This post is overdue by a couple of days, but don’t worry – I am not feeling guilty about it.  On the contrary, I feel pretty proud of myself that I abstained for as long as I did since I’m trying to wean myself off my addiction to the computer.

I’ve traced the paper template for a large mug onto linoleum

I decided to take my paper cup template that Annie shared with us during a workshop I took with her 2 weeks ago and make a custom lino-cut in the shape of the template with very specific imagery.  Before making this, I decided if it works out I’d make some more linoleum blocks to add to my repertoire.  One of the hazards of taking workshops is that my work could end up looking like the presenter’s work and that’s the last thing I want to do.

Freshly cut linoleum

Since the template is basically a cone shape, I have found that the flat rectangular linoleum blocks don’t print the way I want them to since there’s a curvature once the mug is assembled.  I used my poppy linoleum cut as reference for this one.

Freehand drawing in pencil

Traced the drawing in sharpie marker

Many of you thought that the black sharpie drawing was actually underglaze or some other material to transfer the image block to clay, much like a paper print.  At this point, I’m simply using the lino-cuts as texture tools to transfer the imagery to clay.  It sure as heck beats hand-carving each and every piece.  Essentially, the carving is done only 1 time when I make the lino-cut and I’ll be able to use this for years.  The sharpie marker basically firms up and simplifies where I need to cut since many of the pencil marks overlap.

Freshly carved lino-cut

Finished stoneware relief printed poppy mug

Well, it’s almost finished – this one is still green and must survive the bisque and glaze firings.  I’m not in love with the handle template and am trying to figure out how to alter it to suit my tastes.  I’m starting some glaze testing too using mason stains as colorants.  I want a bright sherbet Technicolor palette.  Some where in my blog travels one of you mentioned Colour Lovers – which is this wicked cool web based color and pattern maker.  You can browse the libraries or make your own palettes and patterns.  My daughter and I played around with this site the other day for hours.

I’m not sure whether or not I’ll be able to truly achieve this bright of a glaze palette since glaze chemistry is tricky.  I’m going to start with the use of mason stains and need a couple of good base glaze recipes.  I already have the celadon color so I really only need to work on the other 4.  Yesterday, I spent the day reading up on the use of Mason Stains as colorants in glazes vs. oxides.  From what I’ve read, the reds, pinks and oranges sometimes need a higher calcium based glaze to achieve the color shown and the presence of zinc can change the color.  So, some testing is in order in the next week.  I think I’m going to head over to the Colorado Potter’s Guild studio on Tuesday evening to mix up a few 100 gram batches of 2 different base glazes to start with.  The glazes also need to be transparent to highlight the texture on my new work.

Frog Stoneware Box

On Saturday, afternoon, I finished up the second of 2 boxes I assembled last week.  My relief printing efforts are the result of all the hand painted porcelain boxes I’ve made in the past couple of months.  The boxes are incredibly time intensive and I need to be able to work more efficiently.

Duds

This became apparent when these boxes came out of the kiln either glazed shut or some otherwise damaged.  I was heart broken, but if ceramics teaches anything it’s humility and working out the technical aspects of working with clay.  So, after briefly flirting with getting a 9 to 5 job, wiping away my tears and frustration, I became determined to figure out how I can make better work with minimal losses.  Somehow, the prospect of becoming a claims adjuster trainee for an insurance company just doesn’t sound too fun or glamorous.

Meanwhile, I have been losing tools left and right in the studio.  I know that they can’t just get up and walk out the door and that they’re in there somewhere!  The problem is that my studio hasn’t been properly cleaned in months.  1/4 bags full of different kinds of clay littered the floor, dust was everywhere, clay bits and scraps everywhere, trash, bits of paper, notes etc. were strewn about.  So, I spent yesterday afternoon cleaning my studio top to bottom.  It’s sparkling clean (well as sparkling as a ceramic work area can be) and ready for a new productive making cycle.

Have a great week,

~Cynthia

Hand built stoneware cup with square base

I’m continuing to work on the lessons I learned in the workshop that I took last weekend in an effort to make the work my own.  This cup is one of the results and one I’m going to continue developing.  I like the square base and the round top.  My original intention was to make the entire cup square, when my husband mentioned that a square rim might make the functionality tricky.  He asked if the user would have to drink from a corner.  Given that it’s a fairly large cup with a large rim expanse, I tended to agree with him.  So, this cup was the result of our discussion.

Poppy relief printed stoneware box

Remember my lino-cuts?  I finally finished one of the boxes 2 days ago.  It’s drying slowly to minimize warping and cracking.  I also switched my slip from a regular slip made from my clay body to a paper clay slip made with my clay body, which happens to be a white ^6 stoneware called Ash manufactured by Mile Hi Ceramics here in Denver.  It’s gray in color before bisque firing, but will be white once fired.  It’s not as white as the porcelain I throw with, but it does the trick.  In reduction, this clay body (ash) would have a gray cast, unlike porcelain.

