Pottery Making Jul15

July/August 2015

Colleen McCall’s Glazed Platters Upcycling Glaze WasteDIY Color PaletteHoney Pots

Your Resource for Ceramic Techniques

www.potterymaking.org | July/August 2015 1

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On the Cover Colleen McCall glazes her platter’s sur-faces from top to bottom and from wall to wall engaging the viewer from every angle.

InsideJuly/August 2015 Volume 18 Number 4

Features 12 An Introduction to Color by Birdie Boone

Whether you’re working with homemade or commer-cial glazes, altering a base glaze to discover new color palettes can be easy and fun.

18 Carving the Sealed Earth by Karen NewgardTry this sgraffito technique with a combination of porce-lain and terra sigillata to discover a crisp graphic quality with your drawings.

22 Wall to Wall Decoration by Colleen McCallJust because you can’t always see the bottoms of your pots is no reason to not decorate them. Learn to com-bine your inspirations and create fully unique surfaces.

30 Étude Géométrique by Andrea MarquisAltering a simple bowl with a few precise cuts can lead to an infinite number of new forms.

36 A Honey of a Pot by Sumi von DassowSummer is here and the bees are hard at work making honey. The least we can do is make them a beautiful pot to put it in.

40 Skilled Centering by Joyce MichaudGetting off to a good start is always the best plan. Here’s an in-depth look at some best practices for cen-tering clay before throwing.

In the Studio 8 Upcycling Glaze Waste by Deanna Ranlett

10 Colored Clay Naked Raku by Kate and Will Jacobson

Inspiration 44 In the Potter’s Kitchen Inviting Use by Joseph Pintz

48 Pottery Illustrated Aboriginal Mark Making by Robin Ouellette

12

30

36

44

22


Social Pots

editor’s note

While I know I should be waxing on about geting into the studio and making all the things we showcase in this issue, what I really want to say is grab all of your pots and use them. Make good food. Fill your dishes. Call your friends. Go out-side. Enjoy the bounty of last winter’s studio making and reward yourself. Reward your pots. They were built for use, so use them.

As we were putting this issue together we got pretty excited about Joe Pintz’ rec-ipe for agua fresca (pg. 46.) So, we shut off our computers and headed outside. I gathered ingredients, Forrest brought his blender, Jessica assembled a smorgasbord, and Joe sent his pitcher. Really, he did. We made Joe’s recipe, sat outside with our feet up, ate olives and dolmades, and enjoyed the summer air. We don’t do that a lot around here, get together with pots for the sake of using them. It’s silly that we don’t; between the three of us, the editors of PMI have a crazy amount of col-lected pots. Sure, certain things get used every day, but we each have pots that sit on shelves, void of their intention, just hoping a good recipe—or simply some warm weather—comes along to make us dust them off, fill them up, and watch them go from collected objects to social motivators.

So, while studio time isn’t something you want to forgo all summer—let’s not get foolish now—a few hours spent passing pots around the table is also time well spent. And once you’re relaxed and the pots are safely returned indoors, check out this issue with Karen Newgard’s nature-inspired terra-sigillata carvings (pg. 18), Colleen McCall’s brightly glazed platters and baskets (pg. 22), Ann Van Hoey’s scissor-cut and folded forms (pg. 30), and Sumi Von Dassow’s honey pots (pg. 36).

We also have Deanna Ranlett upcycling glaze waste (pg. 8), Kate and Will Jacobson using colored clay for naked-raku (pg. 10), and Birdie Boone designing glaze palettes (pg. 12). There’s plenty here to keep you busy in the studio, but I imagine you have a lot of pots to keep you outside too. Now, get out there and share your pots with the world.

Holly GoringEditor

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in the studio | glazing

I am always on the hunt for new surface tips and tricks. We’ve all had dried up jars of underglaze or glaze, a container lid that is crusty, or a bucket left uncovered by accident. Here’s an in-teresting way to use up those materials and a great alternative to washing them down the drain or dumping them in the garbage.

Crushing and SortingI started by crushing up my dried materials and sorting them by type (commercial underglazes, commercial glazes, and homemade glazes) and cone temperature into individual mix-ing cups (1). Caution: Always wear a dust mask and work in a well-ventilated area when crushing dried glazes.

Immediately there is a noticeable difference: commercial prod-ucts were hard to break up due to the addition of hardeners while homemade glazes crumbled easily. I crushed the chips to between 1⁄8–¼-inch-sized pieces similar to the chunks found in commer-cial crystal glazes, which range in size to create a variety of effects. You can vary the size and shape of your chips to your preference.

Pressing into ClayTo see how the chips would behave when pressed into wet clay, dried, then fired, I rolled the chips into leather-hard tiles using a small wooden rolling pin, then bisque fired the pieces to cone 04 (2). All of the materials bisque fired solidly into the tiles and were not muddied when brushed and fired with clear glaze (3).

I found that Mayco’s Stroke & Coat glaze chips were harder and broke easier, while the commercial underglazes and home-made glazes broke into thinner chips. Different brands also have different melting points. For example, Spectrum’s underglazes and Mayco’s Stroke & Coat glazes fired glossy in the bisque fir-ing. Even some of my homemade cone 6 glazes melted a little bit at cone 04. This would have ramifications if the chips were too close to the bottom of a piece when firing.

Mixing with SlipsNext, I used a white slip, mixed the chips into it, and applied it to leather-hard clay. I tried this technique because I wanted

Upcycling Glaze Wasteby Deanna Ranlett

1 2 3

4 5 6

Chips of dried commercial underglazes and glazes, and homemade glazes.

Left: Homemade glaze chips on leather-hard clay. Right: Bisque fired to cone 04.

Left: Underglaze chips on leather-hard clay. Right: Fired to cone 04 with clear glaze.

Commercial glaze and underglaze chips mixed with a cone 6 Chun white glaze.

Homemade glaze chips mixed with a cone 6 marigold-colored glaze.

Homemade glaze chips mixed with a cone 6 black licorice-colored glaze.


an irregular, raised surface with a more dramatic texture. When fired with a clear glaze to cone 6, the look was more erratic and gestural than the pressed-in chips. When mixing the commercial products into the slip, most didn’t dis-solve too quickly to be brushed on, but the homemade glazes didn’t survive mixing without dissolving and had to be sprinkled onto the surface between lay-ers of slip. These tiles are particularly in-triguing to me because some of the chips became pebbly and others turned glassy.

Mixing with GlazesNext, I decided to try the chips mixed into colored homemade glazes—a Chun white, a marigold yellow, and a deep, licorice black. The nature of the liq-uid glazes led me to try a sandwiching technique. If I mixed the chips into the glaze, they dissolved too quickly, mak-ing streaks. So, instead, I brushed on two coats of glaze, then sprinkled the chips onto the wet surface, and finally covered them with a third layer of glaze. You could also sprinkle the chips on top of the third coat of glaze.

In the white glazed tiles, some chips stayed more raised, but most pooled into the glaze, which was a great effect as it spread (4). With the marigold glazed tiles the effect was very similar to the white glaze (5). The colors really popped on

the light and yellow glazes. In the darker black glaze, I found the underglaze chips got a bit lost (6). Perhaps sprinkled on top they would have shown off better. The recycled homemade glazes stand out well when mixed into the black glazes. The chips bloomed in the glaze and gave a unique soft-colored, crystalline effect.

ConclusionI think this is a fun and interesting way to use dried-up glazes, that would oth-erwise be discarded, to create intriguing textural and colored surfaces.

Future testing ideas could include us-ing colored slips mixed with the chips to create further dimension and depth or combining low-fire products with high-fire ones.

Caution: Be sure to test all materi-als and combinations first before using them on your valued pieces and be sure to protect your kiln shelves and bricks from potential running glazes.

Deanna Ranlett owns Atlanta Clay in Atlanta, Georgia (www.atlantaclay.com) and MudFire in Decatur, Georgia (www.mudfire.com).

Cone 6 glaze chips from dried home-made glazes mixed with a cone 6 Chun white glaze.

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Colleen Baillie with a ParagonTnF-1613-3 electric kiln.

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Naked raku utilizes an incompat-ible slip/glaze combination. The

slip doesn’t fit the pot and the glaze doesn’t mature at the typical raku low-

firing temperatures. After a raku firing, the slip that is under a glaze will have a dark shadowy crackle pat-

tern stenciled into it. With a little steel wool, the slip is easily washed away be-cause the glaze would not stick to it, and the dark shadowy crackle pattern is re-vealed—the essence of naked raku.

Wanting to take that raw surface to the next level, we swapped out the plain white slip we were using for lay-ers of colored clay. This brightened our surfaces while enhancing our nature-

inspired drawings.

Colored Clay CoatTo begin, throw a thin-

walled pot—we use La-guna Clay Co.’s cone 10

Amador and WSO clay bod-ies. When the pots are leather

hard, brush on thin layers of watered-down colored clays. Most

of these are colored porcelain, but we also use some white stoneware and earthenware. Allow the layers to dry for 10–15 minutes (1). By us-

ing the thinned colored clays, the color layers underneath show

through when burnished. Once the colored clays have dried,

burnish them, let the pot sit for 1–4 hours to dry further, then burnish at least once more to get a glossy surface. To retain this gloss, the pot needs to dry slowly for 1–2 days. Bisque fire it to about 1427°F (775°C).

Resist Slip CoatNext, apply the resist slip and glaze combina-tion layers. For the resist slip, brush on a thin layer of your throwing clay (2). It adheres to the pot very well throughout the process and comes off with ease after reduction.

Glaze CoatOur raku glaze is a mix of 65% Ferro frit 3110 and 35% Gerst-ley borate. The glaze is poured on to larger pots (3), but may be brushed on to smaller pieces or sculptural work. Note: Be sure that the pot is slightly warm to the touch before glazing. Tip: This glaze has a lot of Gerstley borate and will settle quickly. So, it needs to be poured right after mixing or frequently stirred if glazing numerous pots at one time.

Try different thicknesses until you get a feel for what each layer will do in the fire. Generally, the thinner layers will have tighter, smaller crackle lines than a slightly thicker glaze layer. If you glaze thick, the crackles will be very large and spaced far apart. Thick glaze can also fire out with dots and shadowy areas with very little crackles.

EtchingAfter the glaze has dried for a few minutes, etch a drawing through the slip/glaze layer (4). We use a wooden tool with a sharpened point. Do this gently so as not to scratch the sur-

in the studio | raku glazing

Colored Clay Naked Raku by Kate and Will Jacobson

Brush on colored clays, then burnish.

1

Apply a thin layer of resist slip.

2

Pour on a layer of glaze.

3

Etch a design through the glaze.

