Clay Times Magazine • Volume 13 Issue 71 by claytimes

Clay

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Purely PurelyBlack-and-White Black-and-White Groovy GroovyPots Pots&&Ways Ways totoMake MakeThem Them AACloser CloserLook Lookatat Glaze GlazeFormulation Formulation How-to How-toRaku: Raku: Too TooHot HottotoHandle! Handle! Inviting InvitingCritique: Critique: Can CanYou YouHandle Handle the theTruth? Truth?

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TIMES

Tim TimChristensen: Christensen:

Vol. Vol.1313No. No.4 4 July/August July/August2007 2007

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contents

TIMES

Clay

July/August 2007 Volume 13, Number 4

features 34 Tim Christensen-Kirby: Having His Say With Story Pots From squid and turtles to herons and fish, animals of all kinds weave tales of wonder throughout the surface designs of clay work by Tim Christensen-Kirby.

39 How-To Raku Kilns, fuel, safety, and glazing are just a few of the topics discussed

by author Ray Johnson in this step-by-step approach to raku firing.

42 Linda Taylor: Creativity & Resiliency Following years of work as a wheel-throwing potter, a bicycle accident forced Linda Taylor to approach her work from a different angle.

Palm Tree II by Kazuko Matthews. Stoneware. One of numerous works on exhibit at the ACGA “Follow the Line” show in Davis, California.

exhibit 18 Follow the Line

Crowding the Center by Tim Christensen-Kirby. 8" high. Carved porcelain and steel. Turn to page 34 to discover how this former law book salesman transformed his career into one of artistic satisfaction.

The Association of Clay and Glass Artists of California (ACGA) shares the personal side of members’ ceramic works. 7

contents

TIMES

Clay July/August 2007 • Volume 13, Number 4

Get in the groove of thrown and pressed textures with Bill van Gilder’s surface treatments, page 29.

columns

departments 11 IN MEMORIAM Remembering Rudy Autio, 1926-2007

13 YOUR WORDS Another Side of Green ...

14 WHAT’S HOT Clay world news, events, and calls for entries

55 GREAT GLAZES Expand your palette with these new formulas.

46 THE GALLERY A selection of unique works by CT readers

59 POTTERY CLASSES Where you can learn claywork in the United States

65 SLURRY BUCKET TIPS Save time and trouble with these studio-tested tips & techniques.

66 CLASSIFIED MARKETPLACE Goods and services offered especially for active clay artists On the cover: Stand Up!, 13" tall, handbuilt porcelain. Art and photo by Tim Christensen-Kirby.

23 AS FAR AS I KNOW “Introduction to Glaze Chemistry, Part 3” by Pete Pinnell

27 BENEATH THE SURFACE “Why and How to Solicit Feedback” by Lana Wilson

29 TEACHING TECHNIQUES “Groovy Pots: Thrown & Pressed Textures” by Bill van Gilder

49 TOOL TIMES “Tools for Throwing” by Vince Pitelka

51 KILNS & FIRING “Answers to Some Burning Questions” by Marc Ward

53 STUDIO HEALTH & SAFETY “NIOSH Looks at Titanium Dioxide and Studio Safety” by Monona Rossol

57 BOOKS & VIDEOS Clay in Art International review by Steven Branfman

62 AROUND THE FIREBOX Wheel-thrown, celadon-glazed bowls with relief carvings, by Linda Taylor. Turn to page 42 to learn how this artist has adapted her style of claywork due to recent physical limitations.

“The Inconvenient Truth for Potters” by David Hendley

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Peter King: Architectural Ceramics for the Studio Potter November 3-4, 2007 Registration Fee: $175

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magazine

Editor & Art Director: Polly Beach editorial@claytimes.com Circulation Manager: Rachel Brownell circulation@claytimes.com Advertising Manager: Karen Freeman advertising@claytimes.com Accounts Manager: Nanette Greene accounting@claytimes.com Proofreaders: Jon Singer & Jenna McCracken Office Assistant: Ingrid Phillips Regular Columnists: Steve Branfman, Books & Videos David Hendley, Around the Firebox Pete Pinnell, As Far as I Know Vince Pitelka, Tool Times Monona Rossol, Health & Safety Kelly Savino, Around the Firebox Bill van Gilder, Teaching Techniques Marc Ward, Kilns & Firing Lana Wilson, Beneath the Surface Contributing Writers: K.T. Anders Ray Johnson Linda Mau Published by: CLAY TIMES INC. 15481 Second St. • PO Box 365 Waterford, Virginia 20197-0365 (540) 882-3576 • FAX (540) 882-4196 Toll-free subscription line: (800) 356-2529 Clay Times® (ISSN 1087-7614) is published bimonthly, six issues per year. Periodicals Postage Paid at Waterford, VA, and at additional mailing offices. Annual subscriptions are available for $30 in the U.S.; $36 in Canada; $55 elsewhere (must be payable in US$). To subscribe, call toll-free 1-800-3562529, or visit www.claytimes.com. Freelance editorial and photographic submissions are welcome: Please contact Clay Times or visit our Web site for writer’s and photographer’s guidelines. POSTMASTER: Address service requested. Send address changes to: Clay Times, PO Box 365, Waterford, VA 20197-0365. Copyright © 2007 Clay Times, Inc. All rights reserved. The material contained herein is derived from various sources and does not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. All technical material is offered as general information only and should not be acted upon without expert supervision. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the publisher.

presents the Autumn ‘07 Weekend Workshop

Clay

TIMES

Dan Finch Pottery

Rudy Autio passed away June 20 under hospice care at home, during his most recent round of chemotherapy for Leukemia. Throughout his lifetime, Autio made numerous contributions to the ceramic world as a whole and earned a great sense of respect and admiration from the many associates who crossed his path. He will be greatly missed. Following are reflections from a few of Autio’s friends and students:

I knew of Rudy Autio before I met him in 1968. That summer, he agreed to teach for four weeks at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where I assisted the ceramics program. I was asked to drive Rudy to school and back each day. I learned so much in those moments about the four or five great artists living at that very time: about those who he considered artists, those he considered to be philosophers, and about his role in the continuum of ceramic art. The chance to watch his every move as he constructed and drew on the surfaces of his clay sculpture was such a privilege. I have since heard his voice in certain moments each day when I work in my studio. He always encouraged, held no secrets, was truly shy about his role and his success, pointed attention to others, and was adored by all. As Jun Kaneko so mindfully wrote that Peter Voulkos was his oxygen, I add that Rudy was our hydrogen. He worked so often with his friend and often partner, Peter Voulkos, that together they gave us our hydrogen and oxygen combination—an inspiration as basic and necessary as the water we must have to survive. What we do with that inspiration is limited only by our imaginations, and is supported by the memory of their encouragements. I am grateful for each moment spent in the company of Rudy Autio these past 39 years. Thank you, Mr. Autio. Tom Collins, Napa, California

From 1999-2006, we had the opportunity to host Rudy Autio at the Penryn Workshop.

One of my strongest recollections was of Rudy holding an oversized trowel, his hand trembling as he began to draw on his sculpture. In no time there would be monumental figure on this piece, and a little light in his eye. It was a great privilege to know him. Rodney Mott, Penryn, California

Rudy Autio (right) is assisted by Rodney Mott during a 2006 workshop in Penryn, California.

If you were to take the decorating skills of Matisse and the lovability of your teddy bear, that would be Rudy Autio. When I received the call from Tom Collins telling me that Rudy had passed away, we talked a good while about the qualities of this man. Although I’d met Rudy in Montana, it was during the past few years that I’d had the honor to spend time with him, watching him work at Rodney Mott’s Penryn Workshops in Penryn, CA. Quietly drawing on the clay with his trowel, painting in the images, shirtless, wearing his apron, and a ball cap ... Last summer I was presenting with him at Penryn, and while taking a break I asked him a question I had wanted to ask for years: Who did he like best of that famous Hamada, Leach, Yanagi visit to the Bray? He said Hamada was a great guy. Near the end of the workshop, Rudy came over to where I was working, taking a moment to look at my pots. “That’s nice work,” he said. That was Rudy—kind and to-the-point. Then he smiled and went back to work. With unassuming greatness, Rudy Autio cranked out incredible work for nearly half a century. We are so blessed to have known him and his art. He will be sorely missed, but will always remain in our hearts. I’ll bet Pete [Voulkos] was there waiting to welcome him into the afterlife ... Tom Zwierlein, Atlanta, Georgia A memorial service in honor of Rudy Autio is expected to take place later his summer at the Archie Bray Foundation in Helena, Montana. Condolences may be sent to his widow, Lela Autio, and family at: 2322 Duncan Drive, Missoula, Montana, 59802.

