Time to leave the residency, and there’s no room in the Uhaul. Sad to say goodbye. But these tests live on in Glazy, backed up and safe. Much like my book and music collections, my glaze collection is now virtual. Ceramics is in some ways inherently wasteful. But Art is one of the things that makes us human,… Continue reading Two Years of Tests
Category: Ceramics
The Color of Celadon
With all its variations, what does the term “Celadon” even mean? There are various theories as to why Westerners started using the term “Celadon”. Regardless, “Celadon” refers to a category of Chinese ceramics known as 青瓷 (qing ci). 瓷 is porcelain while the 青 (qing) in 青瓷 signifies a color (or range of colors). But exactly which… Continue reading The Color of Celadon
The Colors of Celadon
Just a few examples of celadons, there are more like Plum Celadon (梅子青) not to mention Jun and Guan. Color and surface can vary within each type, and even between time periods. A contemporary Duck Egg Celadon that adds a small amount of cobalt in addition to iron for extra color is quite different from the Yuan… Continue reading The Colors of Celadon
Fake Traditional Chinese Materials Blends
Using chemical analyses and US materials, I recreated traditional Chinese materials like porcelain stone, glaze stone, and glaze ash. Limiting myself to these “fake” materials, I blended them to create porcelain bodies and glazes. Here are two line blends of fake Sanbao Porcelain Stone and fake Yaoli Glaze Stone blended with fake Glaze Ash. While both of… Continue reading Fake Traditional Chinese Materials Blends
“Simulant” Exhibition
I’m honored to be showing work in the Long-Term Resident Artist Exhibition at @redlodgeclaycenter I’ve struggled in the studio this past year. I’ve followed dead-ends and opened kiln-loads of failures in a misguided attempt to make more marketable work. Burnt out, a few weeks ago I finally stopped and asked myself, “Why am I doing this?” Why has my… Continue reading “Simulant” Exhibition
Iron Tianmu Glaze
This glaze was inspired by analyses of Song Dynasty dark iron glazes in Nigel Wood’s “Chinese Glazes”. I find this glaze superior to typical Tenmoku glazes like Leach Tenmoku due in part to the inclusion of magnesium. The minor additions of titania and manganese add to the depth. Rather than a slightly translucent dark brown… Continue reading Iron Tianmu Glaze
Visualizing Glaze Types
These heatmaps show concentrations of public glaze recipes in Glazy for various glaze types. Some types, like Shino, stand out, but maps for types like Celadon and even Tenmoku resemble that of Clear glazes. Indeed, many Celadon and Tenmoku recipes are simply clear glaze bases plus Iron. The map for the Matte type is predictably shifted towards the… Continue reading Visualizing Glaze Types
US Pigment Stains in Porcelain Clay Body
US Pigment Stains in Porcelain Clay Body https://glazy.org/posts/163796 Each of these tests was mixed with 100g porcelain clay body in amounts of +2%, +4%, +8%. The +8% was also mixed with black stain (Mason 6600, mixed about 25% black and 75% color).
Recreating Ancient Glazes
Recreating Ancient Glazes using Glazy’s “Target & Solve” feature with analyses from Nigel Wood’s “Chinese Glazes”. In an earlier post I showed how you can quickly make a recipe from an analysis of an ancient glaze. Here are four examples of recipes I tested using this technique. 1. #121102 Koryo celadon glaze 3. This came out BEAUTIFUL on stoneware… Continue reading Recreating Ancient Glazes
Basalt Glazes
I’ve just published 20 basic oxidation cone 6 basalt glazes which you can use as a guide for more interesting variations. (Link to recipes in bio.) For some inspiration, see Matt Fiske’s (@bluepotter) beautiful work with basalt on his website, https://ceramicaction.org
Visualizing Blend Types
Tests using traditional line, triaxial, and biaxial blends can teach us a lot about ceramic chemistry. But sometimes they feel limiting. What other possibilities are there? Arranging a series of line blends into a “complete graph” might be illuminating. And instead of a flat biaxial, what about a three-dimensional pyramid/tetrahedron? What if blends went 3d? I’d love to hear the #glazenerd army’s… Continue reading Visualizing Blend Types
SiC Additions to Clay Bodies
A simple blend test adding Silicon Carbide (SiC) to a clay body. Wanted to see if I could induce reduction effects in an oxidized electric kiln environment.
Val Cushing’s Generous Legacy
A celebration of Val Cushing’s generous legacy via @the_grinding_room Our inheritance of Cushing’s ceramic recipes has been painstakingly tested and recorded by @earlyamericanrobotpottery, @ray_ceramics_ and @brookecashionof the @the_grinding_room at Alfred University. Each of V.C.’s recipes has been fired in both oxidation and reduction atmospheres and then professionally photographed and edited. It’s wonderful to not only have these recipes and photos published on Glazy, but… Continue reading Val Cushing’s Generous Legacy
Oxidation Bristol SiC Celadon
For an upcoming @redlodgeclaycenter group exhibition, I wanted to try to make my “Painted” series of high-fire reduction celadon work in mid-fire oxidation. This locally-reduced Silicon Carbide (SiC) Bristol Celadon glaze isn’t perfect. Some have slight areas of carbon trapping on the interiors, and I didn’t have time to completely resolve the bubbles. But I’m happy to have gotten some… Continue reading Oxidation Bristol SiC Celadon
Impasto Dishes
This was just a first try, didn’t come out like I was hoping.
Red Lodge Glazes
The amazing @redlodgeclaycenter has generously allowed me to share their studio glazes on Glazy. https://glazy.org/u/rlcc/recipes Studio glazes often reflect the history of a studio. They are brought in by a succession of studio technicians from their schools or places of previous employment, and the recipes go through a process of “natural selection”. Those that are unreliable are gradually… Continue reading Red Lodge Glazes
Vince Pitelka Underglaze
For years I relied on the internet to find information about ceramics. One of the most useful and reliable sources both then and now is Vince Pitelka’s website. There he shares his knowledge on all aspects of the studio, from making your own tools to loading & firing kilns. (Although I have yet to try his Fabulous… Continue reading Vince Pitelka Underglaze
Last Kiln Before Quarantine
Montana implements shelter-in-place today. I unloaded my last kiln a couple days ago, and have set up my glaze materials in the garage. Intending to make tests that I hope to fire after quarantine ends.
Visualizing composition
Illustrations of pottery techniques
All these and more available for free now at the @internetarchive‘s National Emergency Library as well as their wider library. National Emergency Library Just search for keywords like “ceramics”, “pottery” and “glaze”. Then click “Borrow This Book” and enjoy the book online or as a downloadable PDF for 14 days. (The book can be renewed thereafter.)… Continue reading Illustrations of pottery techniques