4


Apply a light spray of water to remove the cracking glaze.

Fire slowly and watch for an orange-peel texture on the glaze.

5

Fill the smoking chamber with wood chips to induce reduction.

6

face of the pot. The smoke from the reduction chamber will enter the clay and create deep shadowy crackles on the surface. The etching becomes a smoke drawing on the clay surface.

RakuWe fire one piece at a time to about 1368°F (740°C). The best indication of when to pull the pot out of the kiln is when the glaze matures to an orange-peel look (5).

We create a smoking chamber by dig-ging in the ground and filling it with wood chips. Once the pot is removed from the kiln, it’s cooled outside the kiln for about 45 seconds. As soon as we hear the glaze crackling, it’s time to place it in the smoking chamber and cover it with more wood chips (6). The hot piece is then covered completely with a metal container or lid that allows the carbon to be trapped by the clay body.

When the piece is cool enough to pull out of the smoking chamber, lightly spray it with water to remove the glaze (7). Fol-low this with a gentle rubbing of steel wool and water to further clean the piece and reveal the dark shadowy crackles and matte surface that is the signature look of naked raku.

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Kate and Will Jacobson have been collaborating artists for thirty-five years and currently live and work in Hawaii. To see more of their work and learn about naked raku, check out, www.jacobsonartstudio.com.

Excerpted from Naked Raku and Related Bare Clay Techniques, published by the American Ceramic Society, Westerville, Ohio. Available at the Ceramic Arts Daily Bookstore, www.ceramicartsdaily.org/bookstore.

12 July/August 2015 | www.potterymaking.org

“Color, like emotion, is subjective,

complex and mutable.”

—Carole Crews, Clay Culture: Plasters, Paints and Preservation

by Birdie Boone

An IntroductIon to

Color1

Cr 2.0%chromeoxide

2Fe 8.0%red ironoxide

8Cr 1%Fe 4%

9Cr 1%Cu 3%

14Fe 4%Cu 3%

10Cr 1%

Co 0.5%

15Fe 4%

Co 0.5%

19Cu 3%

Co 0.5%

11Cr 1%Mn 3%

16Fe 4%Mn 3%

20Cu 3%Mn 3%

23Co 0.5%Mn 3%

12Cr 1%R 4%

17Fe 4%R 4%

21Cu 3%R 4%

24Co 0.5%

R 4%

26Mn 3%R 4%

13Cr 1%Sn 5%

18Fe 4%Sn 5%

22Cu 3%Sn 5%

25Co 0.5%Sn 5%

27Mn 3%Sn 5%

28R 4%Sn 5%

3Cu 6.0%coppercarb

4Co 1.0%

cobaltcarb

5Mn 6.0%

manganesedioxide

6R 8.0%rutile

7Sn 10.0%

tin oxide

Standard Coaxial Color Blend Key (1)

ate, avocado Mason stain, chartreuse Mason stain, crocus martis, nickel oxide, rutile, and manganese carbonate (2 and 3).

The colorant percentages in the top row of circles are high; this is so that the test results clearly show how the colorants are reacting to the base glaze and to one another. The remaining 21 circles, in a standard coaxial chart, are the blends; in ef-fect, each colorant in the top row is mixed in equal parts with all the other colorants in the top row to create numbers 8–28. Note: The top/base row is mixed by weight, the blends are mixed by volume from the top row.

Choosing a Glaze BaseIf you have a glaze base that works well for you, start with that. If there is a glaze you like that already has a colorant or colo-rants in it, simply remove them from the recipe and you will have your base glaze. You can even test commercial clear glazes

As a student, I was taught that the surface of an object is just as impor-tant as the object itself. A compelling surface, one that has a clear connection to its form, is one of the things that makes a good pot a great pot. The moment I discovered I could manipulate glaze color, my life was forever changed. Every formal or aesthetic decision is made with intention as I design each form, so they deserve to have an intention-al surface as well. My palette tends to be at the softer end of the spectrum, in order to evoke emotional responses. I use colorants in fairly low percentages, and often they are modified, or toned down, by certain other colorants.

Johannes Itten, who developed and taught the first color course at the Bauhaus in the early 1920s, thought of colors as “primordial ideas.” Indeed, one of the reasons color is so powerful is that it can trigger a visceral response that is at once both personal and universal. You don’t need to know glaze chemistry in order to develop color in glazes. Certainly, knowing the chemical properties of a glaze can be helpful for making considered decisions about which colorants to use and which not to bother with, but it isn’t necessary. As you test, you will learn it empirically by looking at the results and seeing how the colorants are reacting in combination with one another as well as how they are reacting to the materials in the glaze recipe.

Easy Blends for Big ResultsThe coaxial color blend is a great way to start an investigation of color. It provides a lot of diverse color information with fairly little work. Over the years, I have learned that the most difficult part for many people is understanding the coaxial blend diagram.

The coaxial blend consists of a top row of base colorants. In a standard coaxial diagram, there are seven common ones: chrome, iron, copper, cobalt, manganese, rutile, and tin (1). Base colorants can be added or eliminated and the colorant percentages can be adjusted to suit a palette you’re interested in creating. My custom coaxial blend consists of nine base colorants: neodymium oxide, cobalt carbonate, copper carbon-

13www.potterymaking.org | July/August 2015

Birdie’s Custom Coaxial Color Blend (2)

11: Add the same amount of glaze base with rutile (cup #6) to the column that includes cups 12, 17, 21, 24, 26, and the row with cup 28.

12: Add the same amount of glaze base with tin oxide (cup #7) to the column that includes cups 13, 18, 22, 25, 27, and 28.

13: Using stain or an underglaze pencil, label 28 tiles with numbers 1–28 or label the actual colorant percentages directly on each tile (if the glaze slurry is too thin to get a good application onto the tile, at this point, you can add a small amount of flocculant to each cup, such as an Epsom salts solution), or leave it uncovered for several hours to allow some water to evaporate. For accurate results, be sure the glaze coats are around the thickness of a dime.

in blends. Keep in mind that a trans-parent glossy glaze is going to give you the brightest color response. Satin and matte glazes are usually higher in alumina, which is what helps create that softer surface and a softer glaze color. If you’re up to the task, test one glossy glaze and one satin or matte glaze and compare. Before you do the whole coaxial blend, you might want to just test the single colorants to see how they are reacting to your chosen base glaze and then choose which ones you want to move forward with.

DIY Coaxial Color BlendTo create your first standard coaxial color blend, start with a clay body (either one you currently use or one you wish to test glazes on), your chosen base glaze, and seven colo-rants similar to the ones in figure 1. Make and bisque fire 28 tiles. If you typically use a slip under your glazes, be sure to apply it as you normally would.

1: Weigh out the dry ingredients for 1000 grams of a base glaze.

2: Add the same amount of water (either by weight or volume; 1 gram of water = 1mL of water, so either add 1000 grams or 1000mL of water.) This gives you a total of 2000 grams of material, including water.

3: Mix well and sieve (the glaze may seem thin, but this is okay; do not adjust.) The first seven cups will need to be large enough to hold 200g of wet material. The re-mainder can be smaller. Number all 28 cups with an indelible marker and arrange in the same manner as the diagram.

4: Add 200g of glaze base to each of the cups in the top row (because it’s a wet mix, you need 200g since only 100g of it is glaze material, the other 100g is just water, which has no bearing on the amount of colorant you add.) You will have some left over.

5: Weigh out and add the appropriate amount of colorant to each cup in the top row and mix very well (I use a stiff paintbrush with about an inch-wide brush head; it gets into the corners of the cup so everything mixes well.)

6: Begin the blends under the top row using a measurement of either 1 or 2 teaspoons (5mL and 10mL, respectively). I use a small medicine syringe; use anything you like as long as you are consistent. Add this chosen amount of glaze base with chrome oxide (cup #1) to each cup numbered 8–13.

7: Add the same amount of glaze base with red iron oxide (cup #2) to cups 8 and 14–18.

8: Add the same amount of glaze base with copper carbonate (cup #3) to the column that includes cups 9, 14, and the row that has cups 19–22.

9: Add the same amount of glaze base with cobalt carbonate (cup #4) to the column that includes cups 10, 15, 19, and the row with cups 23–25.

10: Add the same amount of glaze base with manganese dioxide (cup #5) to the column that includes cups 11, 16, 20, 23, 26, and the row with cup 27.

Birdie’s Custom Coaxial Color Blend Key (3)

1Nd 6.0%

neodymiumoxide

2Co 0.1%

cobalt carb

10Nd 3%

Co 0.05%

11Nd 3%

Cu 0.5%

18Co 0.05%Cu 0.5%

12Nd 3%A 2%

19Co 0.05%

A 2%

25Cu 0.5%

A 2%

13Nd 3%c 1.5%

20Co 0.05%

c 1.5%

26Cu 0.5%c 1.5%

31A 2%

c 1.5%

14Nd 3%

Fe 1.5%

16Nd 3%R 2%

21Co 0.05%Fe 1.5%

23Co 0.05%

R 2%

27Cu 0.5%Fe 1.5%

29Cu 0.5%

R 2%

32A 2%

Fe 1.5%

34A 2%R 2%

41Fe 1.5%

R 2%

36c 1.5%

Fe 1.5%

38c 1.5%R 2%

43Ni 0.5%R 2%

15Nd 3%Ni 0.5%

17Nd 3%Mn 1%

22Co 0.05%Ni 0.5%

24Co 0.05%

Mn 1%

28Cu 0.5%Ni 0.5%

30Cu 0.5%Mn 1%

33A 2%

Ni 0.5%

35A 2%

Mn 1%

42Fe 1.5%Mn 1%

37c 1.5%Ni 0.5%

39c 1.5%Mn 1%

44Ni 0.5%Mn 1%

40Fe 1.5%Ni 0.5%

45R 2%

Mn 1%

3Cu 1.0%coppercarb

4A 4.0%

avocado stain

5c 3.0%

chartreuse stain

6Fe 3.0%crocus martis

8R 4.0%rutile

7Ni 1.0%nickel oxide

9Mn 2.0%

manganese carb

Birdie Boone is a full-time studio potter cur-rently living in rural Virginia. She holds an MFA in Ceramics/Artisanry from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. She is available for workshops on color development; for more infor-mation, contact her at [email protected].

