act as an interesting visual but also as a place for glaze to hang up for added effect.

Glazed Porcelain

Set of 4 Bowls, 3"x 6", porcelain,

mulitiple glazes.

10" Porcelain Plate,

multiple glazes.

6" Porecelain Bowl,

multiple glazes

applied by dipping.

6" Porcelain Plate,

Celedon glaze,

black slip inlayed details.

10" Porcelain Plate,

multiple glazes

applied by pouring method.

I couldn't wait to post a few pictures from the kiln.

My porcelain bisque pieces from my last post turned

out with some nice surprises!

Enjoy.

Bisqued Porcelain and a New Image!

Large Porcelain Bowl

Porcelain Bowl Sets of 4

Porcelain Plates with in layed black slip

I'm finally back in the studio after much overseas travel including an extra 7 days in Italy because of volcano ash last month. I have been on the road 5 out of the past 9 weeks, which makes it hard to keep that ceramic flow of making, drying and firing.

I've been giving a lot of thought to updating North Star's logo (see above in the banner). I wanted something that would reflect a hand made feel as well as capture my studio location in the woods and of course that North Star that is always present, steady and guiding my creative way. Feel free to comment and let me know what you think of both the logo and banner design.

I have been working the past few weekends in porcelain. Working on several sets of bowls for that morning cereal and a plate shape that is dishwasher friendly. I enjoy much about porcelain from the white clay body to the more saturated color when glazed. Each plate has a small stamped design that I have filled with black slip. I plan on glazing these with a celedon glaze so that the black slip will show throw to the surface. Should work?

Look for more posts as I plan on being much more productive through the summer as my travel schedule is slow until October.

I've Missed the Pottery Wheel

It's been too long since my last post.

My ceramic time over the past several months has been consumed with filling an order of 32 SQUARE plates and bowls. I must confess that I didn't realize how difficult this project was going to be. I ended handbuilding over 60 pieces to end up with the final 8 place settings that I was satisfied with. I learned so much from making square foot rings, to shrink rates, to how glaze color can differ when a kiln is overloaded. A good experience and I'm glad I stuck with it, but it sure felt good this past weekend to finally turn my wheel back on. These are my pieces from the weekend. 6 rice bowls, 6 tea cups, 4 mugs with handles, 6 cups with no handles, 8 bowls of various sizes with largest 12" in diameter, plus a small vase and large lidded jar. They are ready for the bisque fire tomorrow.