Graduate Ceramics

Form and Surface Exploration

Berry Bowls (5)

The first assignment asked for us to create 4 functional ceramic bowls, each to be used as a way to learn and experiment surface texture. We began by rolling out a slab and cutting out circles of our desired size. Texture was imprinted on at least two of them and the other two were to be left smooth for further exploration of surface texture. The pieces seen in the top picture are the slabs after being pressed into the bowl mold. To do this, we laid the slab on top of a covered bowl, then we used a stuffed sock to help mold the slab into the shape of the bowl. I chose to put my texture on the underside of the bowl and was a bit disappointed at how much the texture was eventually rubbed out on the final bowls. However, putting the texture on the inside makes for difficult cleanup when being used for food purposes, which these berry bowls will be. The bottom image shows the bowls in their greenware state, with texture and feet on the bottoms. The extra clay I had left over made for nice ring holders also!
Overall, I was happy with the construction of these bowls and the experimentation I allowed for myself in the glazing process, but I was not really happy with my choice of glaze on any but #1, and even that one did not turn out as I had intended. I was not terribly unhappy with #'s 3 and 4, however I thought the glaze made them look more like ice cream bowls than berry bowls, with the dripping effect I added. Bowl #2 is something I don't ever plan to use again!!
Greenware
You can see the four berry bowls with the feet added and holes taken out. The feet were created by cutting small circles out of a slab and curling them around a small dowel in the center. One half of the circle was scored and slipped to the bottom of the bowl. I like this method of creating feet, however I am certain that the process can be perfected for future use.
Bisqueware
Once the bowls were bisqued, I decided to play around with glaze combinations that I am not usually willing to experiment with on pieces that I make for myself or for sale.
For this bowl, I attempted to accentuate the texture on the underside of the bowl by using the Speedball (SB) Sea Blue Underglaze first and then wiping it off the surface so that it remained in the recessed areas of texture. After this, I used the Teacher's Palette Light (TPL) Emerald over the top.
For the second bowl, I used two colors that I didn't really think would go together, but decided to see what would happen when they mix, as I have often been pleasantly surprised with odd combinations in the past. The underglaze is the SB Pink and the glaze is the TPL Peridot.
For the two berry bowls that didn't have much texture on them, I decided to experiment with two glazes applied in the opposite order. I used TPL Ruby first, then poured TPL Tanzanite on the rim and let it drip down the bowl.
This fourth bowl is the opposite of the third, in that the order of glaze application is done in reverse order... Tanzanite first with Ruby drips after. I was hoping to see the difference, if any, between the outcomes and the order of application.

Berry Bowl #1

I expected more of a difference where the underglaze remained in the textured area, however it was virtually unnoticeable once the piece was fired.

Berry Bowl #2

As you can imagine, I was not incredibly happy with the way the glaze turned out, however I was glad to see that the underglaze did actually show, versus the first attempt at underglazing as seen on bowl #1. I decided to add more glaze to the bowl and have it refired. The finished version is pictured at the top of this section.


Berry Bowl #3

Berry Bowl #4

Sgraffito (5)

Sgraffito is a method of surface decoration involving scratching away underglaze that has been applied to leather hard ware. This is something I had never done before and was hoping to have a chance to try it out. I will absolutely be doing more sgraffito, both as a ceramic artist and as an instructor. I feel as though it is also a good way to bridge the gap between those that enjoy both printmaking and ceramics.

Shaping the Bowl

Instead of slumping the slab into the bowl, I chose to use the bowls as a hump mold by draping the slab over the upside-down bowl.

Underglazing and Sgraffito

Once the bowl was just shy of leather hard, I underglazed the inside of it and allowed it to dry before using a loop tool to carve away a design. I am excited about using this method in conjunction with my Mandala lesson that students undergo in Art 1

Glazing the Bisqueware

Once the bowl was bisque fired, I used a combination of underglazes to paint into the recessed areas that were scratched out in the sgraffito phase. I then wiped away the glaze on the top of the surface, leaving only what was painted into the grooves. I covered this with clear glaze and glazed fired the piece, giving what you see in the image above.

Mishima (3)

Mishima is another surface decoration and glazing technique that I had never used either, and is similar to sgraffito. I also plan to use this technique in both my personal ceramics and my ceramics lesson planning, although I will definitely need more practice at it. I spent more time on the sgraffito project that I was too rushed to put maximum effort into the mishima. I am indifferent about the final piece, mostly due to the fact that my disdain for the mishima is cancelled out by the love of the final glaze!

Shaping the Bowl

Instead of slumping the slab into the bowl, I chose to use the bowls as a hump mold by draping the slab over the upside-down bowl.

Glazing

After I shaped the bowl, I carved away a design along the outer edge that I then painted SB Orange underglaze on to during the leatherhard stage. After the glaze dried, but before the clay passed leatherhard, I used a metal rib to remove the underglaze from the raised surfaces of the bowl, leaving the glaze only in ares that had been carved away. Once this was bisqued, I used the Mayco Elements Autumn to coat the piece completely.