Top view of the Poppy Box which is larger at 7″ t x 5″ w not including knob and feet

Hand built stoneware platter with hollow handles

I made this with a combination of the techniques I learned in Annie’s workshop and another Pottery Making Illustrated article titled, “Plate-o-matic” written by Paul Wandless about the work of Amy Santaferraro.  I can’t find a live link to PMI, so here’s the pdf:  Plate-o-matic by Paul Wandless if you want to give it a go.

Side view of platter

The plate was made using Amy’s technique and then I added double sided textured and hollow decorative handles like I learned how to do in Annie’s class.  The hollow handles are pretty darn cool if you ask me and  I need to come up with my own templates now.

In the meantime, I must go and make some more work!

~Cynthia

Me, Lillian, Annie, Cindy, Diane and Kathi

On Saturday, I took a one day hand-building workshop with 5 other people taught by Annie Chrietzberg at her studio.  In addition to being an accomplished artist, Annie has been writing articles for Pottery Making Illustrated and graciously shared her hand-building techniques and templates with us.  If you visit her website, check out her workshop schedule and download her some of templates for your own use.  I highly recommend taking one of her workshops if you happen to be in the Denver area or any other of her scheduled workshop cities this year.

Kathi and I making handles for our cups

We’re really paying attention and don’t want to miss a thing!

Rolling out slabs for our platters

Another demo

My cup

I’m super excited about learning how to make a more refined cup using hand-building techniques.  When I first saw Annie’s gorgeous cups, mugs and tumblers I wondering how she got that texture on her cups that look like they could have been thrown on a wheel.  The cups we made are HUGE!  I’m guesstimating that these would hold upwards of 20 ounces once fired.  That’s a whole lot o joe!  I love coffee, although occasionally, I drink a good strong cup of English tea or green tea.  Check out all the different ways one can drink coffee.

We also made a small platter with double sided texture.  These are really cool!  I imagine that I will further shun my wheel in favor of hand-building techniques.  My challenge now is to change the templates and to add my own textures.  One of my main concerns when taking a workshop is that my work will end up looking like the instructors.  So, I’ve got some work to do to make these my own.

I really enjoyed the day and am ready to make some new work!

Have a great week,

~Cynthia

I’ve rolled out a slab of “ash” white stoneware clay purchased from Mile Hi Ceramics.  I’m going to give my new lino cut a try.

I found that I get a better print when I used a rubber mallet to set my lino-cut in place – otherwise it slipped a little when I ran the rolling pin over it several times from different directions.

After I printed the clay and before I lifted the lino-cut, I trimmed away the excess clay from the slab.  I cut my linoleum pretty precisely before I carved it.

Voila, my print – see the bottom center?  this is before I realized that I should use the rubber mallet to get a good print.

Here, I’ve got 4 sides of my poppy lino-cut printed and a large slab for the top and bottom.  If you do your math, you’ll see that i actually printed 5 sides, even though I only meant to do 4.  I turned the fifth one into a tile.

This could be why I printed out 5 sides instead of 4.    It was after 8 pm after all.

A funny thing happened a few weeks ago.  About a month ago, I ordered a Bevel-o-Matic tool from claystamps.com after reading a tool review on Emily Murphy’s Pottery blog.  After 2 weeks, I didn’t receive an acknowledgment or the tool in the mail.  I had used the Paypal link on their website to purchase, so I followed up with an email and canceled the transaction.  About a week after that, I received an email from them apologizing and telling me that they’ll put one in the mail for me and that I should send them a check after receiving it.  I wasn’t quite sure I’d see one or not, but lo and behold, a Bevel-o-Matic tool arrived a week later.  It seemed so refreshing to me that the owner would trust me enough to send before receiving payment.  So, I am definitely one happy customer and promptly stuck a check in the mail.  By the way, it works like a charm!

I worked on 2 boxes simulataneously.  These are larger than the porcelain ones I’ve made in the past couple of months.

Here, I am dutifully adding clay coils to the joints to strengthen them.  I tried not adding them to a couple and experienced some cracking.  The glaze covered the cracks up, but I was worried the whole time while they were firing.

Walls are up – only have to add the tops.

Vine printed box is now drying and setting up.

Here’s the poppy printed box.  I think I like the way this print turned out.  I suppose the real test will be after glazing.  I’d like to see the glaze break nicely over the raised and recessed parts of the boxes.

Meanwhile, I am attending a one day hand-building workshop with Annie Chrietzberg tomorrow.  I hope to report back on Monday with all the wonderful things I learned at her studio!

Have a good weekend,

~Cynthia