In Progress Photos

Final Photos

Artist Statement

For this project, we were asked to make a slab mug. Slab pottery uses pieces of clay in slabs to construct a form. This project required four pieces with a unifying aspect to them, and I immediately thought of the four members of my family. I decided to make a mug for each of them with a full set of four mugs. I used clay and overglaze as well as various tools to shape and carve the mugs. 

This was a multi-step process that I kept organized in my sketchbook, divided into three separate stages. The first was body building and shaping, which included the rolling and cutting of a slab that was then rolled on a tennis ball container. I added a base to this cylinder before rolling a less wide slab for the handle and attaching that. I used a template for my handles so they would be uniform, and I tried to measure the mugs to about 3 inches tall, but they came out much less uniform than I expected. After the creation of the body, I left the mug to dry to a leatherhard stage where it was easier for me to carve it. At this phase of dryness, I carved the windows on each mug, which look out over a scene that is special to each corresponding person. I etched the gardens for my mother (Mug 4), a view of Casco Bay just off of Mosier Island for my dad (Mug 2), the front lawn of my brother's best friends' house for him (Mug 1), and the scene of our dining room window for myself (Mug 3). 

I was very proud of the carvings but I didn't like the glazing. After the mugs were bisque fired, I had to go over and glaze them. I struggled with color choice and ended up with a palette of stark red, light teal and like sky blue. I like the way the colors mix and match between mugs, but I wish I had chosen differently. They look a little elementary to me, especially since they are not as uniform and neat as I would have liked, and I think the lack of precision on my part in the glazing process (I was rushed, and it shows) makes them look amateur.