Slab Construction

Soft Slab (4)

I am so excited to have learned this method of construction for a variety of reasons, even though my final piece did not turn out to be quite what I had planned for. The main reason I became interested in this type of construction is because I have a Catawba vase that my grandmother purchased on her first trip to Lander University in the 1930's. I can see the same method that was taught to us in this class having been used, all those years ago, when I look at the budvase even now. We began by slumping a slab into a larger bowl that had been covered in fabric and then pressing slab strips into the bowl to begin building vertically. I had trouble with this assignment due largely to my love of the wheel and its form perfection. I tried too hard to smooth the piece out, rather than letting go from the beginning and seeing where the clay took me. I intended for this piece to be very rounded at the bottom, moving into a tall, skinny, spiraled neck. That idea seemed a bit too delicate for the time we had to work on the project so I just began forming the vessel "on the fly". At one point there were three tubes that were beginning to spiral around each other as they got smaller in diameter, however, I wasn't pleased with the way it was looking and decided to cut the tops of the three tubes into what you see to the left. Another reason I enjoyed this lesson so much was because of the firing method. This was barrel fired, giving it a more natural, matte effect than a regular kiln firing would have. Though I was not in love with the outcome of the final piece, I feel as though the time we had for this class was not enough to undertake too many extra pieces, so I didn't attempt to make a second vessel that I could be happy with. I will continue to experiment with this method, however, and look forward to teaching this process to my students.

Stiff Slab (5)

This is a method I am quite familiar with and one that is used a great deal in my classes already, however I am looking forward to being able to speed up and streamline the process by using my printing press as a slab roller until I am able to write a grant for an actual ceramics roller. I created this vessel by rolling out a large slab and using a paper template I had previously created to cut the shape. The two almond-shaped sides were straightened off at the top and bottom and attached to a circular base, once the slabs had stiffened enough to join them without losing their shape. As the vessel was just barely past the leather hard stage, I used a variety of drill bits to make holes into the sides, with the largest holes at the top and the smaller ones at the bottom. I was very happy with the way this turned out in the bisque firing and continued the process by coating it with red iron oxide and adding it to the barrel firing. Unfortunately, because of the placement of the piece at the top of the barrel, the oxide did not completely set onto the vessel and much of it was washed away in the cleaning process. Professor Carlisle has generously agreed to re-bisque fire the piece, add more oxide and re-barrel fire it. I can't wait to see how it turns out!

Final Project

Small Favors (3)

The final project asked for us to create something on a much smaller scale, implementing the various things we learned throughout the class. We were to follow the guidelines of the Orton Cone Box show which requires the piece to fit into a 3x3x6 space once fired. For this piece, I attempted to make a variation of what I had intended for my soft slab project, although it didn't turn out as expected either due mostly to the size being too large. Despite the fact that it did not turn out as I had hoped, and it didn't even make it to the glazing process because of time, I absolutely intend to use this as a final project for my Ceramics one class.

Self Evaluation

  • What was your most successful project? Why?
    • Even though I have yet to see the actual finished piece, I believe the stiff slab vessel to be my most successful of the class. It is the only one that came out looking mostly similar to my intended design and the one I worked the hardest on. I enjoy the balance of more large holes at the top to the smaller and less prevalent holes at the bottom, although in my head I pictured much larger holes (such as those that could be made by the smallest circular cookie cutter) were at the top. I found this to be a challenge because I did not have the time to wait for the slab to set each time I took a huge chunk out of it. It was just too soft for me to cut holes that large in it, but I hope to attempt it again on my own time during the school year.
  • What was your biggest challenge? What did you do to overcome it?
    • I did not enjoy the soft slab project as much as I had hoped I would but it is because I like for things to be very uniform and smooth and the time we were given worked against making the project both of those things. I finally just gave into the free-form possibility of this method and got what I got. Construction-wise, it is my biggest failure, but I still intend to perfect my technique more, in order to teach my students that letting go and attempting perfection is unrealistic and unnecessary
  • What was your favorite project/process? Why?
    • I really enjoyed finally getting to sgraffito and mishima. I need a tremendous amount of practice at both of them but I foresee both of those methods being really big hits amongst the students. I think I was so busy thinking of lesson ideas and possibilities that I lost sight of my own projects and could have done more, particularly with the mishima.
  • What will you use from this course as you plan future lessons for your students?
    • I will absolutely use all of these projects and techniques with my classes. I'm excited to offer something new to those students that may take the class again when Ceramics 2 is offered. I am really excited to try my mandala lesson on clay, as well as a printmaking-based tile lesson for the Art 1 students that rarely get to do clay.
  • How would you rate your work, overall for the semester on a scale of 1-5 (5 being the highest)?
    • 4. I didn't come away with the caliber of pieces I like to expect of myself, but I came away with so many new techniques to help me improve my own pieces, as well as student pieces, moving forward in the future. I am nerdily excited about planning my Ceramics 1 curriculum now!!
  • How would you rate your improvement/growth in working with this material (1-5)
    • 5!!! Again, I don't think it shows in the body of work produced in the last 2 weeks, but I have grown and learned SO much as an artist and teacher because of this class. I hoped, most of all, to learn new glazing techniques, and I was not disappointed! Thanks to Professor Mary Carlisle at Converse College for providing me with this amazing experience!!!