Nd 6% Co 0.1% Cu 1% A 4% c 3% Fe 3% Ni 1% R 4% Mn 2%

Co 0.1% Co 0.05%Nd 3%

Co 0.05%Cu 0.5%

Co 0.05%A 2%

Co 0.05%c 1.5%

Co 0.05%Fe 1.5%

Co 0.05%Ni 0.5%

Co 0.05%R 2%

Cu 0.5% Cu 0.5%Nd 3%

Cu 0.5%Co 0.05%

Cu 0.5%A 2%

Cu 0.5%c 1.5%

Cu 0.5%Fe 1.5%

Cu 0.5%Ni 0.5%

Cu 0.5%R 2%

Fe 3% Fe 1.5%Nd 3%

Fe 1.5%Co 0.05%

Fe 1.5%Cu 0.5%

Fe 1.5%A 2%

Fe 1.5%c 1.5%

Fe 1.5%Ni 0.5%

Fe 1.5%R 2%

Fe 1.5%Mn 1%

Mn 2% Mn 1%Nd 3%

Mn 1%Co 0.05%

Mn 1%Cu 0.5%

Mn 1%A 2%

Mn 1%c 1.5%

Mn 1%Fe 1.5%

Mn 1%Ni 0.5%

Mn 1%R 2%

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14: Fire when ready in either a neutral electric kiln or an oxidation or reduction atmo-sphere in a gas kiln. Be sure to place cones in the kiln so you know exactly what tempera-ture the kiln reaches. Colors can appear different at even slightly different temperatures.

15: Once fired, arrange tests in the same pattern as the diagram and examine your results. I fired my custom coaxial color blend tiles to cone 6 in an electric kiln (2). In order to help you really see what is happening in my customized blend, I have also separated some of the results into lines for each colorant I used (4).

Guide for Using Oxides, Carbonates*, and StainsChrome oxide (CrO): • Ifyourbaseglazehaszincinanyamount,chromewillturnanitanunattractivebrown.•Refractory,meaningitdoesn’tmeltwellandcanturnaglossyglazetomatte.•Verystrong,useinverysmallamounts,lessthan0.5%.Higherpercentagesofchromemay alsoturnanunattractivebrownbecausethereistoomuchtodissolveintotheglazemelt.

Cobalt oxide (CoO)/Cobalt carbonate (CoCO3):•Averylittlegoesavery,verylongway.•Tendstowardpurpleinthepresenceofmagnesiuminabaseglaze.•Verystrong,useinamountsof3%orless.Higheramountsmaygivemetallicresults.• Itypicallyuse0.1%inthetoprowofmyblends.•Expensive

Copper oxide (CuO)/Copper carbonate (CuCO3):•Tendstowardblueorgreen,dependingonthebaseglaze.•Mixeswellwithalmosteverythingelse.•Verystrong,useinamountsof3%orless• Itypicallyuse0.3–1%inthetoprowofmyblends.

Red iron oxide (Fe2O3)/ochre/crocus martis:•Examplesofiron-bearingmineralswithslightlydifferenteffects•Verystrong,use2%orlessasacolormodifier.Amountshigherthan4%cangivevery differentresults,includingmicro-crystallinegrowthandmetallicbrowncolors.Ironisa

strongflux,soyoumaynoticethisglaze isrunnierwithhighamountsofiron.• Itypicallyuse1–2%inthetoprowof myblendsforsoftyellowsandtomodify other colorants.

Manganese dioxide (MnO2)/manganese carbonate (MnCO3):•Goodcolormodifier•Verystrong,use1%orless• Itypicallyuse1–2%manganesecarbonate inthetoprowofmyblends.•Manganesecarbonateislessvolatileand doesn’tformspeckslikemanganese dioxide does.•Createscolorsinthepurplefamily

Nickel oxide (NiO)/ nickel carbonate(NiCO3):•Goodcolormodifier•Refractory,(doesn’tmeltwellandcan makeaglossyglazebecomematte)•Verystrong,useinamountsof1%orless• Itypicallyuse1%NiCO3inthetoprowof my blends•Combiningnickelandcobaltcarbonateor oxideoftencreatesgrays•Expensive

Neodymium oxide (Nd2O3):•Rareearthoxide,fromthelanthanide familyofelements•Changesfrombluetopurpleunder various light sources•Mixeswellwithalmosteverythingelse•Colorfastinanytypeofglazebase•Use4%orlessfortints,6–8%for stronger color•Expensive

Light or dark rutile/titanium dioxide (TiO2):•Titaniumdioxideandrutilearegoodcolor modifiersinsmallamounts,1–4%•Goodforvariegationandmicro-crystalline growthinglazewithhigheramounts8–10%•Rutileisaniron-bearingmineralformof titanium.Usetitaniumifyoudon’twantthe addediron(darkrutilehasmoreironthan lightrutile).

Stains/Inclusion stains (Mason, Cerdec, Degussa, Chinese):•Youcangetjustaboutanycoloryouwant withstains.•Stainscanbegoodcolormodifiersin smalleramounts,use2–4%fortints,5–8% fortones,10–12%forstrongcolors• Itypicallyuse4%inthetoprowofmy blends,nevermorethan6%•Expensive•UtilizeMason’sreferencechart (www.masoncolor.com)fordetailed informationonhowtouseeachstain.

*Note:Acarbonatetendstobeabouthalfthestrengthofanoxide.

Co 0.05%Mn 1%

Cu 0.5%Mn 1%

Base Line

Cobalt Line

Copper Line

Iron Line

Manganese Line


Selected Color Blends From Birdie’s Coaxial Color Blend Tests (4)





Playing around with brushing on slips and glazes then remov-ing them with different tools led me to sgraffito (Italian word meaning to scratch away) decoration. While in college, I started decorating pots by drawing through black slip, revealing the stoneware below. Once fired, it didn’t look like a drawing but more like a photo negative. To get the reverse look of dark shapes on a white ground, I carved around the line I was draw-ing and removed the negative space, leaving the line. To further refine the quality of the drawing, I switched to porcelain clay, which has finer particles. It gave me a nice clean background for my narratives. But, I was still carving slips at the leather-hard stage and the line smeared as my tool moved through the slip, muddying the nice white porcelain background. Then I discov-

ered terra sigillata (Latin meaning sealed earth). The combina-tion of porcelain and terra sigillata gave me the crisp graphic quality I was trying to achieve.

Wheel WorkDuring my early studies in pottery, I learned to throw on a trea-dle wheel (1 and 2). The pots I loved at the time were made on one and I wanted to follow in that school of pottery making. Also, I enjoy the control and quietness of the this style of wheel. Before I dig into any decorating, I think about the forms I would like to make on the wheel. Since my decoration is all encompass-ing, I choose to make pretty straightforward forms. The simple forms allow me to divide the pots into segments for decorating.

by Karen Newgard

the Sealed EarthCaRvInG



Centering a mound of clay on a treadle wheel. The rotation of the flywheel is powered by pushing a wooden pedal.

After applying terra sigillata to the sur-face, lightly draw your design on top of the sigillata using a pencil.

Finishing the shape and rim of a bowl thrown on a treadle wheel. Using a large stiff rubber rib removes throwing marks.

Use a worn needle tool to outline the im-ages. Don’t use a sharp tool, it will create a jagged line.

After defining the outlines, remove slip from the negative spaces using larger loop trimming and carving tools.

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InspirationMy imagery is very much connected to my early interest in Minoan pottery and their no-tion of depicting scenes from everyday life. Therefore my early images and scenes stem from memories of my grandparents’ farm, growing up in Louisiana, and recognizable ev-eryday items. I have developed an iconographical library of images over my career that I still draw from today, continuously adding to those domestic stories by going outdoors and carving botanical scenes, inevitably adding birds and insects to those scenes.

Terra Sigillata: Mixing, Decanting, and UsingTerra sigillata is like a tight second skin on the pot, often used to seal porous low-fire clay bodies. It’s made by deflocculating a clay (or combination of clays) and isolating the fine particles. The recipe I use doesn’t require ball milling due to the fine clay particles that make up Grolleg kaolin. I find I get a large yield and this recipe is very easy to make. Be-cause water isn’t the same in every city, it’s critical to use distilled water to maintain con-sistent results. Using a drill and paint mixer attachment in a 5-gallon bucket is the easiest method for mixing. Let the mixture sit untouched for 36 hours in a glass container if you have one. After settling, three layers will form: the waste layer on the bottom, a thin layer of water on top, and the usable terra sigillata in the middle. The deflocculent, triso-dium phosphate (also known as TSP and available in home stores), charges the particles in the Grolleg causing them to repel and separate. Because the waste at the bottom is

so thick, the layers are easy to distinguish, making the decanting process easier. A batch of this recipe lasts me about three weeks. Once mixed and decanted, the terra sigillata should be the consistency of whole milk. I add 1 cup of terra sigillata to 1 teaspoon of black Mason Stain 6600. Always test other stains or oxides before using. If evaporation occurs during use, add a little distilled water. Keep the mix-ture covered when not in use

Once a pot is bone dry, brush on two thin coats of terra sigillata, being careful not to overlap brush strokes, and waiting a few minutes between coats. If too many coats are applied it could cause the sigillata to craze and pop off after the glaze firing.

SgraffitoUse a dull pencil to lightly lay out your design, being careful not to press down too hard because it will leave a mark or remove some of the terra sigillata (3). The goal here is to draw on top of the sigillata, not start the carving process.

After you’re satisfied with the drawing, use a worn needle tool (or similar tool) to outline images (4). If the tool is too sharp, it leaves a jagged line. To remove the background, I use the Kemper WLS carv-ing tool or wire loop tool for tight spaces, and for larger spaces I use a small Dolan loop tool (5). With my carving marks I can create a sense of rhythm; making a leaf look like it’s blowing in the wind (6) or a bird fluttering in the trees.

In setting up my decorations, I like to give myself starting and stopping points,


Carving the negative space areas with specific patterns and curving marks adds a sense of rhythm and movement.

After carving, remove the dry shav-ings and dust from the surface using a vacuum equipped with a HEPA filter.

Carving concentric circles reminiscent of lines created in rippling water and that define banded areas around the rim.

Add colored accents to the finished, carved main design or image using com-mercial underglazes.

Carving linear patterns around the rim of a bowl that reference a field of crops planted in rows.

My pieces are finished in a gas-fired salt kiln, which highlights the carving, with a light sheen without the use of glaze.

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process | Carving the Sealed Earth | Karen Newgard

such as a distinct foot or visible spout and handle attachments. Conversely, I often negate the form all together and wrap a scene around the piece.

Repeated patterns have always been appealing to me; repeti-tion of a field of wallpaper motifs, lines created in rippling water, or crops in rows (7 and 8). Looking for these types of arrange-ments in nature or our modern landscape is a source inspiration.

Caution: The carving process produces a lot of dust so I wear an apron and carve over a square of egg-crate foam that catches the shavings, keeping them contained and making them easy to dispose of. The dust created in this process is extremely fine. I never blow the dust away while working, I also never sweep it away. I only use a only vacuum with a HEPA filter (9).