CLAYTIMES·COM n JULY/AUGUST 2007

During that time, hundreds of young students were introduced to his mastery. Being so calm and gracious and allowing students to assist him, he provided a base of inspiration for these future artists.

In Memoriam I Rudy Autio

TOM ZWIERLEIN PHOTO

Remembering Rudy Autio

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“Electric Choice” A Scam? I feel compelled to contribute to the conversation on “Going Green.” I, too, am in full support of preserving the planet by conservation of our resources. But I must report that joining up with an “electric choice” program is a complete scam! Wind power is a flawed technology that only exists to provide tax credits to energy entrepreneurs. The decision to implement wind turbine technology at this time was not made by electrical engineers, but by politicians as a way to “look green.” In reality, the wooded habitat on the eastern continental divide and other ridge tops in Pennsylvania are being segmented and thousands of migrating birds and feeding bats are being killed by the industrialization of this precious resource. The rural folk who must live near these monsters are suffering not only from sound pollution and strobe effects, but also from depreciation of land values. It’s another example of the big preying on the small. Energy companies yield million-dollar tax credits for each turbine erected; the landowner gets $3000 per month subsidy.

I am one issue behind on reading my Clay Times (I often re-read an issue because I love Mr. Pinnell) and I have just read your article on global warming. By now you [have] probably received hundreds of e-mails from potters trying to outdo each other on how ‘green’ they are. They, too, have bought into the nostalgia and hysteria surrounding global warming ... forgetting that several times a year, a snow storm that cripples the Midwest in February or March was not predicted in December (or 10 years ago). As a child, I can remember news predictions of a 100% chance of 8" of snow and looking forward to a snow day off from school, only to wake up to a light dusting of snow on the ground. I also remember predictions in the 1970s of a coming Ice Age (remember the Newsweek cover?) If forecasting models can be that wrong a day or a month ahead of time, how can they be right about what may happen in 50 years? Remember how many hurricanes for 2006 were predicted in the U.S. because of global warming? Again, predictions were wrong. From all the advice that global warming advocates offer, a better title for Al Gore’s mission would be, “An Inconvenient Life.” One of the underlying fallacies global warming advocates have is known as “post hoc ergo propter hoc,” meaning, “after this, therefore because of this.” After the Industrial Revolution, when we burned fossil fuels, we noticed a rise in global temperature—therefore, burning of fossil fuels (releasing CO2) causes global warming. But this does not take

into account the storms and activities of the sun that may cause warming, or the orbit of the earth coming closer to the sun.

What follows, when reasonable criticism is offered to the junk science that feeds global warming, is another fallacy. The ... attacks on people who do not want to live a third-world existence (while Al Gore and his Hollywood buddies still fly in jets and live in homes that take three times the energy to heat and cool than we regular folks), show that well-reasoned arguments and real science are beyond them. It seems that regular people have forgotten the Alar scare in the late 1980s. After the hysteria subsided, it was found that the ascertains of ‘experts’ like Meryl Streep, and the hacks at the EPA, were wrong. The real lesson for us potters and the American people is to take anything a politician or government official or Hollywood star says about a popular scientific/political cause with a grain of salt. (Salt firing—now there’s a topic I would like to read more about ... (lol).) Potters would be better served by keeping a clean studio [and] testing new glazes to keep them food safe. Still love the magazine; re-read it all the time. David van Mersbergen, Atlanta, GA Re: Marc Ward’s Pet Peeve Marc’s excellent column on candling (May/June 2007 Clay Times) includes a story about a potter who used the same slow firing schedule for 30 years, only to discover that he had wasted time and energy. Marc’s thought-provoking story reminds me of the book, The 80/20 Principle: The Secret to Success by Achieving More with Less, by Richard Koch. The idea is that 20% of our effort produces 80% of the results. Marc’s story applies not only to firing kilns, but more or less to all our efforts. Arnold Howard, Mesquite, TX [

CLAYTIMES·COM n JULY/AUGUST 2007

Wind power will not lessen our dependence on foreign oil. Nuclear power could solve our electrical energy problems in short order. We must get over the irrational overreaction to the Three Mile Island incident! Please learn the true facts by a short visit to the National Wind Watch Web site: www. wind-watch.org. The most effective strategy is to follow the advice of Kevin Crowe: use less energy, and preserve the watersheds and wildlife from this assault. Rick Bonomo, Somerset, PA

Global Warming: Too Much Inconvenience

Spouting Off I Your Words

Greener on the Other Side ...

What’s Hot

ceramic art world news • events • calls for entries

Rudy Autio, 1926-2007 ‰ Beloved clay artist Rudy Autio passed away June 20 following complications from leukemia. Autio was considered one of the most masterful and influential artists working with clay in the United States

today. Born in Butte, Montana in 1926, he lived in his native state throughout most of his career. Autio headed the ceramics area at the University of Montana for 28 years and later retired as Professor Emeritus of the School of Fine Arts. Prior to his appointment at the University of

Montana, Autio was a founding resident artist at the Archie Bray Ceramics Foundation in Helena, Montana. Autio received a Tiffany Award in Crafts in 1963, the American Ceramic Society Art Award in 1978, and a National Endowment grant in 1980, enabling him to work and lecture at the Arabia Porcelain Factory and the Applied Arts University in Helsinki, Finland. While there, he was elected honorary member of Ornamo, Finland’s Designers organization. In 1981 he was the first recipient of the Governor’s Award and named outstanding visual artist in the state of Montana. He was a Fellow of the American Crafts Council, Honorary member of the National Council of Education for the Ceramic Arts, and recipient of the honorary Doctorate of Art from the Maryland Institute, College of Art in Baltimore. In November 1999 he was awarded the American Craftsman’s Gold Medal Award in ceremonies at the Mint Museum in Charlotte, N.C.

CLAYTIMES·COM n JULY/AUGUST 2007

While Autio’s best known work is figurative ceramic vessels, he worked in a variety of materials and other media. In addition to commissions in ceramic relief and tile murals, he also worked in bronze, concrete, glass, fabricated metal sculpture, and design of colorful Rya tapestries. Most of these were commissioned for public buildings in the Northwest, with one in Finland.

Calls for Entries

Elysian Fields (1993) by Rudy Autio. 30½" x 25" x 24". Stoneware.

‰ Hand Harvested: Artists for a Greener Planet will take place Sept. 1–29 in Chicago, Illinois. Juried from digital images and slides, this event is open to all media. Entry fee: $15 for three images; $5 for additional images. Submission deadline:

‰ The Santa Monica 2007 California Open Exhibition runs Aug. 14 through Sept. 1 in Santa Monica, California, and is open to all media. Entry deadline: July 10. [Note: Entered works must be handdelivered]. To obtain a prospectus, visit www.tagtheartistsgallery.com, call (310) 829-9556, or send your SASE to TAG Gallery, 2903 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90404. ‰ The National Juried 3-D Competition will take place Sept. 5–Oct. 6 in Ingram, Texas. Entry deadline: July 13. To request a prospectus, e-mail visualartsdirector@hcaf. com. Contact Debbie Luce, Hill Country Arts Foundation, 120 Point Theatre Rd., Ingram, TX 78025.

