Studio Glazed Pieces just waiting……

 

 Ah Dinner for 6?  I have several Plates all glazed waiting to be fired with used plate setters! YEAH!

YEAH My used PLATE SETTER’s

I was having a difficult time at the recreation center with my 14 inch dinner plates.  The recreation center staff only have so many hours to load kilns,etc.  My throwing and pieces tend to be larger than most and more numbers than most.  This was causing stress for the staff which I didn’t want to do.  I found a great “TIP” from Donna on http://groups.yahoo.com/group/potterybasics/messages?o=1  She found these plate setters that are used for 7.50 each.  They are sold in pairs at 14.50 plus shipping.  Not bad when you consider what a half kiln shelf costs at mile high http://www.milehiceramics.net/GetPrices.asp are about $60.00 New for a SKUTT 1027.  So I was able to purchase 4 used plate setters on ebay with shipping for 56.00.  SWEET!

 Here’s the link for Ebay and used plate setters http://cgi.ebay.com/Ceramic-Supplies-DISH-SETTER-plates-kiln-shelf-2_W0QQitemZ310021921202QQihZ021QQcategoryZ3090QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQ_trksidZp1638.m118.l1247QQcmdZViewItem

When I’m an OLD LADY

There was a poem written by Jenny Joseph titled   WARNING …” When I Am An Old Woman I Shall Wear Purple,

and a RED HAT that doesn’t go.” This poem was written in 1961 and is a poem that speaks of growing old in a wonderfully outrageous style.  It has been said the it was the Nations favourite post war poem.

I’m not Jenny Joesph, and I don’t think I will be wearing purple and a RED hat when I get to be an OLD WOMAN.  However, she has manged to get  me thinking tho of what I will be like when I am an OLD LADY.

Currently I am a Realtor and have been for several years.  I enjoy selling and  buying real estate and meeting new people. I listen well to what their needs are and seem to be able to find that DREAM house quickly and easily for most.  My gift at closing this year,2008, is a piece of my POTTERY to all I work with.  http://www.starostateam.com/

So what does this all have to do with getting OLD?  Well…..When I’m an OLD LADY, I will have a small galley/studio with a sign that says MTN MAMA POTTERY.  I will glaze my pots in outrageous colors that most would say do not go together.  I will PLAY in MUDD all day and get dirty.  I will have no FINGER Nails when I’m an Old LADY and my hands will be wrinkled.  I will use what I have learned about people and real estate and find an OLD HOUSE that I can rebuild in my Gallery and Studio somewhere in COLORADO.  I will ride my horse Bella when ever I want and still compete with all the young ones over fences hoping for a BLUE RIBBON!

 When I am an OLD LADY I will still be a potter…….taking the everyday and making it into a wonderful LIFE!

Plate Setters

How to fire Large 14 inch Dinner plates and 10 inch Salad plates?  It seems at the recreation center we are able to fire the plates at Bisque with no major problems but getting the glaze firing on plates is a bit more tricky.  And there are more and more potters throwing plates it seems.  So I thought about getting plate setters.  There are really alot of choices, some are 3 setters to a plate but the ones I seem to like BEST are these.  They are similar to an actual plate and appear to stack nicely.  Seems like they give support just like a kiln shelf’s to limit warping due stacking.

However, big problem is the price.  I have seen them as high as $25.00 each which makes for a really EXPENSIVE wheel throw plate.   I did receive a great tip tho from Donna Harmony at www.potterybasics@yahoogroups.com  She let me know that you can buy they for almost half the price on ebay.  http://cgi.ebay.com/Ceramic-Supplies-DISH-SETTER-plates-kiln-shelf-2_W0QQitemZ310021921202QQihZ021QQcategoryZ3090QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQ_trksidZp1638.m118.l1247QQcmdZViewItem
So my problem appears to be getting slowly solved and I should have some nice plates soon without using up too much kiln space at the recreation center.

Glaze with EARTH tones

Earth tones are another of the glaze combinations I like as well.  I used a cream with specks and Randy’s red glaze and together they make a nice light brown.  I am not sure if I like more red or more cream?  Seems like on plates the more red is striking and more cream on bowls?  I will continue to experiment.  I think making up a different glaze might work better?

