Colorado Art Studio

Wow, that sure was refreshing writing about someone else’s art work on Sunday! So, here I sit, with less than 10 minutes to compose a post before I need to start the day. Can I do it? I’m not sure, I always end up saying much more than I want to.

So, how about a little bit of show and tell instead? I had tried to use a mocha diffusion technique of decorating some pots a few weeks ago. Basically it’s an acidic colored slip that is applied to wet slip. It is suppose to form beautiful dendritic patterns on the surface.

The recipe calls for tobacco, and I tried to get around that by making a concoction of apple cider vinegar and manganese dioxide. I failed miserably. Well, I shouldn’t say that. I don’t hate the pots that I made using my recipe; they just didn’t turn out the way I thought they would.

I found a new recipe which calls for water, vinegar, manganese dioxide and 1 king size cigarette. So, against every grain in my body, I purchased a pack of cigarettes at the gas station yesterday. It was quite a comic scene if you ask me. I’m kind of nervous and don’t know what to buy since I’m not a smoker. I walk up to the window and ask for the cheapest, strongest cigarettes and try to explain what I’m using them for. The clerks thought this was very amusing - who rambles on and on when they buy cigarettes, blushing all the while?

They thought it would be funny to card me since I was making such a scene. My first new batch of Mocha Tea is brewing right now. It needs to steep for at least 24 hours and then I’ll need to strain it.

Meanwhile, I did something about which I was not entirely sure. I built a My Space page. In the first 24 hours, I received 4 unsolicited dating queries - despite writing that I’m happily married and have a kid. I’m just ingoring them. I just figured out why - I chose a provocative song. I chose it because I thought it was beautiful and didn’t really listen to the lyrics. Must change it later.

Anyway, it’s been 15 minutes now, and I have to go.

Happy Wednesday everyone!

Greenware, porcelain with colored slip and black stain, 7″ x 6″
Greenware, porcelain with colored slip and black stain, 9.5″ x 4″
I was a busy bee at the Art Student’s League of Denver yesterday. That is where you will find me most Wednesdays until it’s time to pick up my daughter from school. I brought all my bisque that I had fired at home this past weekend to the league to glaze fire, since I haven’t made any bucket glazes at home yet. I’m trying to decide on a palette. As you have probably noticed, I tend to favor cool colors such as watery blues, aquas, whites etc. Could it be my Pisces nature showing through?

The 2 vases above were an attempt at a technique called Mocha Diffusion. Lest you think I was hyped up on a double caf non fat mocha latte while making ceramic ware, let me quell your confusion. Mocha diffusion is a technique where an acidic stain is applied to wet slip. Where the acidic stain and alkaline clay collide, the stain forms a dendritic pattern much like a fern or fossil. The original recipe calls for urine or tobacco juice as the acid and either iron oxide or manganese as the colorant.

I tried a little less drastic and alternative route after having watched a Robin Hopper video. I used apple cider vinegar and black mason stain. I didn’t have the ratios correct, so I didn’t exactly achieve dendritic patterns, but still like the effect. I also didn’t have any iron oxide or manganese on hand, so made do with the black mason stain. I should have read Robin Hopper’s article first - the suggested ratio is 1 heaping tsp. of colorant to 1/4 c. vinegar. I’ll try again after I have the correct ingredients…no not urine, but iron oxide. I also added water to my mixture which diluted the acidic content. I won’t do that again. I chalk it all up to learning. As soon as these are bone dry, I’ll bisque fire to cone 04 and then figure out how to glaze these pieces.

Must go now,

You know I couldn’t just end this post so quickly…. I decided to go out an preserve an image of my crab-apple tree that is almost in full bloom right now. Why, you ask? Because the Denver Metro area is under a Winter Storm Warning. We’re expecting up to 12″ of snow by tomorrow. Today may be the last time I see the blossoms until next spring. It’s going to be a little cold out in the garage studio tomorrow!