‰ Naked Clay, open to women artists working in clay, takes place Sept. 7–Nov. 8 in Chicago, Illinois. Entry deadline is July 14. For an application and further details, visit www.womanmade.org/artisangallery. html; e-mail artisangallerywmg@yahoo. com, call (312) 738-0400, or write Artisan Gallery at Woman Made, 685 Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, IL 60622. ‰ The Fabulous Finishes Exhibition takes place Sept. 12–Oct. 27 in Brooklyn, NY, and is open to all ceramic works that incorporate an exterior treatment. Entry fee is $35 for three entries; deadline is July 15. For further details, visit the Web site at www.gkgart.com/pages/submissions.html, or contact Gloria Kennedy Gallery at 111 Front St. Gallery 222, Brooklyn, NY 11201. ‰

‰ Down to Earth takes place Nov. 9-Dec. 8 in West Chester, PA. Entry deadline: July 31. Although entries are limited to functional ceramics artists living within 100 miles of Chester County, Pennsylvania, “empty bowls” donations are not juried or limited to region. To obtain a prospectus, visit www.downtoearthexhibit.org, or mail your SASE to The Arts Scene, DTE, 530 E. Union, West Chester 19382.

‰ The Fuping Emerging Artists Competition and Exhibition takes place in Shaanxi, China during November, 2007. All submissions must be in digital format and received by July 31. Awards: $1000, 10 one-month residencies at Fuping Pottery Art Village. Entry questions may be e-mailed to Dr. Hsu at: editor@chinese potters.com; or write to Fuping Pottery Village, 1 Qianshan Rd., Fuping, Shaanxi, China 700710; www.flicam.com. ‰

Dan Anderson will jury this year’s National Juried Ceramics Exhibition and Symposium, to take place Oct. 19–Nov. 28 in Lawrence, Kansas. Entry deadline: Aug. 4; fee is $25 for three entries. For further details, visit www.lawrenceartscenter.org/ ceramicsshow; e-mail: educoord@sun flower.com, or contact Ben Ahlvers, 940 New Hampshire, Lawrence, KS 66044.

‰ Virginia Scotchie will jury Bowls 2007 from digital submissions received by Aug. 8. The event takes place Oct. 1–31 in Wilmington, North Carolina. Entry fee: $20/three images. To learn more, visit www.uncw.edu/art/bowls2007.html. ‰

Clay artists whose works are made solely by hand are invited to submit entries to Clay: The Ecstatic Skin of the Earth, to take place Oct. 13–Nov. 24 in Pasadena, California. Paulus Berensohn will jury slides and digital submissions received by the August 11 deadline. Fee: $20. To find out more, visit www.xiemclaycenter. com; e-mail suzette@xiemclaycenter. com; call (626) 794-5833; or write Suzette Munnik, Xiem Gallery, 1563 N. Lake Ave., Pasadena, CA 91104.

CLAYTIMES·COM n JULY/AUGUST 2007

The University of Indianapolis 2007–2008 Campus Sculpture competition will place one or more pieces of three-dimensional art on the University of Indianapolis campus. There will be one or more awards of up to $2,000 for a two-year lease. Purchase prices will be negotiated. Submissions of previously completed and ready-to-install sculptures will be accepted through July 16. All works must have been completed within the last three years and should not have been previously exhibited at the University of Indianapolis. Artists are encouraged to submit up to five images

of their work, a resume, and biographical information. Installation of winning pieces will be complete by July 25. To request a prospectus, call (317) 788-3253 or send an SASE to Dept. of Art and Design, University of Indianapolis, 1400 E. Hanna Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46227.

Hot Stuff I News & Events

July 9. To request an application, e-mail info@lunarmedia.net; visit www.hand harvested.org; call (312) 331-0453; or send your SASE to Lunar Media, 1200 W. 35th, Chicago 60609.

Hot Stuff I News & Events

‰ The fifth annual It’s Only Clay National

‰ Clay on the Wall: 2007 Clay National takes place Dec. 1, 2007 through Feb. 17, 2008 in Lubbock, Texas. Matthew Kangas will jury digital and slide entries received by the Aug. 31 deadline. Fee: $25 for three entries; up to two additional entries may be submitted for $5 each. Awards: $2500. To learn more, e-mail landmarkarts@ttu. edu; call (806) 742-1947; or write: Texas Tech University School of Art, Landmark Arts/Clay on the Wall, Box 42081, Lubbock, TX 79409.

Juried Ceramics Competition and Exhibit takes place in Bemidji, Minnesota from Oct. 5-27. Entry deadline: August 29. Juror: Jeff Oestreich. Fee: $30 for three entries. For entry details, visit the Web site at www.bcac.wordpress.com; call (218) 444-7570; or write Bemidji Community Art Center, 426 Bemidji Ave. N., Bemidji, MN 56601.

GLAZES INC.

Introducing our new Low-Stone 900 Series colors. Here is the second half of our 37 brand new colors for 900 series low-ﬁre glazes. As always they are lead-free and dinnerware safe. Each color will work with the existing colors to create new layered effects.

Conferences ‰ Presentations

by a variety of special guests including Ellen Dissanayake, Rob Forbes, Lisa Hunter, Lewis Hyde, Barry Katz, Chris Rose and Chris Staley will be featured during The Object and Making: Function and Meaning. The event will take place July 15–19 at Haystack Mountain School of Craft in Deer Isle, Maine. Registration fee is $300. For more information, write to PO Box 518, Deer Isle, ME 04627.

‰ Lake Superior College in Duluth, Minnesota will host the International WoodFire Conference July 16–26 with presenters including Broc Allen, Tonya Borgeson, Richard Gruchalla, Sara Haugen, Bob and Cheryl Husby, Bjorn Norgaard, Lu Pinchang, Lenore Lampi Rukavina, and Wenzhi Zhang. For further details, visit the Web site at: http://blog.lsc.edu/woodfirecon ference; e-mail: d.beaulieu@lsc.edu; call (218) 725-7715; or write Dorian Beaulieu, Lake Superior College, 2101 Trinity Rd., Duluth, MN 55811. ‰ The Seventh Biennial Mid-Atlantic Clay Conference takes place in Front Royal, Virginia October 4–7 and will feature special guest Randy Brodnax and presentations by many other accomplished clay artists. For full event details, e-mail: conference@theclayconnection.org; call (540) 636-6016; or write to The Clay Connection/Mid-Atlantic Clay Conference, PO Box 3214, Merrifield, VA 22116.

‰

CLAYTIMES·COM n JULY/AUGUST 2007

The National Juried Ceramics Exhibition and Symposium is slated for Oct. 17–19 in Lawrence, Kansas. Presenting guests include Dan Anderson, Bob Archambeau, John Balistreri, Mark Burns, Brad Schwieger, Jane Shellenbarger, Beth Cavener Stichter, and Michaelene Walsh. For full details, visit www.lawrenceartscenter.org/ceramicsshow; e-mail: educoord@sunflower.com; or write Ben Ahlvers, Symposium Director, 940 New Hampshire St., Lawrence, KS 66044.

945 to 949 94 Fenmar Dr. Toronto, ON Canada M9L 1M5

950 to 954 P.O. Box 874 Lewiston, NY US 14092-0874

955 to 958

959 to 962

Phone:(800)970-1970 or (416)747-8310 Fax:(416)747-8320 www.spectrumglazes.com info@spectrumglazes.com

‰ The Michigan Ceramic Art Association Conference in Detroit will feature demonstrations, lectures, exhibitions, and tours during Michigan Mud 2007, to take place Oct. 26-27. For full event details, visit www.michclay.com; e-mail: kay@ youristpottery.com; or write Kay Yourist, 1133 Broadway, Ann Arbor, MI 48105.

‰ Small and Exquisite: Clay for a Miniature World runs through July 31 at the Carbondale Clay Center, 135 Main St., Carbondale, Colorado. ‰ Renegade Clay: Five Views from the West is on view through September 4 at the Ceramics Research Center, ASU Art Museum, 10th St. and Mill Ave., Tempe, Arizona.

‰ Penland Gallery presents Resident Artists, 2007 through July 29 and The Power of Red from August 7–September 30 at Penland School of Crafts, 67 Doras Trail, Penland, North Carolina.

