New Lino-Cut Printed Covered Stoneware Box
Flower Lino-Cut Printed Covered Box
Carving house shaped lino-cut
This particular house shaped lino-cut was made for the article that Annie Chrietzberg wrote for the current issue of Pottery Making Illustrated (Jan/Feb 2009 pg 17-20) and this is the first time I’ve actually used it to make something clay related – ’bout time wouldn’t you say? I did just have a flash of an idea as I wrote that last sentence – excuse me while I make a note to self…. Okay, I’m back now and will test my idea later today. In case you’re interested, the house template is 5″ tall from base to peak x 3.25″ wide – the roof begins at 3″ from the base. Don’t ask about the .25″ – it must have been a good idea at the time. Want the template? Click here: house-shaped-template-pdf
Click on one of the images below to see larger construction photos of the “House that Cynthia Built”:
The box is not quite finished yet – I still have to cut the lid off, add some feet and a knob. I made it on Monday, so it should be leather hard by now. I make most of my covered boxes with “stiff slabs” meaning that they are already at the leather hard stage by the time I assemble them. To make this box, however, I used 1 hour old fresh slabs since I needed fairly pliable clay so that I could bend the eves of the roof without worrying about cracking – yet the clay also needed to be slightly stiff so that the walls would not flop over during construction. As with many things in life, timing is everything. 
Meanwhile, I am chaperoning a field trip to the Denver Art Museum and the Colorado History Museum tomorrow with my daughter’s class. I’m bringing my camera and also a sketch pad so that I can get some ideas for new designs. I’m always amazed when I see pottery from eras past - still very fresh – or maybe it’s just that there are only so many things/forms etc. that one can make with clay so we keep reinventing the past? Not sure what the answer is.
See you Friday,
~Cynthia
Linda Starr
January 28, 2009 at 11:26 am //
Wow, how beautiful and great construction photos. What tool do you use to cut the top off? Your work is truly amazing. Thx.
Cynthia
January 28, 2009 at 12:19 pm //
Thanks Linda, I use an X-Acto knife and a metal ruler as a guide. I normally add a bit of clay to the lid, so that it doesn’t slide all over the place.
ang
January 28, 2009 at 3:30 pm //
sweet little form, plus I’m sending you some of our heat wave, today 45C again and i was baulking at 41c prediction 3 days in a row….ha hence no clay work happening in this!
Cynthia
January 29, 2009 at 7:06 am //
I need to remind myself about the freezing cold this coming July when we’re experiencing those high blistering temps…I’m not sure what’s worse? Last summer, I had to work in the morning or not at all cause it was so unbearable by noon. Stay cool!
Undaunted
January 28, 2009 at 6:38 pm //
Wow, Cynthia you are so generous with your creations. Thank you so much for the step by step photo’s. This little box looks great!
Cynthia
January 29, 2009 at 7:07 am //
Thanks, Linda – I added the feet and knob yesterday and will post the photos tomorrow…it turned out pretty good if I do say so myself.
denise
January 28, 2009 at 10:09 pm //
Love the box Cynthia, thanks for sharing the construction process too. I’m planning to try some box forms again this year (ones that don’t slump – I have to work on my timing!). Enjoy the museum trip!
Cynthia
January 29, 2009 at 7:10 am //
The “stiff” box construction works great – but doesn’t allow for any bending of the clay…. Must run now and get ready for the field trip.
Jessica
January 29, 2009 at 2:43 pm //
I love how you share your whole process with us. Such an interesting technique and beautiful product! I also have to add reading your post I read “leather hard” and had a quick flash back to one of my high school art teachers with a heavy Mass accent saying “letha haahd” – that was a fun memory!
Cynthia
January 31, 2009 at 7:24 am //
That’s funny, Jessica – I was just having this conversation with my daughter about regional accents! We were talking about how in countries, not just the US people speak with a dialect – so if she is studying French, and visited Canada, she might have a hard time understanding the language. I even brought up New England and gave her some examples.
Mary T.
January 30, 2009 at 6:03 pm //
Yikes, I was going to comment yesterday and forgot! Yikes and double yikes!! I like it, I like it.
Cynthia
January 31, 2009 at 7:25 am //
I do that all the time, Mary!