When the carving is complete, I add a pop of color with AMACO Velvet Underglazes to accent the main images (10).

Salt FiringI have always gravitated to atmospheric firings, I love the tonal variation I get with clay and especially glazes. I choose glazes that will complement the aesthetic of the pot, giving it depth and per-

sonality. I am able to achieve this goal best in a gas-fired salt kiln. I introduce just enough salt to add a little sheen to the carved areas of the pot. There’s no need to burnish or use a clear glaze in this firing process as the salt is a flux that lowers the melting point of the silica, causing it to slightly melt on the outer surface of the pot, creating a glaze. This firing process also affects the liner glazes and the more open areas on forms such as serving bowls or plates by accentuating the variations in color.

Karen Newgard has been a full-time studio potter since 1997 and currently has a studio/gallery in Asheville, North Carolina’s River Arts District. Learn more about her work at karennewgardpottery.com.

TERRA SigillATAGrolleg Kaolin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4000 gTrisodium Phosphate (TSP) . . . . . . . . 40 gDistilled Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 cups

Mix for 5 minutes and let settle for 36 hours . Decant the middle layer for use . For color, add 1 teaspoon of stain per 1 cup of terra sigillata .

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by Colleen McCall

My colorful, hand-painted pottery is decorated from top to bot-tom, inside and out. Rarely is there a surface left bare or free from pattern or texture. Whether painted, carved, cast, or stamped, I add interest to every angle of my dark brown, stoneware pot-tery with layers of porcelain slip, a bevy of underglaze colors, and white, breaking tin glaze. Vintage textile prints and cast glassware are my primary inspiration. I like drawing upon the familiar to evoke memory and emotion, but it’s only a touch point for a fresh and unique collaboration.

Initially, I threw round shapes on the wheel

and decorated them. The patterns quickly became more interest-ing, leaving me to seek out new shapes and alternative construc-tion methods to improve the quality of the overall design. After failing to make truly square pots I found a square form to cast in plaster and press mold with better success. I soon began col-lecting glassware, melamine, and plastic in all shapes and textures to make molds from. The shape of my hexagonal mold is some-

where just between a circle and a square. Be-ing both round and angular, it’s

always exciting to explore its many variations of form

and surface.

Wall to Wall



Creating a Plaster Press MoldFor this hexagonal mold I used a thin, non-porous plastic take-out dish, which could be cast as a one-part mold. Prototypes can also be made by combining objects to achieve new shapes. For example, starting with a wide square plate placed face down on the table and stacking an upside-down shallow bowl on top of the plate creates a pasta bowl shape with an ample rim for decoration.

To prepare an object for casting, add wet clay to the object’s inner rim to secure it to the work surface and to prevent the liq-uid plaster from seeping under the object when it’s poured. Next, with the dish inverted and the clay rim secured to a flat surface, build up short, thick, clay walls around the thin plastic edge of the disposable dish to contain the plaster as it’s poured (1). When creating a one-part mold with a non-porous object, mold soap is generally not necessary. After the prototype is secured, mix the plaster using a ratio of 6 pounds of plaster to 2 quarts of water, adding the plaster to the water. Let the unmixed contents slake undisturbed for at least three minutes to hydrate the plaster, then slowly mix it using a Jiffy mixer or similar for 3 minutes to initi-ate the chemical setting process. Just as the plaster is beginning to thicken, pour it over the prototype. Pour when liquid to pre-vent the formation of air bubbles on the surface of the model. As the plaster thickens, but before it sets, you can manipulate it to mound evenly over the form (2). The plaster heats up as it sets.

Once the plaster has cooled fully, remove the clay walls, smooth down any rough edges with a green kitchen scouring pad, and wipe down the mold with a damp sponge (3). Allow the mold to completely dry before using it.

Prepping the Clay and Filling the MoldI stack wedge my clay for slab rolling as I find it reduces warp-ing by aligning the clay platelets. Slice a chunk of clay into two thin pieces, press each one flat, then slam one half on top of the other, pressing it flat again. Slice and repeat 6–8 times until the clay feels more fluid. Gradually flatten with a rolling pin, flipping the clay over and turning it 90° with each pass until it reaches its final thickness of ¼ inch. Compress the slab with a metal rib to further align the clay particles.

Use the slab while it’s soft to fill the mold, easing the ribbed surface face down into the interior (4). Gather the edges slightly to help the clay fill the mold without stretching too much. Press the clay against the mold, and add wet clay to backfilling any ar-eas that become thin. It may take a few attempts filling the mold before you figure out the nuances of the form and process. Trim off the excess clay around the rim using a plastic tool (metal tools

could chip or gouge the plaster) and use a stiff rubber rib to compress the rim, the clay on the top side of the slab, and to even out and smooth the surface (5).

Variations of FormFor a deeper bowl shape, build short slab walls around the perim-eter of the bowl. When doing this, be sure to reinforce any seams with small coils on the interior of the bowl to prevent cracking (6). For a sturdier and more elegant bowl, add a coil or flattened band to the top edge to thicken and define the rim. The basket bowl has a slight swoop at the rim where a single coil has been attached to the rim with slightly more clay in the corners for extra height.

At this point the bowl is ready for its first coat of porcelain slip. A total of three coats should be applied while the clay is still supported by the mold (7). Wait for the slip to dry between coats.

When the slip-painted clay has firmed up, remove it from the mold by sandwiching a board on top and carefully flipping up-side down. While upside down, use gentle but firm pressure to score and slip on a foot ring or foot nubbins.

To create a basket effect, extract cut outs from the corners of the form with a thin blade after the bowl is removed from the mold. Smooth the edges of the cuts (8). Carving or exterior painting is best done now with the piece firmly inverted (9).

Learning how to Combine PatternsMy pattern book is sorted into five sections to organize the spa-tial dynamics of a particular pattern. Motifs such as animals or single flowers are the first section. A motif functions as a unit that can either be used alone as a focal point or can be repeated in various ways to create a pattern.

Opposite: Hexagonal plate with peony motifs. Above: Hexago-nal platter with cutouts and floral designs over a grid pattern, 2015. Photos: ARC Photographic Images.


Secure the model to the table with clay, then build slab walls around the perimeter and reinforce with buttresses.

Add a layer of slip to the interior surface while the bowl is still in the mold. Repeat this, adding a total of three layers of slip.

When the plaster has set up, remove the model and clean the mold.

Use a rib to compress the clay, and to even out the surface.

Pour liquid plaster over the model. When it starts to set up, manipulate it to mound up evenly over the model.

Drape a slab over the mold and gently fit it into the space.

To create a deeper bowl, add slab sides and reinforce all joins using soft, thin coils.

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Section two, overall patterns, is most abundant since many fabrics are printed to be used in multiple directions. These pat-terns are random and don’t adhere to any one orientation. They work well on any shape.

The third section, vertical patterns, is limited in use to upright forms such as vases and mugs or square and rectangular shapes that have a top and a bottom. As an example, wallpaper tends to be vertically oriented.

What I call ground patterns, collected in the fourth section of my book, are those that are more basic and subdued. They act as a filler or create an interesting background when used with a focal point motif.

The fifth and final section contains borders or scrolling pat-terns that can trim a form or frame an overall design.

When combining patterns I look for similar elements of shape, scale, and line. I can always unify patterns with complimentary


After removing the bowl from the mold you can alter the shape by cutting out sections freehand or adding a coil foot.

Choose a motif or pattern, photocopy it, and try different color combinations.

Hand paint the lightest parts of the motif, here the peony, stem, and stamen.

Carve surface texture using loop tools and trim the rim edge using a small rasp tool.

Cut out the shapes in the motif and use them as stencils to transfer the patterns.

Apply a layer of wax resist over the patterns to protect them, then apply an overall layer of underglaze for the background.

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color combinations. I also tend to mix styles and historical genres within a piece or in an arrangement of dishware, like bold Art Deco lines softened by an Ikat (a textile dying process) ground with Iznik pomegranates surrounded by calico. I draw each form once and photocopy it multiple times to play with dividing the form into zones for decorating. I can then play with adding pat-terns together. When I settle on a combination I may draw it once again and copy it multiple times to try color combinations (10).

Transferring MotifsI use paper stencils to transfer patterns to the form. Occasion-ally, I enlarge or reduce their scale to fit the form better. If your clay surface is a soft leather hard, I suggest putting a sheet of thin plastic between the clay and the paper template as the moisture from the clay will cause the paper to slough off into your precious line work. Trace the template with light pressure using a dull pencil or ball-tipped sgraffito tool. This leaves an

Add filler motifs to the background. Carve through the wax, un-derglaze and slip layers to define the outlines of the foreground.

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impression of the pattern in the clay that guides your brush work (11).

Handpainting Efficiently When applying underglazes to create the patterns, I use wax re-sist thinned with water to paint more efficiently in layers. Ap-ply wax over light areas of color to protect them when painting over with darker colors or to block the edges of motifs to make it easier to quickly fill in a solid background color. The peony and wheat pattern begins with hand painting the stamen and pink petals (12). The brown leaf dots are added with a fine-needled glaze applicator. When dry, the entire peony is brushed with wax resist. I give the wax about 20 minutes to harden before painting the background color (13). Using three coats of color provides a more saturated, solid color. Using a graphite pencil, I then sketch the stem of the wheat in alternating directions throughout the ground. I paint the wheat kernels last in a slightly darker color than the chartreuse. Any time I incorporate a transparent glaze color into the motif, it lessens the painting time but also adds a new dimension to the design.

Sgraffito TipsMy favorite sgraffito tool is a tight cornered ribbon tool. I find it grabs the clay more surely, allowing me to vary the pressure, which alters the line thickness (14). I also keep a variety of sgraffito tools on hand depending on the line quality I prefer. Tip: Depending on the form, you may want to work from left to right if right handed or from the middle out to keep from

smudging newly drawn lines. As you begin to carve through the layers of slip, underglaze, and wax, the remains will pile up. Simply dump them out into your glaze and clay recycle bin and continue carving. Don’t brush or blow them off as they may mar the surface and create excess dust. Brush off any straggling bits of clay after the bisque firing when the work is wet sanded.

Wet Sanding BisquewareWet sanding bisqueware removes sharp burrs created by carved sgraffito lines. To wet sand bisqueware, use lots of water to keep the dust to a minimum. I work over a bowl of water with 320-grit wet/dry sandpaper alternating between sanding and sponging to remove dust from the sgraffito crevices (15). Be careful not to sand off the underglaze color. Mistakes can be easily fixed by ap-plying more underglaze to the thoroughly cleaned bisque. Cau-tion: Always wear a dust mask when doing any sanding.