‰

Slipped, Dipped and Dotted: 18th–21st

Century North Carolina Redwares takes place through August 25 at the North Carolina Pottery Center, 250 E. Ave., Seagrove, North Carolina.

‰

Clay: A Personal View runs August 8–September 3 at the Coastal Art League Gallery, 300 Main St., Half Moon Bay, California.

‰

Contemporary Ohio Ceramics runs through July 22 at the Canton Museum of Art, 1001 Market Ave. N., Canton, Ohio.

‰ Teapots: Object to Subject is on view through August 12 at the Museum of Texas Tech University, Fourth St. and Indiana Ave., Lubbock, Texas. ‰ What a Dish! Dinnerware and Serving Pieces from RAM’s Collection runs through October 21 at the Racine Art Museum, 441 Main St., Racine, Wisconsin. [

Hot Stuff I News & Events

Exhibitions

‰

Voices from the Pacific Rim: Asian American Ceramists is on exhibit through August 19 at Platt and Borstein Galleries, University of Judaism, 15600 Mulholland Dr., Los Angeles, California.

‰ Mata

Ortiz Pottery: A 40 Year Phenomenon takes place through August 25 at American Museum of Ceramic Art, 340 S. Garey Ave., Pomona, California.

‰

Parades: Freer Ceramics continues through November 4 at the Freer Gallery of Art, Smithsonian Institution, 12th St. and Jefferson Dr., Washington, DC.

‰ 5th Annual Perspectives: Georgia Potters and Collectors opens August 1 and continues through September 19 at Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation, 34 School St., Watkinsville, Georgia.

‰ Architectural Aspects—Tiles & Murals runs until August 31 at Pewabic Pottery, 10125 E. Jefferson Ave., Detroit, Michigan. ‰ Fire and Mud takes place July 10–August 24 at the Lansing Art Gallery, 113 S. Washington Square, Lansing, Michigan.

‰ 2007 Artists of NCC is on view through August 26 at the Northern Clay Center, 2424 Franklin Ave. E., Minneapolis, MN.

‰ The Annual Resident Artist Summer Exhibition takes place through July 28 at Archie Bray Foundation for Ceramic Arts, 2915 Country Club Ave., Helena, Montana.

you’re the artist

we’re your partner

CLAYTIMES·COM n JULY/AUGUST 2007

‰ The Mississippi Clay Invitational continues through August 10 at the Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art, 1596 Glenn Swetman St., Biloxi, Mississippi.

Follow the LINE TRADITIONS RE V EALED B Y AC G A ARTISTS

“Follow the Line” was the theme of the recent ACGA exhibit at the Pence Gallery in Davis, CA. Staged in conjunction with the California Conference for the Advancement of Ceramic Art, participating artists were directed to focus on tradition, either personal family traditions or artistic heritage. In their artist’s statement, each participant wrote about what links their work to this “line” of tradition. For some, it was interpreting the human figure. For others, it was memories of childhood structures. Following are some of the great stories behind the art.

By LINDA MAU

CLAYTIMES·COM n JULY/AUGUST 2007

“Personal investigations into my multi-cultural heritage have brought to light the similarities between different cultures and the myths and rituals they create to pass information through generations. My current work is an exploration through my own intricate labyrinth of ancestral experiences following the line of those who have gone before me.”

Sharon Virtue

Visionary by Sharon Virtue. Earthenware.

“One of the greatest traditions in art history is the art of the human figure. I have chosen to follow the idea of the human form, giving my figures arms, legs, heads and torsos, but without any anatomical correctness. The figures give a slight hint that they were once based on something that might have been human, but for me, the thrust of the figure is more to express a movement, stance, or attitude rather than anything anatomically perfect. I like the idea of freezing a moment in the figure’s daily routine, something like a photo in 3D that shows what the figure is doing, was doing, or is about to do. Expressing that action in the figure is at the core of my pieces. They all tell a story and the story can be from my mind or from the person viewing the piece.” Fred Yokel

Now That’s Working by Fred Yokel. Raku.

Judith Serebrin

Soul Book, Horse I by Judith Serebrin. Stained porcelain with handmade book.

CLAYTIMES·COM n JULY/AUGUST 2007

“These pieces are from a series of work called, “Soul Books.” They are a tactile and symbolic way of depicting the importance and existence of the soul in all living creatures. I’ve been using ceramic figures to contain handmade books, which represent the soul of each creature. Art and books have played a significant role in my life, and in my Jewish culture—it’s all about books!”

“Being the daughter of a Bay Area architect—spending weekends visiting construction sites or sitting at a drafting table looking at plans, line, structure, and form—are predominant elements in my work.” Jane B. Grimm

Vortex IX by Jane B. Grimm. Ceramic and wood.

“I grew up hearing of my grandfather’s career in the 1920s and ’30s as a sculptor for Universal Studios in Hollywood, and later for William Randolph Hearst and Julia Morgan at San Simeon. His work was classical in style, frequently larger than life. Although often modeled first in clay, [it was] finally executed in marble or cement. He died before I was born, but I know his work and have felt his passion for sculpting since childhood. I often wonder what he would think of my ceramic sculpture that makes social commentary and lacks classical proportions.” CLAYTIMES·COM n JULY/AUGUST 2007

Janet Fullmer Bajorek

Gulf War Pieta by Janet Fullmer Bajorek. Clay and underglazes.

“When I was young, my grandfather told me stories of his early life in the mining town of Virginia City, Montana where my mother was born. As he talked, he carved up square cardboard milk cartons to make little buildings with removable roofs. My father read the Wizard of Oz books to me as a child. I loved imagining the fanciful and makebelieve houses of the Munchkins. My current work explores time and timelessness through the “containers/houses” inspired by my grandfather’s and father’s stories.” Virginia Rigney

Home to Play by Virginia Rigney. Salt/soda firing atmosphere.

Tom Decker

G.W. by Tom Decker. 27" x 14" x 9".

CLAYTIMES·COM n JULY/AUGUST 2007

“In the tradition of figurative representation, these ceramic sculptures question the validity of the artist’s choice to animate inorganic material in depicting the temporal gesture.”

“I believe “Home” is the incubus of tradition. My house pots are based on Nigerian mud houses. They are simple boxes of shelter and safety.” Julia Terr

House Pot by Julia Terr. Stoneware.

“My Memories Series” is a metaphor for my childhood, for growing up in a good family. They [family members] are [likened to] the steel beneath the clay. Camping trips with them are fond memories I carry with me. But memories fade and have holes, just like my sculpture. We must fill in the missing parts.” Linda Hansen Mau

CLAYTIMES·COM n JULY/AUGUST 2007

Memories of Campfire Coffee by Linda Mau. Paperclay on steel wire.

Clay has always given artists a ‘voice.’ Through the choices they make in design, materials, and style, they give us glimpses of what is important to them; we see a “Line of Tradition.” [ Linda Hansen Mau is a member of the Ceramics Department, De Anza College, Cupertino, CA, and a member of the Association of Clay and Glass Artists of California (ACGA).

An Introduction to Glaze Chemistry by PETE PINNELL

n the second column of this series (March/April 2007 Clay Times), I discussed how the elements in our base glazes oxidize in just a few, predictable ways, and how this can indicate what role each would play in a glaze. Based on those forms, we can arrange our oxides into three fairly neat categories (see the chart at right). These categories can carry a variety of different names: base, amphoteric, and acid are commonly used. The problem with these category names is that they only make sense to someone who already has a chemistry background. Everyone else would need a lengthy discussion of what these terms mean—a cumbersome beginning for a non-technical audience. Instead, like a lot of potters, I prefer to use names that tell us what the oxides in each column do: fluxes, stabilizers, and glass formers. To recap, a glass former is something that melts to a liquid, and then retains that “amorphous” (noncrystalline) structure even after it cools. This makes it a super-cooled liquid: a material with the structure of a liquid that exhibits the properties of a solid.

