I fired a small kiln load of work recently and for the most part I was pretty happy with the results. I have been experimenting with my own homemade porcelain slip, mainly because the commercial porcelain slip is hideously expensive.
I decorated some tall cups with a black iron oxide slip mixture, which unfortunately turned poo-brown once they were fired instead of the charcoal black that I wanted. Also the porcelain warped heaps in the firing, turning perfectly round tops into eggy oval shapes.
My first thoughts when I saw them was, “I should send these to Kelley” then I wondered if Kelley really needed a couple of cups that looked like they were decorated a la Boo…
The reason that the porcelain warped was that the kiln shelf expanded differently than the cups in the firing. So to make sure the porcelain doesn’t warp next time I will need to fire each cup on its own little square slab of porcelain so that the movement in the kiln is the same.
These next two beakers are from the sky dancer series that I am working on. This is my photograph of the Tasmanian summer sky that has inspired this lot of work.
The decisions that I need to make about my slipcast work are all related to my personal aesthetic as well as my belief that, in each piece of work that I make, I have left a piece of my very essence,my soul or spirit within the work. In these two cups above, there is a nice free decorative line contained within the boundaries of a rigid form. But also there is the makers mark, my marks that also contribute to the overall freedom of the work.
I think with these two cups I made for Jientje that I am beginning to get my artistic balance together.When you hold the cups you can tell that they were handmade by a real person and not mass produced in a factory somewhere. I hope that when Jientje holds them she feels a small touch of the Tasmanian sky.
I believe that my work should look like it is handmade and by handmade I don’t mean poorly made. There are a zillion perfectly glazed, perfectly shaped, totally soulless plates, bowls and cups out there on the supermarket shelves. I deliberately leave fingermarks on my plates when I am glazing them and I have slowly started to accept that my work doesn’t need to be perfect.It needs to be technically sound but I will leave perfect to the factories.
This small, side plate is an example of the marks I leave on my work. You can see my fingerprint where I held the plate when I glazed it. The black decorations were done with a paintbrush I made using my own hair, so that I had very little control over the line. I really like this plate. It looks handmade. It has soul.
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* gasp*
When I suggested to find your inspiration in the TASMANIAN SKY, I just KNEW it was right!! And it is. Oh Kim, what did I do to deserve a friend like you? Hugs, a million times over! I wish I could wish myself over to your place and hug you, to say thanks!!! Oh yes, there IS a soul in this. You are a TRUE Artist! Art is not about perfect shapes like the mass produced ones. Art comes from the heart. And it SHOWS! Thank you so much!!!
Jientjes last blog post..Ruby Tuesday Rain … Go Away …
I still think you should send that top one to Kelley.
As for the cups, your photos don’t do justice to just how gorgeous they feel in your hands. The photos are pretty, but the cups? They’re amazing.
Veronicas last blog post..What do you think you’re doing?!
I like the brown and white one best because of the contrast. Looks like trees or primitive art meets abstract. :]
Mrs. Cs last blog post..John the Babtist
PS I have some mixed fruit and I think I’m going to be doing a lot of guessing on that bread LOL! I’ll let you know how it turns out when we make it. :]
Mrs. Cs last blog post..John the Babtist
the cups are gorgeous Kim.
Your artistry is stunning.
Trishs last blog post..Weekly Winner 23 2009
I love ’em!
They’re fantastic, Kim, you’re so very talented!
And I think the top ones look great, like Mrs C said they resemble trees or abstract art 🙂
Jaynes last blog post..T…T…Ten Stalactites of ice forming on the ceiling of this June day
they look awesome
Brilliant Kim. I love every ‘imperfect’ little thing about them, and that’s what makes them truly perfect, handmade with love and vision.
I love that side plate you’ve pictured. I really love that you made your own paintbrush with your own hair. what a fantastic idea. It really does put a part of you in every piece.
Amazing stuff, Kim. Lovely and well executed.
lceels last blog post..MBVP (More Boring Vacation Pictures)
Beautiful! When you become rich and famous, you will keep me on the mailing list, right?
{{wink}}
Rees last blog post..A Meme for A Mom
No bullshitting you. they are REALLY nice.
Xbox4NappyRashs last blog post..Saving you from tales of fireflies
I LOVE that plate. It speaks a million things all at once. I love the cups, too. =)
My wedding ring is handmade and so totally imperfect and obviously cut by hand. I wouldn’t have it any other way. I may not keep the man forever, but that ring will be mine FOREVER (only kinda kidding).
Hyphen Mamas last blog post..I have a dirty little secret
You want to send me cups that look like shit?
Shit reminds you of me?
BWAAAAAAAA HAAAAAAA HAAAAAAAAAA!!
Seriously, they are awesome and if you want to send them to me I will squeee all over the shop and then take them to work and think of you every single time I take a sip of latte.
MWAH MWAH MWAH
Kelley @ Magnetoboldtoos last blog post..sign on a truck
Pretty neat things!
Coast Rats last blog post..Happy Birthday, to you, too, Sweet Daughter!
thumbs up 🙂
I like them!
Tanyas last blog post..Perfect sleep, but day from Hell…
Wow, you are very talented. It is all beautiful.
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