Stoneware Wall Box Tile Trio
5 Ravens Wall Box Tiles, printed stoneware clay, mishima, brushed glazes and laser toner decals
This trio was a ton of fun to make and decorate. In fact I enjoyed making these so much that I had intended to make more right away. Now that the show pressure is off and the making cycle interrupted, it’s been harder to get back in the studio groove. It doesn’t help that the month of May is a terribly busy one with my daughter’s school activities and my extra volunteer/chaperone/sub duties related to school. But, it’s almost over…the school year officially ends in a mere 11 days when my (weep, weep) 5th grader graduates to middle school. Or as Denver Public Schools puts it – “continues” – sounds more feel good P.C., don’t you think?
Three 2.5" square by 1" deep wall boxes
After constructing the wall boxes, I played around with placement – shuffling them around until I liked how the textures lined up. BTW, this set up was not my final choice.
Side view
To keep the boxes from warping after I constructed them, I weighted them between 2 pieces of drywall board and periodically checked on them until they were bone dry. These were constructed with 45° degree beveled joints which I then scored and slipped with paper clay for strength before joining.
Added a small notched slab for easy hanging
Sarah, a ceramicist up in South Dakota, asked how these hang the other day and I just happen to have a photo of my system in the archives. When I’ve made these in the past, I’ve tried different techniques from just using the upper edge, to punched holes for wire to these little notched additions. The little slabs were left over after I constructed the boxes and just seemed like a good idea at the time. I centered the notch with a measured center point on the top of each tile. These can also sit on a shelf instead of being hung on a wall (see the first photo).
Meanwhile, I did a little pendant glaze firing last night in my mini Aim test kiln. Tomorrow is my last teaching day for my after school clay class and I decided to give the kids a little going away present – star shaped pendants with their initials decaled on the front. The kiln is still too hot to touch this morning – but I did prop the lid open to speed cooling. After I drop my daughter off at the school bus stop and take the hounds for a run, I’m going to spend the am looking for a cool font and will print the initial decals.
Have a great week,
Cynthia
jim
May 18, 2009 at 7:34 am //
the raven boxes look great… my favorite bird, corvus!
Cynthia
May 18, 2009 at 8:47 am //
Thanks Jim – I love the birds too. They really like to mock my dogs when we’re out and about. They’re fearless at our local park!
Eva
May 18, 2009 at 7:39 am //
Crows and ravens are such wonderful birds. I saw a crow mocking a falcon by imitating his quick flapping, and in another case, flying closely to the buzzard, imitating the buzzard flight with stiffly stretched wings, like they were saying, “don’t try, I know you”.
The trio is lovely! Could figure them as one-flower mini vases, too.
Cynthia
May 18, 2009 at 8:47 am //
You’ve got me thinking Eva! ;D
cindy shake
May 18, 2009 at 8:01 am //
Thanks for sharing the hanging visual -good idea. The boxes are WONDERFUL. I like the idea that they can also be displayed on a shelf. Just wonderful!
)
P.S. I know Linda Starr will LOVE the Ravens too…
Cynthia
May 18, 2009 at 8:49 am //
I had sort of already sort of given a peek of the trio before, but hadn’t properly written about them. I have another set of flat tiles with the same imagery, but I have to cut wood blocks for the backing, paint, and epoxy glue them onto the backs of the tiles.
Sarah Regan Snavely
May 18, 2009 at 11:35 am //
Love these! Thanks for the visual of the hanging system too. I love your use of decals with texture and the glaze choices too. Very cohesive and tight.
edited: Tight in a GOOD way!
ang
May 18, 2009 at 4:54 pm //
yeh work it C, nice trilogy..
Linda Starr
May 18, 2009 at 6:16 pm //
What a beautiful family of ravens, not sure if they are supposed to be called a family or not, but they sure look like close friends sitting there all together. Ravens and turquoise together, what a great combo in my book. I just love the fact they can sit on a shelf or hang on the wall.
I am so glad you showed how you hang them. I am afraid if I used your technique though, I wouldn’t get it centered and the box would lean to one side or the other.
I’d be interested in how you mount your tiles to a wood background too, that sounds interesting.