Fluxes can be defined as oxides that combine with silica to cause the mixture to melt at a lower temperature. This is a much larger group, as you can see from the list in our chart. Our third category, the middle one in the chart, is called stabilizers. Practically

Here’s our chart of common glazeproducing oxides, with each oxide’s reported melting point:

RO, R2O (Fluxes)

Na2O K2O Li2O

Alkalis sodium oxide (1132˚ C, 2070˚ F) potassium oxide (350˚ C, 662˚ F) lithium oxide (1700˚ C, 3092˚ F)

CaO MgO BaO SrO

Alkaline Earths calcium oxide (2572˚ C, 4662˚ F magnesium oxide (2800˚ C, 5072˚ F) barium oxide 1923˚ C, 3493˚ F strontium oxide 1100˚ C, 2012˚ F

ZnO PbO

Other Fluxes zinc oxide (1975˚ C, 3587˚ F) lead oxide (888˚ C, 1630˚ F) R2O3 (Stabilizers)

Al2O3 B2O3

alumina (2054˚ C, 3729˚ F) boron oxide (450˚ C, 842˚ F) RO2 (Glass Formers)

SiO2

four —all from group 2—are called alkaline earths, and include calcium, magnesium, barium, and strontium. We finish up the flux column with an awkward little grouping—lead and zinc—that we can just call other fluxes. They aren’t in the same group or period, but they’re both fluxes, so we can just stick them there together. We like to acknowledge these sub-categories because oxides within each of the first two tend to share similar traits: to some extent the oxides within each of the first two categories are interchangeable. In fact, one interesting way to explore glazes is to use the Unity Molecular Formula (which I’m going to explain next time) to substitute one flux for another from the same subcategory. This is a great way to learn more about both their similarities and their differences. I promised last time that I would talk about boron oxide, because it is probably the single most interesting oxide we use. As I mentioned before, boron is actually a glass former: all alone, it will melt into a glass, and at a surprisingly low temperature. The problem (from a potter’s perspective) is that it’s completely water-soluble, so it certainly wouldn’t qualify as a glaze. That doesn’t mean we still couldn’t include it in the glass former column, and many people do. Still, it’s never our primary glass former (that always falls to silica), and I think there are convincing arguments for placing it elsewhere.

silica (1710˚ C, 3110˚ F)

We can add a bit of detail by offering some subcategories in the flux column. We usually refer to these by the same names that are used in the periodic table of elements. Our first three fluxes—sodium, potassium, and lithium—are all from group 1, and are called alkalis. The next

Some potters think of boron (or even describe it) as a flux. This might make sense if you think of a flux as something that melts. But, as we learned in my previous glaze column, a flux isn’t a “melter” (despite the popular perception). For our purposes, a flux is something that combines with silica to cause the mixture to melt at a lower temperature. Most of

CLAYTIMES·COM n JULY/AUGUST 2007

The main glass former that we use in our traditional branch of ceramics is silica (SiO2), which by itself makes a practical, durable glass, if you’re able to reach the very high temperatures necessary to melt it. Since its melting temperature is so high, people have long used fluxes to bring the melting point down to a manageable level.

speaking, these oxides do two things: they control the viscosity of a glaze (i.e. how runny it is) and whether, or how much, a glaze might crystallize.

Perspectives I As Far As I Know

Back to Basics, Part 3

Perspectives I As Far As I Know CLAYTIMES·COM n JULY/AUGUST 2007

our fluxes actually melt by themselves at temperatures far exceeding the limits of our kilns. It’s only when the flux is combined with silica (and other oxides) that its melting temperature is lowered. There is a term that ceramists in both art and science use to describe this phenomenon, and it is a source of both clarity and confusion. The term is eutectic. For our purposes, a eutectic occurs when two or more substances combine to melt at a lower temperature than either would alone. The confusion is caused because the term ‘eutectic’ is also used by the wider world of chemistry and physical science to describe a particular point in a phase equilibrium diagram. This is a different (though somewhat related) animal. Our interest is in something called a deformation eutectic, which is measured by making a cone out of a material (or mixture) and heating it until it melts. The temperature at which the cone would bend over and touch down would be its deformation temperature. If you find the proportion of any particular blend of oxides that has the lowest melting point, we would call that point the eutectic point. We also use eutectic to describe the general lowering of melting temperature that we talked about earlier. It’s a handy term if you remember that we’re not talking about phase diagrams when we use it this way. With this in mind, let’s re-examine boron. Since it melts, why don’t we call it a flux? After all, potters are practical people who tend to believe in “the duck test.” The duck test states that if something walks, talks and swims like a duck, then we should call it a duck (even if a naturalist might call it something else). Boron seems to quack like a flux, so why don’t we call it that? Because, at least theoretically, boron doesn’t form a eutectic with silica. Yes, it melts and it causes silica to melt at a lower temperature than it would otherwise, but it doesn’t work the other way around. When a flux is blended with the silica it should lower the melting temperature of the silica, and boron does that. But when a eutectic occurs, the opposite should also be true: adding silica to the flux should cause the flux to melt at a lower temperature. Think about

the three-part eutectic I mentioned in part 2 of this series: 34% whiting, 30% kaolin, and 36% silica. None of these three materials melts below 1700° C (or about cone 23). Yet when these materials are combined in this proportion, a cone made from this mixture will bend before cone 9, or by about 1250° C. That’s a markedly lower temperature than the temperature at which any of the three would melt alone. As I also mentioned last time, even alumina (which potters like to think of as the ultimate refractory) can take part in eutectic mixtures. If you add about 5% alumina to pure silica, you will lower the melting point of the silica from about 1710° C to about 1545° C , even though alumina melts alone at 2054° C. There are very good reasons to call boron a stabilizer, and place it in the middle column. In glasses that mature at a lower temperature, boron can fill the entire stabilizer role and sometimes does. China paints and enamels are often stabilized with boron alone. More importantly, boron can fill the other role that we assign to stabilizers to affect and control crystal growth. Add enough boron to a matte glaze recipe and it will become a glossy glaze. (A matte glaze is simply a glaze in which enough microscopic crystals have grown to affect the texture and reflectance of the surface. Add the right amount of stabilizer to the glaze—either alumina or boron—and the crystals won’t form.) So, is this the column where we should place boron? I put it there, but frankly, it doesn’t really matter. This will become more obvious when we start putting numbers into this, because we’ll always look at the boron level by itself and not in combination with alumina, silica, or anything else. In essence, we’ll treat it as if it were its own column. Yes, it acts like a stabilizer, but I put it in this column mostly because there’s plenty of room there. (Yup, sometimes a complex question demands a simple answer.) In practical terms (and who needs a theory if there’s no practical application?), what does it mean that boron seems to function simultaneously as a flux, stabilizer, and glass former? It means that boron has a marked tendency to both lower and broaden the firing range

of a glaze. There’s no easier way to lower the maturation temperature of a glaze than through the addition of boron. We can add .05 mole equivalents (more later on what that means) to just about any glaze and lower its maturing temperature about one cone. This is a great little tidbit, since it means that we can lower cone 10 glazes down to cone 6 by adding somewhere between .1 and .25 moles of boron. Why the imprecision? Because all glazes have a firing range, not just a firing temperature. A recipe labeled as “cone 10” might actually have a range of, say, cone 8 to 12 (that’s a pretty common firing range for a glossy, high-fire glaze). This means we don’t need as much boron to bring its maturation temperature down to cone 6. A larger amount might be needed for a matte glaze that matures at temperatures from cone 10 to 13, but is also labeled “cone 10.” The interesting thing is that even though the lower end of the glaze’s range will come down, the top end doesn’t follow as quickly: the addition of a little boron could easily convert a cone 8-11 glaze into a cone 6-11 glaze. This allows us to formulate glazes with a very long and forgiving firing range, which is handy if you’re using a kiln that fires unevenly. It’s not unusual to see boron-containing glazes that are mature at cone 04, and yet fire to cone 6, giving them a practical range of ten (or more) cones. I’ve never seen this kind of range in a glaze that doesn’t include boron. Whew! See, that’s not so bad, and now that we’re through the theory we can begin using this information to produce new glazes and alter existing ones. Next time, I’ll introduce glaze calculation and the Unity Molecular Formula, and we’ll start putting all of this knowledge to practical use. [

Pete Pinnell teaches at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He has been a potter for many years and has numerous exhibitions and workshops to his credit. You can reach him with comments or questions at ppinnell1@unl.edu.