GlazingThe first stage of glazing on the peony and wheat pattern is to apply a transparent celadon green glaze to the leaf and stems of the peonies with either a brush or glaze applicator squeeze bottle (16). Finally, the entire interior is brush coated with two thin lay-ers of transparent clear glaze (17).

Colleen McCall is a full-time studio artist living and working in Elmira, New York. To see more of her work, visit www.colleenmccallceramics.com or visit the Upstate New York Ceramics Invitational at Main Street Arts (www.mainstreetartgallery.com) in Clifton Springs, New York July 11–August 30.

Once the bisque plate is dry, touch up any bare spots from the sanding process, then add glaze to areas of the motifs

The finished peony pattern plate, showing the raised feet and carved pattern accentuated with tin white glaze. Photo: ARC Photographic Images.

After the bisque firing, lightly sand the surface using wet/dry sandpaper to remove sharp burrs from the sgraffito process.

Apply two thin layers of clear glaze over the whole surface on the top and bottom of the plate, except for the feet. You can also use a different glaze on the bottom of the plate.

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THE EARTH’S BEST CLAYS

Highwater ClaysALL YOUR CLAY DESIRES

highwaterclays.com




The work of Belgian artist Ann Van Hoey con-sists of sculptural earthenware vessels and a line of bone-china dinnerware that she designs for the European firm, Serax. Inspiration for her forms comes from Étude Géométrique (geometric study), which for Van Hoey is about “the marriage between the circle and the square.” Origami is also an inspi-ration and Van Hoey’s terra-cotta vessels are often darted in three sections to create a dynamic tension between the circle and the triangle.

Most of her forms are unglazed and the finished sur-face mimics the leather-hard stage when Van Hoey ex-plains, “the clay is full of life.” In her Structure series she investigates textured surfaces, she does this by texturing the molds that she uses to build her vessels. Despite her primary focus on unglazed surfaces, she has also experimented with col-or on some of her forms. These vessels have been professionally enameled at an auto body shop with car paint, producing a luscious surface that goes above and beyond glaze. The eye-catching forms tap into the psychology of our deepest desires through her choice of colors with serious caché, like Ferrari red and yellow.

While in the studio, Van Hoey engages in the making process with focus, precision, and intensity, but also with a sense of humor. She is very aware of the tension between her meditative clay process and the demands of the tech-savvy world outside the studio walls. There is evidence of this awareness and humor in her work, if you look closely on the side of the vessels in her Social Clay series, she has embossed the phrases, “Sent from my iPad,” “sorry for the briefness,” and “join me on Facebook.”

The simplest forms are deceptively complex to make and for Van Hoey there are no short cuts or tricks. Her forming process has evolved over time through trial and error. Ideas for new pieces come naturally from the evolution of working in her studio, where patience and repetition are critical in achieving geometric perfection.

by Andrea Marquis

Ann Van Hoey transforms round shapes into a variety of forms inspired by origami and geometry, like those shown here from 2011. Photo: Dries Van den Brande.

ÉTudeAnn VAn Hoey’s

GÉomÉTrique


Hand Rolling SlabsVan Hoey’s forms begin as slabs and she uses commercial clay straight out of the bag. She prefers the clay to be soft and it’s important that the clay be pliable but not sticky. After working with the Dutch artist Netty Janssens, she doesn’t wedge her clay, prefer-ring to align the clay particles by gradually thinning the slab as it’s rolled out.

After every pass over the slab Van Hoey carefully pulls the clay up and off of the can-vas to allow the slab to expand evenly and to allow the clay platelets to align, strength-

ening the slab. She then uses a soft red Mudtools rib to repeatedly smooth the slab throughout the rolling process. She carefully removes impurities and large grog

particles as she makes her final passes over the slab. The clay slab must be perfect because most of her vessels are not glazed and the finished sur-

faces come from the fired bare clay.

Filling the MoldTo create her vessel forms, Van Hoey pieces her rolled slabs

into a half spherical plaster mold, usually 11–19 inches (30–50 cm) in diameter, that she purchased from her local

clay supplier. In preparation for construction, she works with a paper pattern, developed through trial and error, to approxi-

mately fill her mold. She first lays the pattern on the slab (1) and then over the mold, eyeing the shape of the pattern to fit the inte-

rior curve of the mold. Using a modified knife (see figure 4 inset), she cuts out a piece of clay that is approximately the same size and shape

as the pattern (2). Next she uses a plastic circle with dividing lines as a guide to create marks on the top of her mold to aid in equally dividing the

circumference of her vessel (3). The mold and slab are cleaned and then inspected for contaminants and ir-

regularities. As Van Hoey readies the cut piece, she flips and reverses the slab to ensure the perfect side faces outward and the finished surface is without imperfec-

tions. She carefully presses her cut slab into her mold; slowly expanding the slab into the curved shape (4). She notes that it’s important this be done gradually and she takes

great care to rib the clay up and down, and then back and forth with horizontal strokes.Next, she trims the slab, cutting it on the top edge with her modified pen knife

that allows the blade to be inserted at an angle (5). She locates the dividing marks

Tips for rolling slabs out by hand:� Start with a slice of bagged clay that is pliable but

not sticky.

� Use wooden slats of varying thicknesses (starting with two thicker slats and replacing them with pro-gressively thinner slats as you work) to gauge and even out the thickness of the slab as it’s rolled out.

� Begin rolling at the center of the slab, moving to the outer edges.

� Flip the slabs over after every roll to compress and align particles on both sides.

� Roll and thin the slabs gradually to keep the clay particles aligned.

� Once the slab has reached the approximate desired size and thickness, roll it one way, in the same direction.


Lay the paper template over the smoothed out slab. Cut the slab to the approximate shape and size of the template.

Trim the top using a modified knife that allows the blade to be held flush with the top of the mold.

Score a line through the excess clay along the edge of the slab then remove it.

Use a circular dividing tool to mark the edge of the mold with guidelines for cutting the slab sections.

Press the cut slab into the mold, slowly expanding it to match the curve.

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process | Ann Van Hoey’s Étude Géométrique | Andrea Marquis

on the mold that were created with the plastic circle template. Using each mark as a guide, she draws a line in the clay with her knife that only goes halfway through the slab—this prevents scratches on the interior of the mold. Then she removes the excess clay (6).

Van Hoey uses a total of three slabs to complete her form. When joining two slabs she compresses the edge of the slab, bev-eling it with her finger in order to create more surface area for the thin slab pieces to connect. She scores the edges, taking care not to scratch the mold. With light pressure she uses her finger

to feel where the slabs overlap and cuts the top slab to fit. She removes the leftover piece with her pin tool and applies slip to the bottom slab.

Next, she gently compresses the slabs together with her finger (7). Using a semi-circular custom-made rib that she cut out of an old credit card, Van Hoey repeats the above step with more pressure. During this process she removes a little of the overlap of clay to make the wall thickness uniform. After the clay has been carefully ribbed, she removes the top edge with her modified knife.


Flip the mold upside down onto a bat and gently tap the bot-tom of the mold to release the form.

Compress the slabs together gently before repeating the com-pression process with a rib.

Use a soft rubber rib to smooth and compress the seams and to compress the entire outside of the vessel.

Repeat the compression, refining, and smoothing process after adding the bottom slab.

Refine the seams using a wooden sculptor’s thumb or rubber- tipped tool.

Scrape the rim with a metal rib to bevel it, then smooth and compress the edge.

Cut darts into the form with heavy-duty scissors. The length and width of the darts guide the final shape.

Gradually overlap the clay cuts, score and slip within the over-lapped area and join.

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but plastic enough to fold without cracking. The vessel shape must be evenly pliable so it’s important to avoid a draft that can lead to uneven drying. She lets her piece set up in the mold with a bat over the top and places them in a cardboard box turned on its side. With the box closed, which protects it from drafts and helps to equalize the moisture in and around the piece, she lets the vessel set up for an hour or two.

Van Hoey removes the piece from the mold by flipping it upside down on a bat and gently tapping the mold to release the form (9). The upside-down form and bat go onto a banding wheel. Using the flat, wide side of a metal rib, she cleans the outside of seams where the slabs were joined together. She inspects the outside sur-face of the form for any irregularities—popping air bubbles and then using a red Mudtools rib to smooth the exterior surface (10).

DartingUsing her hands, Van Hoey flips the clay form right-side up and cradles it in a pillow. With her circular dividing tool (see figure 3), she establishes three equidistant points on the top edge of her form and makes a mark. Next, she measures how long she wants the dart to extend toward the bottom of the form as well as how wide she wants them to be, both of which will affect the final shape. These marks guide her as she cuts her darts.

With large, sharp, heavy-duty scissors, which create a cleaner, straighter cut, Van Hoey cuts through her form (11). She cuts next to the seams between the original slabs of clay used to make the form so that the seam will be underneath the dart and therefore concealed by it when the clay walls overlap. Next, she gradually folds and smooths the clay cuts to until they overlap. Then, with a needle tool, she marks the outline of the overlap. She scores and slips each side (12), making sure there’s ample slip in the corners of the overlaps, which keeps the darts from pulling apart.

Finishing the FormVan Hoey uses a wood sculptor’s thumb to refine the seams (13), compressing them so there is absolutely no gap. The edges of the darts get dabbed with water and compressed. Small holes often ap-pear at the bottom of the darts due to the movement of the folding process so she repairs them by touching them up with water and then using a wooden tool to compresses the area inside and out. She then smooths all of the seams’ sides and joints with a red Mud-tools rib and repeats this process until perfect. The clay form then gets covered in loose plastic and she smooths the rim the next day.

To finish the piece, Van Hoey scrapes the rim with a metal rib (14), beveling it slightly, and then refines the overlapping top edges with a wooden tool. She uses a damp sponge to smooth the exteri-or, removing finger marks on the outside edge—the inside doesn’t get sponged. Finally, the bottom gets tapped slightly to flatten it out (this keeps it from rocking) and the finished piece is slowly once fired to cone 1.

Ann Van Hoey holds her first degree in economics from the University of Antwerp. At 50, she went back to school, received an art degree from the Institute for Arts and Craft in Mechelen, and set up a studio. She has an extensive exhibition record throughout Europe, America, and Asia, which includes receiving the silver prize in the 2013 Cheongju Craft Biennial in Korea. To learn more visit www.annvanhoey-ceramics.be.

Andrea Marquis is a ceramic artist, educator, and writer living in Phila-delphia, Pennsylvania.

She repeats this process, rolling out slabs, cutting out patterned pieces, joining them and then refining the form to produce the sides of the vessel.

