Stopped bottles

An exercise in adding an extra something to more glaze experimentation - make different tops. These have become effectively 'stopped'; they are a bit bizarre but to me have a hint of the east about them. The HUGE moth is my interpretation of the Puriri moth, the largest moth in NZ. After bisquing comes the fun part, when I will attempt to bring all my glaze experimentation this year together, and hopefully get some interesting results. It may be also be back to the drawing board!

Striped pot

This is one of the group of 18cm high pots I made during the last semester in 2009. Several people whose opinions on matters ceramic I value, have said it is "well resolved" so I am studying it to fix in my own mind, what qualities it has so I can make more which are equally satisfying to the viewer.

New and refired pots

This pot was made in May this year, fired twice with disappointing results. Last week I decided to reglaze it again using my ASMI turquoise glaze and the result below is nothing like I imagined but it is quite lovely and reminds me of the colours in Monet's water lilly series.

I picked some rhodo blossoms from the Ceramics courtyard and they brighten up the studio no end.

Another jug - but fired at 1215 degrees so pushing the Cone 6 glaze (ochre) to the max.

Mistakes!

These pots were also overfired and as a consequence, the glazes have become glossy and flattened while the stains-in-slip bands have become more intense. In addition the red earthenware clay has become more khaki. They are not what I expected and while they offer something else, and are also on public display at Quadrant, I suspect I may end up re-firing them.

Latest pots

I refired these as the first firing went beyond Cone 6 and flattened the colours. I added some orange stain in slip as an accent and applied a matt white glaze over the top of the previously white stripes and I am happy with the result.

This pair of jugs have fired beautifully. The olive colour is most unusual and I will use this glaze on one of my large vessels which are part of the 'green' range.

New landscape vessels

I intended to make a replica of "small turquoise jug" and used exactly the same glaze but this one has come out more green than turquoise - the vagaries of different firings.

This pot continues my experimental smaller landscape vessels range.

This pair of vessels are quite interesting - sombre, wintery and yet with glints of gold and the suggestion of a blue skyline - very Central Otago I think.

Smaller landscape vessels with laminated clays

These 3 pots have also been selected for the exhibition. Symbolic landscapes
posted earlier was inspired by the turquoise jug. I think the laminated sky-scapes have potential and will explore this further with new vessels in semester 2.

Extra pots selected for exhibition

Winter tea bowls These are early test pieces - Cone 10 reduction

First landscape marquettes

Last postings for this semester

Wired landscape - chicken wire and other found objects were held against the underglazed and fired form before being re-glazed in the spray booth. A delicate form of landscape 34cm

Symbolic landscape was designed specifically to reference in my essay. It brings together habitat theory, habitat as refuge and prospect as well as nature as process according to Malcolm Andrews..2@ 34cm, 1 @16cm

Eruption at sea nearly didn't make it. In its green state, while I manhandled the beast (54cm high) to attend to the base, the top half broke off and collapsed on the floor. Thanks to Jim's skills in bringing the dead back to life, he pummeled it back into a cylinder form and then I took over. I gave it 2 firings & more glaze to add life into the bottom panels and the result is most pleasing.

Peagreen form with cloud

This piece seems to evoke a sense of wanting to be touched by people - the surface is matt but warm somehow. The size too lends itself to being held. I am quite attached to it myself! 51cm

Last pot for now

This pot, made earlier in the year, has had 3 firings - I'm not sure about the form. I prefer the base of the landscape pots.

Tall landscape pots - 2nd firing

I have reglazed the middle panels to reduce the colour effect and brought the glazes further up to the lip.

Autumn doll - 2nd firing

I thought the first result was too yellow and hadn't applied painterly concerns of receding and advancing colours. I applied a matt glaze over the body and rubbed back in parts. I feel it is more successful but probably won't attempt the form again.

And yet more

The Clematis pot was originally glazed white, then refired using a lustre glaze which had the effect of turning the colour into 'marmite'. I reapplied masses of lustre for a 3rd firing and am pleased with it. I think it could be called gothic.
'

The plaque (below)was an experiment making a 2D image into a 3D one. As such I think it has succeded but I took a chance, the clay body being earthenware and fired it at Cone 10 in the gas kiln. The combination of iron in the clay has diminished the glaze effects and the structure itself is cracked.

More pots

This pot has had two firings using the same glaze. 31cm high

I am pleased with this coiled form using multiple clay bodies (below) The initial overglaze was not successful so applied the green ASMI glaze and rubbed back in spots. The stand, an addition, works well - the pot seems reflected by it.

Second landscape pots - variation 2

Three views - 46cm high. I am unsure if these taller and more austere versions are any more successful than the earlier ones.

Second landscape pots - variation 1

Two views - 44cm high

Lustre pot with flowers

The flowers are over-large for the pot size but they were my first attempt at making them. Terra cotta clay is not ideal for finer work so if I continue this series, I will use white clay. I do like the combination of lustre glaze and terra cotta clay for the form though. 23 cm high.

Autumn Doll

Autumn doll - decoration is a combination of underglaze and overglaze coloured stains in slip. A more suitable brush would achieve a neater result I feel.36 cm high.

This is a photo of a copy of a Pissarro painting Picking apples and it is this colour palette which has inspired Autumn doll

Autumn doll

This pot is coiled and pinched from re-cycled red clay. I intend to glaze the 'dress' & 'hat' parts in autumn colours using a combination of stains and glaze while leaving the 'feet' and 'face' natural terra cotta. Another experiment! Note the autumnal colours in the background. I will post a photo of the finished pot if it is successful.