Full-Color Catalog available September 1st Reserve a copy by calling or logging on Stonewall Gallery • 25579 Plank Road Cambridge Springs, PA 16403 ( 8 1 4 ) 7 3 4 -8 8 0 0 www.campbellpotterystore.com

Jamie Kozlowski Wizard of Clay Pottery

CLAYTIMES·COM n JULY/AUGUST 2007

CLAYTIMESÂ·COM n JULY/AUGUST 2007

t last, I had figured out new work: handbuilt functional pieces. I’d done a decade of altars, drawers, workable doors, etc. It took me a year to make a plate my kids even liked. When I finally had some passable new plates, I asked clay people for suggestions. The first part of this column will discuss the process and results of asking for feedback. The second part of this column will briefly explain the colored slip techniques, as inspired by Denise Smith, that I am using on my new work.

changed, but how the visual responses of other people’s eyes can be so extremely exciting and useful. The lesser point of the article is to share the technique of the new functional work. The first person who looked at a new plate watched me to see if I was interested in a full critique. He said the surface was nice, interesting, blah, blah, blah ... but then he moved on and said that it was just a slab of clay. Bingo! I

by LANA Wilson

realized I had been so involved with the surface that I had not paid careful attention to the edges or shape. Edges—good grief—hadn’t I given slide shows and preached with fundamentalist zeal on edges? Yes. Seems like I had received that same comment 35 years ago. It’s hard to open those eyes wide and see. After that comment, I went home and worked with excited fervor on the edges. I tried a variety of systems, had to throw

Perspectives I Beneath the Surface

Why and How to Solicit Feedback

When asking for feedback on my new functional pieces, I know I need to clarify that I am interested in suggestions and negative comments. I don’t want generalized mushy, feedback comments like “wow” or “interesting.” I have a variety of small speeches I make like, “I am mostly interested in your negative reactions, suggestions, or critical comments so I can learn. I don’t want to hear it is “great.” I know I have to be ready for negative comments, or anything I get. I try not to look as if I would be seriously dented by negative comments. Another speech for soliciting critiques, suggested by Richard Burkett, is: “I’m excited about these new pieces, but there is something that is not working. Can you help me think about what it is?”

The point of this article is not what the pieces looked like and how they

Lana’s new work reflects constructive criticism she invites and welcomes.

CLAYTIMES·COM n JULY/AUGUST 2007

I would not have had a thick enough skin for this honest feedback 30 years ago. My present thick skin is handy; it means I can be excited and learn from suggestions instead of having sudden feelings of depression. Besides, I know I am slow on developing these new plates and cups. They are like a new boyfriend in high school; I am somewhat besotted and blind to what to do next. I am also aware that I don’t have to use all the suggestions offered.

Perspectives I Beneath the Surface

away quite a few, and finally figured out a rolled edge that was stamped down on the back. His critique made it deliciously fun to improve the plates. The next suggestion hinted that my “more is more” philosophy was too much. In making new plates with (gasp) plain areas, even I could see how it set off the densely-patterned areas. I was getting energized by how much more quickly my work was improving as a result of these constructive comments. One insightful critique came 15 years ago from a student who’d been awarded a scholarship to my class at Arrowmont. He is now a professor of ceramics, and it was impishly fun to ask him what he thought. He said he would like to see some of my handles incorporated into the new work ... and suggested a foot to lift them up. Yep, I then rushed home and tried to figure out handles. His thoughts made sense to me. I found I had to make new types of handles; the old ones didn’t work. Good, time to move on, I thought. It was more interesting to make new handles anyway.

CLAYTIMES·COM n JULY/AUGUST 2007

A full-time functional potter pointed out that the lip on my new cups would look better if thinner. I had not noticed! My less sensitive reaction to criticism, compared with that from years ago, meant I could learn and thrive with negative feedback instead of getting deflated. I do admit, it took me two decades to begin to get that tougher skin. What I am obviously advising here is to develop a thick skin faster than I did.

The process of improving my work has been accelerated by these reactions from other clay artists. Exploring specific and fresh input in the studio is exhilarating. Consider asking clay artists and other folks for feedback on your work, or e-mail images to distant clay friends. Tell them you want to make your work better and would value their suggestions. Take a look at online critiques at www.critical ceramics.org. Now for some more concrete suggestions you might wish to apply to your work. The remainder of this column is devoted to details on how I use colored slips on textured functional ware. I learned the basic technique from Denise Smith, and wrote about her process in the July/August 2005 Clay Times issue.

To make the slip, I use small scraps of bone-dry Half and Half clay, a cone 5 body by Laguna. It is half porcelain and half white stoneware, so it is very white, but also easy to work with. It is not great for throwing. I add the Mason® stains in the percentages listed below. If it calls for 50% Chartreuse, I weigh out 100 grams of bone-dry clay and add 50 grams of 6236 Chartreuse. It mixes more smoothly if I let it sit for half an hour or so. I use a very stiff brush to mix it, using 50 to 100 grams of dry clay plus the stain, whenever I mix up a color. With this basic-white-clay-plus-stain system, you can use any white clay rated from cone 04 to cone 10, and mix it with the percentages of the stains listed below. Then you can apply a clear glaze, and fire to the appropriate cone. I brush the whole, intricately-textured bisqued piece top to bottom for a plate, with slips made from one of the base or first-layer colorants listed below. I usually use the black slip. The bottom is also textured, and after I paint on the black slip, I sponge it off so the black slip only remains in the myriad crevices of the texture. Since the slip is almost all clay and not a glaze, the bottom will not stick to the kiln shelf. When I want only black and white in the glazed area, I paint the black slip on and then sponge it off. In the areas where I want black plus other colors, I paint on the black slip first, then unevenly dab on small, casual ¼" square splotches—some here, other colors there—often in up to three layers. I do not sponge off the colored splotchy sections. I use fine steel wool to “sand” the colors down, a subtractive abrading process. I wear a Survivair® mask (about $50). I brush all the dust off the steel-wool-abraded areas while still wearing the mask. After brushing all the dust off, I use the clear glaze recipe listed at right. I am sure other clear glazes will also work; this one is slightly on the expensive side. If I need bits of more color after the cone 6 glaze firing, I apply Spectrum SuperWriter® Fire Engine Red 467 or Atomic Orange 463 and refire to cone 6. Someday I plan to be so good at this whole process that the above rescue technique will be totally unnecessary.

BASE OR FIRST-LAYER COLORANTS: 6600 Black 6069 Dark Coral 6207 Celeste (a dark aqua) 6339 Royal (blue)

10% 35% 25% 10%

Often I put the black slip on first, then unevenly apply small ¼" dabs of the first three colors below. I highlight with small dabs of different colors scattered across the piece. You needn’t adhere to these exact numbers: decrease the percentages to yield pastel colors, or increase them to yield darker, more intense hues. You can also mix these slip colors with each other to produce new colors.