She fills the bottom by approximating the shape and repeats the above steps, beveling the edges and scoring the clay form in the mold. Before attaching the bottom piece of clay to the form in the mold, Van Hoey stamps the bottom of the slab with her chop (pot-ter’s mark) and places the slab into the mold face down—this way impressing the stamp won’t distort the final form. Compressing the slabs together she repeats her refining and smoothing process (8). The refining process is very meditative. She notes that though it has been a slow evolution repeating the same technique, with practice she’s been able to hone and continue to improve her forms.

Van Hoey smooths the bottom of the form, then moves the mold onto a pottery wheel for more clean up. She centers it by eye, then secures the mold to the wheel head with clay wadding and continues to compress the clay form against the mold and refine the thickness of its wall. She trims the top edge of the vessel one more time with her altered knife and then compresses it with her finger to finish the top edge.

Removing the Vessel FormTiming is critical for Van Hoey’s altering process. The clay must be at the perfect stage—firm enough to be handled out of the mold,

Object from the Earthenware Ferrari series, 16 in. (40 cm) in length, slab-built and press-molded earthenware, automotive paint, 2014. Photo: Dries Van den Brande.

Object, 10 in. (26 cm) in length, slab-built and press-molded earthenware, 2015. Photo: Dries Van den Brande.

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Folk wisdom tells us that locally-produced raw honey carries health benefits beyond its power to sweeten your day. If your daily ritual involves spreading honey on your toast or stirring it into your tea, then perhaps the next pot you need to make is a honey pot. Honey is classically served not with a spoon but with a wooden honey dipper, a utensil that allows you to drizzle honey over your toast with some degree of control. Since honey is sticky, you need to be able to leave the dipper in the pot—rather than taking it out and setting it aside between uses as you might with a sugar spoon—but the pot must have a lid to avoid attracting insects. Thus the defining characteristic of a honey pot is an opening in the lid to accommodate the handle of the dipper.

The Right ApproachOne approach is to throw a small covered jar and simply cut a hole in the lid, but the fun of making a honey pot is finding a creative way to make the opening. I like to use a fingertip to reshape the lip of the pot and the edge of the lid to create what looks like a little open mouth to receive the dipper.

On a bat, start with 1½–2 pounds of clay for the pot and throw a wide-bellied form, collaring in to give it a neck and a flaring lip, similar to a basic vase or pitcher form. Use a soft rubber rib to

define the neck; with the rib pressing in from outside, use a finger inside, above the rim to push out just slightly (1). The lid is going to be thrown right-side-up, and it will set into the flaring lip of the pot. To measure for the lid, set your calipers just inside the flared rim (2). Set the form aside (while still attached to the bat) and throw the lid immediately.

Off-The-Hump LidSince the lid will take a very small amount of clay, it’s easiest to throw the lid off the hump. Tip: Throwing off the hump means centering a mound of clay on the wheel and using it to throw several small items. Once you get used to using only part of the clay on the wheel, you’ll find that throwing off the hump is easier than wedging and centering very small amounts of clay, and saves you time as well. Generally I’ll make a few honey pots and then throw all the lids from a two- or three-pound hump.

To throw the lid, roughly center a mound of clay—the whole mound doesn’t have to be perfectly centered, only the top part that you’re going to use. For a small honey-pot lid, you’ll only need a few ounces of clay, maybe the size of a tangerine. Use your pinky fingers to create a shallow groove toward the top of the mound to separate the appropriate amount of clay for the lid. As you throw the lid, ignore the rest of the mass of clay, as if the

by Sumi von Dassow

Two variations of the honey pot, fired and glazed. Both are made with stoneware and fired to cone 6 in a reduction atmosphere.


Throw a vase shape, create a flared rim, then define the neck with a soft rib.

Shape the knob and form the lid to fit the jar and your hands. Make sure it fits inside your caliper measurement.

Measure just inside the lip with double-ended calipers.

Create a dip in the rim by placing two fingers on the outside of the rim and pulling the lip out between them.

Create a groove with your pinky fingers, open up the top, and form the knob.

Shape the lid in the opposite way: use two fingers of your left hand to support the rim while you push up between them.

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groove is the surface of the wheel head. Center the clay above the groove and, keeping your pinkies in the groove, open the center with your thumbs. If you’ve never thrown off the hump, you’ll be wondering how you can be sure to open up to the correct depth. Here’s the secret: if you keep the sides of your pinkies in that groove and open up with your thumbs, you won’t go too deep. Your thumbs just aren’t long enough or flexible enough. Separate your thumb tips as they drill down, so that a small spike of clay is left behind in the center of the lid (3). Shape this bit of clay to form the knob. Once the knob is shaped, pull out the rest of the clay into a wide, shallow bowl form (4). The rim should fit right inside the caliper measurement.

Dip for the DipperOkay, so now you have a simple lid that sets into the rim of the vase form you’ve made, but how will it accommodate the dip-per? You’ll need to alter the rim of the vase form very much like a pitcher’s pour spout, and make a similar but opposite shape in the rim of the lid. Place two fingers of your left hand on the out-side of the lip of the vase, and draw one finger of your right hand between the fingers of your left hand to pull a section of the lip down (5). Then do the opposite on the lid; pull a section up (6).

To cut the lid off the hump, use a wood or metal tool to further deepen the groove under the lid (7), then wrap your cutting wire

into this groove and pull it through. Remove it from the hump with dry fingers.

When the lid is placed on the pot, this will create an opening just right for a dipper. As soon as the two pieces have stiffened up enough to handle, put the lid on the jar and make sure it settles into place and the opening is adequate for the handle of a dipper (8). Tweak the rim of either piece as necessary while the clay is still soft enough.

TrimmingYou shouldn’t need to do much trimming on either piece. If the lid came off a bit heavy, turn it upside down in the mouth of the jar, center the jar on the wheel head, and trim off the excess. Alternatively, center the lid upside down on the wheel-head, then use a coil of clay under the lip to accommodate the lifted section and level the lid for trimming (9). If the pot needs trimming, the altered rim won’t keep you from turning it up-side down on the wheel head and holding it in place with three wads of clay.

Alternate ApproachIf you prefer a pot with a gallery, it’s only slightly more compli-cated to make it this way. Throw a jar with a thick rim and split the rim to form the gallery. Then throw the lid upside down,


Recipe

Create a sharp groove at the base of the lid. Wrap a cutting wire around the groove to cut the lid off the hump.

Two versions of the finished honey pot with dipper; one with a gallery inside of the rim on the pot and one without.

When the lid and jar rim have stiffened, place the lid on the pot and tweak it to make sure they fit together nicely.

If you can’t turn the lid upside down on the rim to trim it, center it on a coil to accommodate the reshaped rim.

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measuring to make sure it fits the gallery of the pot. Reshape the rim of the jar and the lid and try them together before they get too stiff (10). You’ll want to cut off the gallery inside the reshaped area of the jar to accommodate the dipper. Once the lid has stiffened up enough, trim it, attach a small blob of clay, and throw it into a knob. It’s a good idea to put a small dry sponge under the lid when you do this to avoid collapsing it.

Be sure to use stable, food-safe glazes on your honey pot. If you don’t want to leave an unglazed area inside the rim of the honey pot, fire the lid separately. You can dip the whole lid in glaze and fire it on stilts, or wax the underside and fire it right-side-up next to the honey pot.

Honey SyrupBeyond the simple and delicious honey drizzled on toast for break-fast or a snack, another good summer-time use is to stir it into cold drinks. It simply won’t dissolve in cold water, so the trick is to make a honey syrup. Honey syrups can also be poured over pancakes, drizzled on top of a cake, or mixed into yogurt.

½ cup honey½ cup hot water

Mix honey into hot water; warm gently in a pot on low heat un-til honey is fully dissolved. You can add cinnamon, lemon juice, or other flavorings as desired. Keeps in refrigerator without crystalliz-ing for weeks.

process | A Honey of a Pot | Sumi von Dassow

Check out Sumi’s book, In the Potter’s Kitchen, available in the Ceramic Arts Daily Bookstore, www.ceramicartsdaily.org/bookstore/in-the-potters-kitchen.

Sumi von Dassow is an artist, instructor, and regular contributor to Pottery Making Illus-trated. She lives in Golden, Colorado.


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Jennifer Poellot HarnettyEditor, CeramicArtsDaily.orgProgram Manager, Ceramic Arts Daily Presents Video Series

ceramic artsdaily.org

ceramic arts daily video library

Figure Scu

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ith M

elisa C

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ell

In this installment of the Ceramic Arts Daily Presents Video Series, Melisa Cadell shares her straight-forward and accessible techniques for sculpting the human form. In addition to demonstrating how to create figures with attention to anatomical detail, Melisa also addresses how to infuse the figure with emotional and gestural qualities that help breathe life into the work. Feeling that they are often overlooked, yet crucial to creating believable figures, Melisa starts out with her uncomplicated approach to the hands and feet. Then it’s on to the ever-important head and Melisa explains how understanding the anatomy and complexities of the head is crucial to conveying a message to the viewer. Finally, she brings it all together by sculpting an entire figure from head to toe. This thor-ough and insightful presentation will help you not only to sculpt convincing human figures, but also to create depth and character within your work.

ceramic arts daily video library gCopyright 2015 The American Ceramic Society

Total Running Time: Approximately 4 hours

presentsceramicartsdaily

Melisa Cadell is a studio artist and educator who lives in the mountains of Western North Carolina with her family. Cadell holds a BFA from the University of North Texas and an MFA from East Ten-nessee State University. In addition to teaching workshops around the United States, Cadell currently teaches clay and mixed media sculpture at Appalachian State University and East Tennessee State University. Her work has been exhibited nationally and featured in publications such as American Style magazine, Ceramics: Art & Perception and 500 Figures in Clay (Lark Books, 2004). For more information, please visit www.melisacadell.com.

Figure Sculpting in Clay with

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Go online to watch a video clip or purchase Melisa’s new DVD!

NEW DVD RELEASEGo Figure!In her new video Figure Sculpting in Clay, Melisa

Cadell demonstrates how to create figures in a straightforward and accessible way, as well as

how to infuse the figure with emotional and gestural qualities that help breathe life

into the work. This thorough and insightful presen-

tation will help you not only sculpt convincing human figures, but also create depth and character within your work.

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A well-wedged mound is the first step toward efficient center-ing and skilled throwing. Skilled centering facilitates throwing by maintaining strong clay with compressed and aligned par-ticles and an even moisture content throughout the centered mound. The biggest problem during centering is not just con-trolling the off-center high points and finding the center, but also maintaining the strength and homogeneous consistency of the clay established during wedging. Overworking and the re-sulting over saturation of the clay during centering erodes the strength of the clay, ultimately compromising the thrown form.

