Cleaning

I don't have any pictures of me cleaning, but for awhile I was coming in during my fifth hour to help straighten things up around the classroom i.e.-cleaning the tables, cleaning out the sink, etc.

Shoes

I found some crazy high heels that I thought were really cool. The ones to the left are made out of porkey pine needles, and the heels to the right are the Marc Jacobs upside down balla heels. I did not make a shoe as intricate as these, but I did make a sandal and raku'd it but didn't have time to take pictures of it.

Chia pet

There are a ton of chia pets you can buy online and the same company makes the Clapper and the Ove Glove. I made a little world that I wanted to chia, but I never got around to it, so instead I raku'd it.

Cone 5 recipe

Opaque Gloss Crackle
Gertsley Borate-41.9%Potash Feldspar-32.4%Pemco Frit #625 or Ferro # 3289-14.9%Flint-10.8%For Blue, add cobalt carbonate-1/2% to 1%For Green, add copper carbonate-3% to 6%

Cone 05 recipe

XAVIER’S WARM JADE GREEN - A food safe semi-matte, butter finish glaze.
Talc.......... 9.0%
Whiting.......... 16.0%
Custer Feldspar....... 40.0%
3124 Ferro Frit...... 9.0%
EPK..........10.0%
Silica 325.........16.0%
ADD:
Copper Carbonate......4.0%
Rutile..........6.0%
Brushing Medium..... 1.8% [add only if brushing on]
You can vary the Copper Carbonate from 3-5% with great results and still be food safe.

Ceramic text/stamp inspiration

I researched pieces of ceramic stamp and written text pieces, and I found someone who made little bowls an had written on some, and stamped others that had different empowering phrases on them. I thought about making a piece that had text on it, but I didn't know what to write so I decided to continue work on my coil pot instead.

Another view-in detail-of the coil pot.

Texture work-Abstract coil pot

For my surface texture work I attempted to make a coil pot, which ended up getting smashed so I restarted and this is my finished coil pot. I started out making the coil pot just straight up and down-very simple. But the bottom began to crack, and so Chapman made it look fifty times cooler by twisting and turning the base of it around to make it look very abstract.

Peace-slab/garden work

For my slab work I carved flower shapes out of the clay to make it look like a peace sign. Originally, it was only the floral peace sign with nothing underneath it, but I was afraid it would all break, so I added a slab of clay under the floral sign. It ended up breaking in the kiln and then I couldn't find it when I went to glaze what was left of it.

This was a piece I found that has really great surface texture. I think the different textures are really interesting. I like how there are verticle lines and also more of an organic looking texture. This piece is definaltey inspirational and I would be interested in making a pot and using similar textures.

This is one of the pieces I found when I searched for Raku pottery. Raku was created as a process of firing used to produce work of "refined simplicity" for Japanese tea ceremonies in the 13th century. I'm really looking forward to doing some of my own raku this quarter. I really like the look of raku pottery and it's a lot of fun to make. I raku'd my shoe, and my world that I meant to chia but I don't have pictures of them up yet.

I had a hard time this quarter getting inspired and making pieces. I tried several times to try and make pieces but they never turned out in a way I liked. This quarter I want to practice different techniques with the clay to see if I can make something that I feel good about. I am also going to try and research possible ceramic pieces so I can get ideas for making some of my own.
I definatley learned a lot about what worked and didn't work when it came to making my pieces and I plan on looking back at last quarter and hopefully learning from the mistakes I made.

I found this piece while I was looking for inspirational garden art. This is a bird feeder and I thought it was really creative how it is shaped as a hand.

I think I would like to try making a feeder like this and possible fire it using the raku process.

For my mug I started by using the pinching technique but made it into a small mug. It took me awhile to get inspired and I had trouble starting this piece but I was able to finish it. Once I made the small mug shape I carved a few small flowers into the side because I enjoy nature and I love flowers. After I fired it I was able to glaze my mug and I used a really dark green on the outside and a light red on the inside of it. Then I took a black glaze and put that around the top of the mug and drew a few lines leading to the center of the inside of the mug.
I wasn't totally happy with how my mug turned out. I think it could have been better. Next time I think I will use the slab machine in order to make my piece neater.
I also wasn't able to take photos of my mug because for awhile I couldn't find it. Once I am able to get photos of it I'll post them.

Mug Inspiration

For my mug creation, I looked for inspiration and found plenty of intricate ceramic mugs. I chose to put this mug up on my blog for everyone to see because I thought this particular mug was made very well, and the glaze color and design worked out perfectly together. Also I liked the tree design on the mug, and my theme for my pieces are nature/floral design so this mug gave me some good ideas for my own pieces. The mug that I made I did take pictures of, but I couldn't find them to post on my blog. It was a bowl shaped mug with engraved flowers on the side, that was glazed a dark green.