6129 Golden Ambrosia 30% 6485 (a tan orange) 20% 6024 Orange 30% 6027 Tangerine 25% 6069 Dark Coral 30% 6207 Celeste (dark aqua) 25% 6211 Pea Green 50% 6223 Ivy Green 50% 6226 Dark Leaf 25% 6236 Chartreuse 50% 6288 Turquoise 50% 6304 Violet 100% 27496 Persimmon 30% or K 5997 Red 30% (or some other red stain, depending on your supplier)

“Kate the Younger” Clear Cone 6 Oxidation Glaze by Richard Burkett use over colored slips yields a shiny surface, resistant to crazing (but don’t speed-cool) Ferro Frit 3195 EPK Wollastonite Silica

70% 8 10 12

TOTAL

100%

add Bentonite

Lana Wilson is a passionate handbuilder. See her Web site at www.lanawilson.com. If you have a comment or critique on her work, she welcomes your e-mail at: lana@ lanawilson.com. If you are a parent and a clay person, see the bulletin board and articles at The ClayParent Web site: www.mud mamasandpapas.com. [

In Form I Teaching Techniques

Thrown & Pressed Textures

Groovy Pots column by BILL van GILDER • photos by rex looney

Necessary Supplies • (2) 2-lb. 8-oz. lumps of clay • (1) 2-lb. lump of clay • (3) small bats • a straight-sided rib tool • a cut-off wire • a throwing sponge • some water • one or two short lengths of wooden dowel • a sharp-edged, square-ended wooden stick, 4" to 5" in length • a trimming tool

“Picking the right glaze to cover this visually busy decoration can also add to the success of each piece.” Here’s a grassy-colored, cone 6, glossy, transparent recipe we’ve been using in our classroom on a white clay body, with great results:

Oribe Green

ere’s a wheel-throwing project that we’ve had quite a lot of fun with in our classroom. It’s a 2-step project (or more, if you decide to trim, add handles, or add lids). Expect an “Oh, wow, what a cool pattern” and “I think I can use it on my pots” type of reaction—a good thing.

Custer Feldspar Whiting Silica (325 mesh) Tile #6 Kaolin (or EPK) Zinc Oxide TOTAL add Copper Carbonate

32.0% 24.0 24.0 12.0 8.0 100.0% 4.0%

This glaze pools nicely in each groove if used at a 48 to 50 thickness reading on the hydrometer. We dip pots quickly, for 1 to 2 seconds each, and glaze-fire like all our classroom glazes, to 2200° F over 9-10 hours, then turn off. The kiln cools at its own speed with the exhaust vent turned off shortly after the computer control panel reads ‘complete.’

Making Pot #1 With your weighed and kneaded lumps of clay, three bats, and the throwing tools listed above, gather your students around your wheel. A note about the dowels: the length of your dowels isn’t important, though a length that fits across my hand is my choice. The diameter is important. Dowels that are less than ¼" or more than ¾" in diameter are a hassle to use. So use dowels that are somewhere in between (the blunt end of a metal needle tool works perfectly for a small pot). Throw the simplest pot first—the bowl. Using a 2-lb. lump of clay on a small bat, throw your bowl with a straight-up wall of an

CLAYTIMES·COM n JULY/AUGUST 2007

I explain that, “There are multitudes of ways to decorate your pots. Creating part of a pattern at the throwing stage and later, building on top of that pattern, is a fairly immediate way to decorate. But this technique takes some pre-planning and careful execution. Just check out the pots made by Shoji Hamada and Tatsuzo Shimaoka, two very important Japanese potters who used this building technique with great insight and skill.

cone 6 oxidation / cone 8 reduction

A tip about sieving this glaze: the zinc oxide can be horribly chunky and a real nuisance as you try to force it through an 80-mesh sieve twice. To solve the problem, we combine the weighed-out zinc amount and a cup or two of water in a blender, whip it up, and add it to the batch to be immediately sieved. Problem solved! One more note: we use clay bodies rated to mature at cone 6, not cone 6 to cone 10. We bisque-fire all the clays to cone 08 for more porosity and a quicker glaze drying time.

In Form I Teaching Techniques

average ¼" thickness. I leave ample clay below the bowl, which later allows me to trim a pedestal or raised foot. Rib the outside wall straight and smooth (Fig. 1).

Groovin’

CLAYTIMES·COM n JULY/AUGUST 2007

Thoroughly wet both the inside and outside walls of your bowl with lots of water. Pick up a dowel and, beginning at a point just below the rim, press the dowel into the outside wall using inside fingertip pressure to equally force the clay to the dowel end. Reposition the dowel down the wall, placing the rounded end just below and next to your first groove, and press again. Continue adding side-by-side grooves (Fig. 2) until the wall is totally textured, top to bottom.

Now wet the walls again and, with fingertips placed inside and a hand-held wet sponge lightly pressed against the outside wall, evenly belly the wall outward (Fig. 3). Clean the excess water from the inside of your bowl, smooth the rim, wire-cut the bowl from the bat, and move the bowl and bat from the wheelhead.

Making Pot #2 This 2-lb 8-oz. lump of clay will become a basket-type form (see grouped pots in photo on page 29). Start with a cylinder and, like

all your pots in this demo, use your rib to smooth and flatten the outside wall (Fig. 4). Then groove the cylinder as much or as little as you like (Fig. 5) and again, use a sponge to soften the doweled grooves as you belly the form outward (Fig. 6). At this point I roll the top 2" area of my cylinder outward and over to fatten the rim edge. Later, I’ll attach an over-the-top, basket-like clay handle to complete the form. Remove the water from the inside of the pot, wire it from the bat, and remove it from the wheelhead.

Making Pot #3 The third and last 2-lb. 8-oz. demo pot is a bottle form. It too, begins as a cylinder with a 2" to 3" tall, smooth area below the rim. This smooth neck section of your cylinder will become the shoulder, neck, and rim of your bottle. Again, flatten the outside wall of your cylinder and groove it with the dowel-end (Fig. 7). Then, belly the cylinder outward and lightly smooth/soften the high points of the grooves (Fig. 8). Lastly, collar-in the top, ungrooved area and complete the neck and rim (Fig. 9, page 32). Wire it from the bat and lift your bat and bottle from the wheelhead.

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In Form I Teaching Techniques

Drying I try to get the throwing part of this demo accomplished as early as possible during our 2½- to 3-hour class time. This gives the pots a couple of hours of drying time, which is necessary before moving on to the next step: adding the vertical lines.

Pressing

With the tacky surface of your three grooved pots now dried to soft leatherhard, move them to a banding wheel on a worktable or back to your wheel. With your bowl placed front and center, pick up your short piece of squared stick and firmly press a cornered end of it into the top groove at the rim. Pressure the long, sharp edge of the stick straight downward and over the grooves below. Stop this first pressing when you’ve reached the halfway point on the belly of the form. Now firmly press a corner of the stick into the bottom-most groove, directly below and in line with the upper groove. Press the long edge of the stick upward until the vertical lines meet and overlap (Fig. 10). Reposition your stick further around the bowl about an inch away from the first line and press another pair of vertical lines into the wall, top and bottom. Work your way around the bowl, pressing at the top, then the bottom, repeatedly, until your decorative pressing is complete. You can use the clock positions: 12 and 6, 3 and 9, to regulate the spacing of these vertical lines. Or, go at it one after the other in a consecutive order, as is my choice

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here. When your bowl is stiff leather-hard, complete the foot and add your ‘chop.’ Pots #2 and #3 are completed as just described. Start each of your vertical pressed lines at the top horizontal groove and press the long edge of your stick downward into the wall. Then, press into the bottom groove and upward, until the indented lines meet and overlap to form one line (Figs. 11 & 12). If your pots are wide enough at the rim to allow a hand inside, it helps to counterpressure the outside stick-pressing action with a bit of inside, fingertip pressure. This is the case with the bowl and basket form (Fig. 13), but not so with the bottle (Fig. 14). Typically, these textured pots get their base edges thumbed round and smooth or, as with the bowl, a trimmed foot finishes the piece. I comment while throwing and again during the pressing step, “I’ve shown you the basics here. Now, visualize a version of it on your pots. Use different size dowels on the same pot? Angle the pressed lines or move them closer together? Try it on a platter rim—or how about a mug? There are tons of possibilities; go for it!” [ Bill van Gilder has been a full-time potter and ceramics teacher since the 1960s. He is creator/ host of the Throwing Clay DIY Network TV series and teaches functional pottery-making workshops. He may be reached by e-mail at vangilderpottery@earthlink.net. His potters’ tool line, van Gilder Tools, is available via the Clay Times online store at www. claytimes.com, or by calling toll-free 1-800356-2529.