Note: Directions in this article are given for a counter-clock-wise spinning wheel. For ease of communication the points

around the wheel head will refer to the face of a clock with 6:00 at the potter’s belly button.

1. WedgingWedging prepares the mound for centering.

A. Create a high point at the center bottom to dispel air when attaching the mound of clay to the bat or wheel head.

B. Make fairly straight vertical sides to simplify centering (1).

C. Create a subtle high point at the top of the mound to allow the clay to move up the core of the mound during centering.

D. For vertical forms prepare a vertical mound. Open forms start with a lower, wider mound.

Skilled

by Joyce Michaud

Centering

Straighten and reposition the mound after the hit.

Shape the wedged mound with straight sides and curved ends.

Cup the mound, look down on the wheel, and hit the clay against the wheel head.

Continue the movement in a follow-through across the wheel head.

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1 2 3

5 Touch the high points of the base and the top and move toward the center. 6 and 7 Rotate the wheel so the off-center point is toward your body. Push down and move toward the center.

5 6 7


2. The HitThe hit, done well, results in a fairly centered vertical mound, minimizing the work of final centering. The hit also expels air and attaches the mound to the wheel. Trapped air under the mound may cause it to release from the wheel head during centering or throwing. Removing the splash pan facilitates centering.

A. Cup your hands around the clay with your small finger under the change of direc-tion at the base of the hit (2).

B. Stabilize your head with your nose over the center of the wheel (3). C. Practice moving the wedged mound straight up and down over the center point of

the wheel to get a feel for the weight of the clay, the vertical alignment, and the center point of the wheel.

D. Keep your elbows out—elbows next to your body during the hit cause an angled rather than vertical mound.

E. As your hands move down in the hit, continue the movement in a follow through from the mound out across the wheel head.

3. RepositionRepositioning the mound moves the clay closer to center and straightens the mound if necessary. If the mound is off center or at an angle after the hit and the suction is strong, reposition the mound instead of rewedging and repeating the hit (4).

A. If the mound is at an angle, touch the high point of the base where it’s the most off center. At the same time, touch the high point on the opposite side at the top where it is most off center and move these points toward the center to straighten the mound (5).

B. Rotate the wheel head so that the point that is the greatest distance off center is to-ward your body. Embrace the clay, press down, and move the mound toward the center (6 and 7).

4. Slap CenteringSlap centering begins the centering of

the clay with dry hands and quick di-

rected slaps to dispel high points and

minimize the work of final centering.

Don’t overwork the clay at this step. At

the end of slap centering, the mound

should have straight sides with a soft

curve and subtle high point at the top.

A. Center your head above the wheel

and look for off-center high points.

B. With the wheel moving very slowly,

use loose arms and cupped hands to slap

and release, dispelling many high points

at one time (8). Touch quickly and release

immediately, releasing the top of your

hands first and move in the direction of

the turn of the wheel to avoid torquing the

mound. Your hands should not contact

the clay on the same horizontal plane (9).

5. Seal the Mound and Center the TopSealing the mound creates a small but-

tress at the base of the mound preventing

the water from eroding the suction (10).

A. Throw a bead of clay at the base of

the mound by rolling your index finger in,

down, and out creating a tiny buttress (11).

Centering the top of the mound cre-

ates a dynamic high point to assist in

wedging during centering.

B. Moving against the spin, throw in

a tight spiral from the edge to the center

top of the mound and back to the edge,

leaving a high point at the center top of

the mound (12).

LubricationLubrication minimizes friction. Dur-

ing final centering, lubricate carefully to

minimize the breakdown of the struc-

tural integrity of the clay caused by too

much water or a torque in the mound

caused by too little lubrication.

Lubricate by creating slip from the

mound using a loosely held wet sponge

or your wet hand. Move quickly and re-

move the sponge or hand from the sur-

face of the clay before the slip is eroded.

Replace the lubrication as it’s eroded

during centering. A sponge in your right

fingers allows replacement of lubrication

during final centering.

Slap centering with dry hands to remove any high points and create straight sides.

Seal the mound to the wheel head by creating a small buttress of clay.

Slap and release quickly, dispelling many high points as the wheel slowly turns.

A tiny buttress minimizes the buildup of water that erodes clay at the wheel head.

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Wedging During CenteringWedging while centering consists of directing the movement of the clay down, across the wheel head, and up the center of the mound, mixing and blending the clay to maintain the compression and alignment of clay particles and the homogeneous con-sistency of the clay (13). Overworking, and thus over lubricating, the top 1⁄3 of the mound leads to a weakening of the structural strength of the top 1⁄3 of the pot, often resulting in thin walls and weak rims.

Conversely the bottom 1⁄3 of the mound is often underworked and difficult to move, contributing to thickness in the base of the walls and the floor of the pot. Pay attention to your angle of approach to efficiently direct the movement of the clay toward the core of the mound and dispel unwanted high points as you move against the spin of the wheel (14). With adequate preparation, the need for coning, which may erode the strength of a well-wedged mound, is minimized.

6. Final CenteringFinal centering moves all high points to a centered position to prepare for opening. Ef-ficient final centering compresses and aligns the clay particles and fine tunes the shape of the mound—taller and narrower for vertical forms, lower and wider for open forms.

A. Hold a sponge in your right hand and lubricate in advance of your left hand.B. Center the top 1⁄3: With a cupped hand, position your left thumb pad at the change of

direction at the outer edge of the top of the mound at approximately 7:00. With a raised shoulder, tuck your left elbow into your body, direct the bones of your lower arm to the center core of the mound, use your body weight to apply pressure, and center the top 1⁄3 of the clay, releasing pressure at 9:00. Keep your right thumb perpendicular to your fingers and move it toward the center of the mound in order to find and control high points.

C. Center the middle 1⁄3: Both the thumb and outside pads of the left hand control the middle 1⁄3 of the mound as the elbow moves down and the arm becomes parallel with the wheel head—do this without a splash pan in place. Begin at 7:00, keep your

finger pads away from the clay, use the soft, flexible touch of your fingertips in order to feel the movement of the clay, and direct your body pressure at both pads of the left hand to the crest of the off-center high points. Move against the spin to dispel high points and release from the clay at 9:00.

D. Center the bottom 1⁄3: A tag team of the left and right hands accomplishes the final centering of the bottom 1⁄3 of the mound. As your left hand moves to center the bottom 1⁄3 keep an eye on the forma-tion of a larger buttress at the base of the mound. As soon as you see the buttress getting larger, release the pressure of the left hand, protect the right fingers with a sponge, and starting at the top of the but-tress, throw down against the spin (diag-onally toward your body 3:00–5:30) (15). At the wheel head, rotate your right palm up to deposit the clay under the outer edge of the mound, create an undercut, and move clay across the wheel head and up the center core of the mound. This move creates a high point on the side of the mound about ½ inch above the wheel head. The wrist pad of the left hand moves to dispel the high point, centering the bottom ¼ inch of the mound without abrading the side of the hand. The right hand moves to the change of direction at the top of the mound to hold it on cen-ter, as the left hand dispels the high point at the bottom of the mound. Touch and dispel any remaining high points and the centering is complete.

Hand ErgonomicsUse of the hands warrants a brief discus-sion to prevent injuries and maximize efficiency. During centering, the job of the right hand is to center the top of the mound, lubricate in advance of the left hand, control the buttress at the base of the mound, and move the clay across the wheel head. Keep your hand cupped and pull or push with your arm and body. For a counter-clockwise spin, your left hand provides the power for centering. The job of the left hand is to control major high points to center the mound. Look at the palm of your left hand with your thumb extended and note both the muscle pad at the base of your thumb and the smaller pad over your wrist bone. With your hand

Wedging during centering compresses and aligns particles to minimize coning.

Center the bottom of the mound. Use a damp sponge to add water as needed.

Center the top of the mound to remove high points and prepare for opening

Angle of approach is determined by the direction you need to move the clay.

15

12 13

14

heel of left hand


cupped, these two muscle pads are located perpendicular to the end of your arm bones and are your high point controllers and di-rect the force from your body into the clay. If your hand is straight, there is no power and the pads at the base of your fingers contact the clay and cause significant friction. Keep the finger pads off the clay by cupping your hands. Fingertips of a cupped hand touch the clay and communicate movement of the clay and the location of off-center high points. Your extended thumb keeps the muscle pad strong and available for use in controlling high points. For center-ing, a move against the spin is critical. Your left hand moves away from your body between 7:00 and 9:00 and your right hand moves toward your body between 1:00 and 3:00.

Angle of ApproachAngle of approach is determined by the direction you need to move the clay. Your tucked elbow controls the angle of approach for your left arm and hand, and thus controls the movement of the clay. Posture and body position affect the angle of approach. Be aware of how natural body movements affect the needed angle of approach and how equipment may hinder the desired angle of approach. � The height of the potter’s chair in relation to the wheel head

can prevent the use of body weight transfer.� Wedging during centering is hindered by the height of the

splash pan because the left arm and elbow cannot move low enough to move clay in or up.

� Check the angle of your fingers and arms when you are throwing or centering to make sure you are actually directing the clay where you want it to go (see figure 14).

Wheel Speed Speed is determined by type of wheel, types of clay, consistency of clay, amount of clay, and strength of the potter. The wheel speed must be fast enough to assist in the movement of the clay, but slow enough for the potter to control the movement of the clay. A fast wheel requires brute strength and lots of lu-brication. If the wheel rotates too slowly, the clay doesn’t move easily. The spin of the wheel must assist in displacing the off center high points of clay from the surface of the mound to the core of the mound and back out to fill in the low points. Learn your clay consistency during preparation for centering and test your wheel speed as you throw to center the top of the mound. The bottom 1⁄3 may require an adjustment in the wheel speed due to the weight above.

Joyce Michaud is Professor of Art and Founding Director of the Graduate Ceramics Arts Program at Hood College in Frederick, Maryland. Her per-sonal art work and teaching led her to research the physics involved in the art of throwing. She has researched and taught the fine art of throwing for 26 years. Her ceramic art is in the permanent collection of the Smithson-ian’s Renwick Gallery. She has published the DVD Hand Throwing: East Asian Wedged Coil.

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Handbuilding Techniques

If you enjoy handbuilding, then Handbuilding Techniques is one book you’ll definitely want in your collection. You’ll discover how to make a wide range of functional pots using a variety of handbuilding techniques used by professional ceramic artists. Illustrated with hundreds of step-by-step images, Handbuilding Techniques gives you all the how-to information you need to explore new methods and expand your skills. Written for intermediate to advanced potters, this book promises to move you into an excit-ing world of inspired creativity.