Different Glazes and COLOR

I was working on a Purple and Green glaze combination.  I like the cross over and saw someone else’s work at the recreation center, which I liked.  I like the colors on the mtn stone clay, a lighter clay will bring more of a matt and light pastel color and Mtn stone has a more deep purple and teal green sort of affect.  I am thinking about the cream along with purple and teal maybe?

OOOPs Crazing vs Crawling

Lesson learned.  I was confused about my plates and bowls with the affect I was looking for.  I thought that they were crazing in design.  I like the design and am able to reproduce it with good consistence but it maybe an affect that is more like Crawling.  The Glaze does remain on the pottery with a smooth surface and no clay is exposed.

Bonnie Staffel wrote in a pottery grp the following on the topic

Re: Crazing vs Crawling

What I hope to instill in this great group of new potters is to learn the
correct names to problems. Crazing (fine cracks like a spiderweb and
sometimes difficult to see) which sometimes doesn’t occur until days, weeks,
years later on a pot. Crawling is when the glaze (when applied to the bisque
shows craze marks) and when fired, the glaze separates showing the body
beneath as the cracking won’t hold the glaze to the pot in the firing.Both of these faults can be used as a plus if you are doing them on purpose
to emphasize some aspect of the look you want in the finished work. Crazing
can be emphasized like in Raku firing as the smoke gets into the cracks and
shows up black or dark. Or you can apply India Ink which will also show up
the crazing and be very decorative. One can also apply a copper or other
oxide wash which will go into the craze lines and then refire. The pattern
will show up as a new color and can be very interesting.It is a wonderful education to have things happen to your work that you
think are faults. So you research the books and Internet for answers. It
will help in your growth as a potter.

Bonnie

http://webpages.charter.net/bstaffel/
http://vasefinder.com/bstaffelgallery1.html
DVD Throwing with Coils and Slabs
DVD Introduction to Wheel Work
Charter Member Potters Council

Getting a Plate or Bowl to Craze

 I like the Affect of Crazing in glazes but only if I can control the where,when and how much.  Is that an oxymoron?  Hummm well I have figured out that if I alter the Clay body and use a rather thick application I can get the inside of a bowl or plate to craze with a great deal of control on when,where,how much and even added color.

 I alter the clay body in the leather hard stage with a clay slip (like screened slop or same clay slip trailing).  Bisque fire the stoneware clay.  Than I use 2 glazes.  The first one I put on rather thick in either painting,brushing,trailing,etc.  Doesn’t matter for crazying just in the affect I want like the button glaze or if I want the look like wax affect,etc. I wait for first glaze to completely dry and than second glaze can either be dipped or painted/brushed on and I can get this affect everytime on plates or the inside of bowls.  I have not had consistent success yet on the outside of bowls.

It is my belief that crazing control comes from alterting the clay body and using a rather thick application of 2 glazes.  At least this techinque has been consistent for me so far with stoneware clay.

The Everyday

  I grew up Poor on the South-side of Chicago in the early 60’s.  My grandmother was a Gorale or HIGHLANDER from the Tatra Mtns of Poland.  She came to the United States via NewYork  on a boat as a young girl trying to make a better life for herself.  The Mountains of Poland are an amazing area of the world but the life is Harsh and the Winters well almost unbearable.  She taught me about ART and an artist.  She made her living at 12 years old as a seamstress and farmed her food.  My Babci (grandmother), made the ordinary into something extraordinary.  She took what very little she had and turned it into something beautiful.  Creative, fresh and clean!

She taught me about details,about what some might consider a  poor  life and not having to FEEL poor,about art and the amazing world that awaits you once you open your EYES and HEART.  She showed me that living an amazing life was in the DETAILS of taking something ordinary and making it into something Extraordinary.  That is what  makes life interesting and challenging and worth exploring.  It is in the everyday that LIFE BEGINS……….

 It’s sad to me to see so many ARTIST just trying to survive in a world that is fast paced,and wanting results now or better yesterday.  My work is an attempt to change this view some how.  By taking the ordinary, in functional pottery that you use everyday, and making it into something EXTRA ordinary.  I like the idea of pottery,made from the earth,wind,fire and water and taking that clay and making it into something amazing that you can use EVERYDAY.

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All about Change!