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Ha

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edited by bill Jones

Bill Jones received a Bachelor of Fine

Arts in studio ceramics from The

Ohio State University, and operated

a pottery studio during the 1970s.

He joined the American Ceramic

Society in 1997 to serve as editor of

Pottery Making Illustrated as well

as manage the Ceramic Arts Daily

Book program. He currently lives

and works in Gambier, Ohio, where

he continues to edit ceramic art

handbooks and operate Pine Row

Studio with his wife, Pamela.

If you enjoy handbuilding, then Handbuilding Techniques is one

book you will definitely want in your collection. This Ceramic Arts

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Illustrated with hundreds of step-by-step images, Handbuilding

Techniques gives you all the how-to information you need

to explore new methods and expand your skills. Written for

intermediate to advanced potters, this book promises to move

you out of your comfort zone into a world of inspired creativity.


Score, slip, and bend the slab around to complete the circle and form the body.

Score and slip the bottom of the pitcher and around the base edge.

Use a paddle along the edge of the base to gently reestablish the form.

4 5 6

Food is always on my mind. I grew up in a household that placed a high value on food. This value was reinforced during college. As an anthropology major, I learned how material culture sheds light on what a society values. I began my journey as a maker of utilitarian objects at the same time, while learning more about cooking and serving food in handmade containers.

The food we share nourishes us both physically and emo-tionally. It also feeds the social relationships that define who we are within a group. Mealtimes, from the perspective of anthro-pologists, are cultural sites for socialization. Eating and drink-ing from handmade pots causes us to slow down, creating the perfect opportunity for conversation.

I use a handful of basic handbuilding techniques to create my pottery forms. I often use soft-slab construction and then scrape the surface to highlight the unrefined qualities of my coarse earthenware clay body. In order to compliment the tex-ture created during the forming process, I use a combination of slip and glaze to create subtle, weathered surfaces that suggest a history of use.

My pitcher form is based on an old tin pitcher that I once saw at an antique store. I used it as a starting point for how to approach the form but adjusted the proportions and shape ac-cording to how my clay behaves as a material.

Inviting Useby Joseph Pintz

Templates and tools used to make a handbuilt pitcher.

Using paper patterns, cut out the body, base, handle, handle pocket, and spout.

Bevel the base slab at a 45° angle. Roll out a small coil and blend it into the base.

1 2 3

in the potter’s kitchen | food and clay


Place the handle inside a fold of plastic and gently swipe your finger along both sides.

Score, slip, and attach the handle pocket slab. Set handle aside to firm up.

7 8

Score and slip the top edge of the pitcher and the short side of the spout and attach.

Use a trimming tool to carve out a foot on the bottom of the pitcher.

Use a lug of wet clay to help prop up the handle while the joint sets up.

Scrape the entire exterior surface with a rib to bring out the texture of the grog.

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Body and BaseBegin by rolling out a 3⁄8-inch thick slab (1). I use a series of paper patterns to make the following parts: a body, a base, a handle, a handle pocket, and a spout (2). Cut out all the parts and set aside the spout and handle parts, storing them under plastic.

Bevel the edge of the base slab at a 45° angle. Roll out a small coil and blend it into the base (3). This ramp of clay will be help-ful in the next step when joining the base to the body.

Next, cut the one side edge of the body at a 45° angle while undercutting the second side edge in the opposite direction at a 45° angle so they line up properly when the body is assembled. Score and slip the angled side edges of the body and bend the slab around to complete the circle (4). Compress these seams to-gether with a rib on both the inside and outside, while providing support with your opposite hand. Then, gently oval the body.

Bevel the bottom edge of the body at a 45° angle. Score and slip the bottom of the pitcher as well as around the base edge (5). In-vert the body and place it on the base. While supporting the wall on the outside, use your fingers to gently blend the interior ramp of clay from the base into the wall to secure them together. Use a paddle along the edge of the base to gently reestablish the form (6). Set the body aside and allow it to stiffen up a bit.

Handle SetupTo assemble the handle, start by compressing the handle slab with a rib to remove any texture. Then, place it between thin pieces of plastic and smooth it on both sides (7). This gives it a soft, rounded edge.

Now, take the slab that will be inset into the curve of the han-dle to create a pocket. Cut two grooves that are the width of the handle along the pocket slab; this allows you to fold the edges up into a bridge-like shape. Score and slip along the grooves be-fore folding up and reinforcing the corner with a small coil for added strength. Next, place the handle on edge and bend it into the approximate curve while inserting the pocket into place. Lightly mark where these parts come together; then score and slip them together (8). Don’t poke a hole in the handle pocket at this point. Leaving it filled with air will help give it structure while it’s setting up and during the attachment of the handle. Set the assembled handle aside and allow it to firm up a bit while you work on attaching the spout to the body of pitcher.

SpoutCompress the spout with a rib to remove any texture. Then, place the spout inside a fold of thin plastic and gently swipe your finger along the long side of the spout. Flip it over and repeat this process on the other side to give your spout a nice tapered edge that will aid in pouring. Miter the top edge of the pitcher body to a 45° angle. Score and slip this edge as well as the short side of the spout and attach (9). The articulation of this seam on both the inside and the outside is very important to my pitcher form. Allow the clay to stiffen up before refining this detail.

Handle PocketAfter the handle has firmed up, cut away a slight divot from the top and the bottom of the handle so that it fits the curve of the pitcher. Check for fit and then lightly mark the body

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where it will be joined. Score and slip the handle as well as corresponding points on the body and press firmly to attach. Use a lug of wet clay to help prop up the handle while the joint sets up (10). It’s important for the visual strength of my pitcher that the line of the handle pocket is parallel to the line of the body, so ad-just accordingly. Next, backfill the gaps between the handle and the body with small coils of clay to help strengthen the attachment as well as help make the han-dle look more visually substantial where it joins the body.

Finishing TouchesOnce the handle and rim have set up to medium leather hard carefully refine the seams and transitions between the individual sections. Remember to prick a pinhole into the pocket of the handle to release the trapped air before it gets too hard. Turn the pitcher over on a thin piece of foam and trim away the center portion of the base to create a foot ring (11). This makes the bottom look more considered as well as help to make it sit flat on the table.

Scrape the exterior surface of the en-tire pitcher to bring out the texture in the grogged earthenware (12). Allow it to dry and bisque fire. Finally, brush three coats of a colored glaze, such as Hirsch Satin Matte and fire it to cone 03.

HirscH satin Mattecone 04–02

Gerstley Borate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 %Lithium Carbonate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Whiting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Nepheline Syenite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4EPK Kaolin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Silica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 100 %

Add: Bentonite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 %

For TurquoiseAdd: Titanium Dioxide . . . . . . . . . 1.66 % Chrome Oxide . . . . . . . . . . . 0.36 % Copper Carbonate . . . . . . . . 0.92 %

For GreenAdd: Chrome Oxide . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 %

For WhiteAdd: Rutile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 %

For YellowAdd: Yellow Stain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 %

Joseph Pintz is currently an assistant professor at the University of Missouri and a studio artist. He received his MFA from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and has completed numerous artist residencies including the Roswell Artist-in-Residence program and the Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts.

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Watermelon Agua FrescaNow that the pitcher is all done, it’s time to make some agua fresca and sit on the porch to watch the sunset! And nothing says summer like watermelon, so here’s a great recipe to turn your watermelon into a delicious, refreshing drink.

8 cups seedless watermelon1 lime, juicedPinch of saltAgave nectar (optional, to taste)A few sprigs of mint (for taste and for garnish)IceWater

Cut watermelon into chunks (1). Puree the fruit in a blender (2). Strain into a bowl through a fine-mesh sieve (3). Squeeze the juice from the lime (4). Transfer watermelon juice to pitcher; stir in 1½ cups water, lime juice, and mint. Chill. Serve over ice and add mint sprigs as garnish (5 and 6). You can also add a spirit such as gin or vodka to make a cocktail.

Rec

ipe

Use a fine-mesh sieve and strain the juice into a bowl.

Stir in fresh squeezed lime juice. Add agave nectar as an optional sweetener.

3 4

Transfer the juice to the pitcher. Serve over ice and garnish with mint sprigs.

Fresh watermelon juice served in Joe Pintz’ handbuilt pitcher.

5 6

Remove the rind of the watermelon and place the fruit into a blender.

1

Puree the watermelon on a medium setting until consistent.

2

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eventsCome to visit 1001 Pots, the ceramic event in val-david, Quebec, Canada. From July 10 to august 16, 2015, this exhibition presents masterpieces from Quebec and Canadian ce-ramic production. nearly 100 potters and ceramicists will have work on display. in ad-dition, each artist will have their own outdoor exhibition area. a separate exhibition space will be open to the public for new emerging artists from a professional ceramic school. the Gaetan Beaudin Gallery will present a selection of one of a kind pieces. to celebrate its 27th anniversary, the entire team of 1001 Pots will prepare a rich and varied program which will appeal to all age groups. www.1001pots.com or [email protected] for more information.

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Call for Submissions to: annUaL tHree WHeeL stUdio CeraMiC sHoW Lo-Cation: three Wheel studio, 436 Wicken-den st, Providence, ri 02903. deadLine: september 1st, 2015. event dates: oc-tober 15th, 2015 through november 15th, 2015 to apply or for more information: www.threewheelstuio.com/opencall.

opportunitiesNeed a mature couple to live, work, build, maintain in mountains of Pennsylvania. Clay studio and lodging provided until caretakers cottage is finished. sober living only. Contact us at: [email protected].

Watermark Art Center call for submissions for the 13th annual it’s only Clay national Jur-ied Competition and exhibit, featuring 2015 juror, John (Butch) Holden. dedicated to functional ceramics, this annual event is a col-laboration between the Watermark and Bemi-dji state University. awards for 1st, 2nd, 3rd place prizes equaling $1,600.00 and purchase awards for BsU Margaret Harlow Collection. Fee is $30 for 3 entries. Postmark deadline september 14th, 2015. More information and application at www.watermarkartcenter.org or call (218) 444-7570.

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snake leaving a hole

Derek Jungarrayi Thompson

aboriginal mark making

ceremonial travel

animal tracks

person, woman, man

people sitting

legendary routes

flowing water, rain

snake entering a hole

connected watering holes or running water

headdresses

legendary routes

honey ant site

Tjimpuna Williams

Tjimpuna Williams

The Aborigine people of Australia make use of many common symbols in their artwork. Although these vary from region to region, they’re generally understood and form an important part of Australian Indigenous art. A few of the more com-

mon ones, and some variations, are shown here. The meaning of the symbols can change depending on the context of the story. To see more work by Derek Jungarrayi Thompson, Tjimpuna Williams, and others, visit www.ernabellaarts.com.au.

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