Beginners & Professionals Olympic commercial electric and gas kilns are heavily insulated (6” of insulation and air space) for energy efficiency and built to last with heavy angle iron frames, stainless steel skins. The electric kilns have options for kiln sitter and limit timer, electronic controller, 480 volts, 3-phase, and 3- zone control. Olympic DownDrafts are designed to fire on propane or natural gas. Stainless steel or galvanized vent hoods can be added as option in addition to kiln sitter and timer, electronic control wall unit, pyrometer and blower burners. Olympic commercial electric kilns range in sizes from 5.5 – 53 cubic feet and the gas kilns range from 9-40 (useable space) cubic feet. Strong, Durable & Affordable!

Olympic Freedom kilns really free you up! Each Freedom kiln comes with their own emergency repair kit – 2 elements, crimping tool, pint of mortar, wiring schematic and extra thermocouple at not additional cost to you! And Freedom furniture kits contain shelves and posts to fit your kiln with a free bag of assorted stilts (33 stilts) for firing glaze ware. Freedom kilns are equipped with electronic controllers and fire to cone 10. Sizes range from 14” wide x 14” deep to 25” front to back, 37” wide x 27” deep.

Raku, bisque or glaze in Olympic raku gas kilns. The unique firing chamber keeps temperature hot inside the kiln even when opened. Sizes range from 18” to 28” wide to accommodate small to large pieces. Propane or natural gas.

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Masters’ Throwing: Aug. 23-26 Porcelain: Tuesdays, Aug. 28-Dec. 11 Eastern Coil: Sept. 8-9 Glaze Application: Sept. 15-16 Photographing Ceramics: Sept. 29-30

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Clockwise from left: Balanced. 14" tall, handbuilt porcelain and steel. • Octopus Plate. 12" tall, thrown plate, porcelain. • Change Coming. 10" tall, thrown egg, porcelain.

Having His Say With Story Pots:

Tim Christensen-Kirby STORY By K.t. anders • PHOTOS BY ANDREW EDGAR

Turtle, 3" tall. Slab-built porcelain.

ou’ve got to hand it to this man. Tim Christensen-Kirby decides what he wants to do and—bam!— he does it. Forget the learning curve that most of us have to go through. Forget the toil to perfect our craft, the years of trying to find our voice, the struggle to make a living. Christensen-Kirby seems to have a built-in shortcut to success, and serendipity sits on his shoulder.

“I was floating around on the flats one day in my canoe and I had this revelation,” he remembers. “I decided I wanted to be a potter.”

Coming home from the Keys, he stopped for a week at his parents’ home in Ohio. Eyeing his art-teacher-mom’s wheel and kiln in the basement, Christensen-Kirby announced he was going to teach himself to throw. His mother smiled indulgently. By the next day he’d thrown through 25 lbs. of clay and had a shelf full of bowls and mugs. “I was fully committed at that point,” he notes.

Nice success story. But not good enough for Christensen-Kirby. “I felt I had something to say and I needed to communicate it,” he states. “With the functional ware, I was only communicating with myself. I wanted to take all the energy that it took to make 100 pots and put it into one pot and see what happened.” So he called his stores and gave them the news—no more functional ware.

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When he was laid off from his job selling law books for Time Warner (after receiving a degree in poetry from Colby College), he took himself and his severance pay down to the Florida Keys. Fishing seemed an appropriate pastime while he figured out what he wanted to do with his life.

So he went back to his campsite, and wouldn’t you know it, the guy sitting at the next campfire had a bag of clay in his truck. I mean, what are the chances? Christensen-Kirby started making pinch pots right there in his tent.

Back home in New Hampshire, he supported himself as a house painter for a year and began making pots. “I tried to teach myself, but I wasn’t having much luck,” he confesses. So he took lessons from local potter Tamsin Whitehead. “I learned more in the first lesson than I had in all the previous months. I gave myself six months to start making money.” By the end of the year he had a phalanx of retail outlets and was selling well-made (and well-selling) functional ware.

Never mind that he’d never made a pot. Or that his only contact with clay had been back in grade school when he made the requisite coil snake. On that day in the canoe, he knew.

For the next three weeks, he worked on five large dry pots stored in his studio. “I wanted to illustrate the wonder and mystery of living in the world we share and depict the struggle of humans to find a way to fit back in to the natural pattern of life on earth,” he explains. At the end of that time, he’d developed the black-and-white drawings of animals and man that now define his style. Had he ever drawn before? Well, no. But as you might suspect by now, that didn’t stop him. “I had tried to draw for years and I never could,” he says. “It was a great frustration. But there’s something about starting on a black background and scratching through to the white clay, and feeling the resistance of the stylus. It was the perfect combination. I sat down with the first pot and within an hour, I discovered I could actually draw.” Of course.

I Saw a Kingfisher. 12" tall. Thrown porcelain vase.

Christensen-Kirby’s technique is sgraffitto—scratching through black slip to white porcelain beneath. You may notice a bit of Inuit influence, echoes from childhood trips to Northern Canada. Like Inuit sculptures, his pots are personal and narrative; but for Christensen-Kirby, it’s almost on an unconscious level. “As I go along, I discover there’s a story being told on the pot that I’m not actually consciously developing,” he muses. “Usually at the end of the process I realize that what I’m doing is making a parable about something that’s going on in my mind. It’s related to myth and story and past experience, and making sense of our place in the natural world. I think that’s what the Inuit sculptures do.”

The Process Christensen-Kirby admits that his process is slow. “I throw one day a month on the wheel, going through 100-125 lbs. of porcelain,” he notes. His clay choice is a porcelain with ball clay, called Sheffield W1A. “I throw a large variety of shapes and sizes, from 5-oz. cups to 25-lb. bowls, so when I come into the studio I can choose. If I’m in an open mood, I have a wide bowl, and if I’m in a closed off place, I can choose a less generous shape.” When the pots are leather-hard, he hand trims, using a Surform® planing tool. “I can’t trim upside down on the wheel because my rims are so thin, so I hold the pot on towel pads on my lap, turning and rasping and smoothing. It gives me time to be sensitive to form.” He smoothes out texture and throwing lines with a piece of spring steel, using it like a sharp, flexible rib. After six weeks of drying, it’s time to draw. He applies a thin layer of black slip over the piece, then sprays it down with hairspray. “Because there is so little clay in my slip, the hairspray actually holds the slip onto the pot. It allows me to keep my line quality good.” Working on a downdraft table that draws all the air down through a filter, Christensen-Kirby begins carving, using three tools: a Dolan® pointy ribbon tool, a dry-point stylus with a carbide tip, and various-sized drill bits. Four Graylings. 12" tall. Thrown porcelain bowl.

Drill bits? “It was terrifying to drill into the pot at first,” he admits. But after twisting the drill bit by hand to make the thousands of dots that decorate his pots, he finally opted for power.

Fear of Freedom. 9" tall. Slab-built porcelain box with lid.

He uses a flexible attachment on his Dremel® tool and cuts the drill bits down to 1" or 1½" so he can reach the interior as well as the exterior. Then he drills into the porcelain just far enough to make a dot. He calls his drawings instinctual. “I start with a line and look at it and figure out where I want to go from there,” he explains. “I find that when I’m open and follow my instincts and intuition, things work out great. I don’t start with any preconceived notion about how the drawing is going to come out. I just let things develop and follow my gut. If I can stick to that process, I wind up with consistently good pottery.”

Because he’s not glazing, he doesn’t have to bisque. He oncefires to cone 6 in the gas kiln. “I’m much fonder of the surface

Squid Circus. 10" tall. Thrown porcelain vase.

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Balancing design and form calls for constant attention. “I keep looking at the piece to make sure I’ve accentuated something I want. For example, most people don’t notice the lower part of the pot that curves down to face the table. So, often I’ll make that [area] the brightest part of the pot, scratching off most of the black. Or I might want to make the interior dark, because the piece is about those times when we’re not feeling good.”

Despite his obvious talent and determination, it hasn’t all been easy for Christensen-Kirby. Last year, his studio burned. Two months after he refurbished and moved into a new studio, he was flooded out. “I’ve had to rebuild my business twice in the past year,” he says. But it hasn’t kept him down. “Everybody has hard times. The trick is to recognize the pain, but also recognize that things turn around. It never occurred to me that making a living as a potter wouldn’t work out.” Of course not. [

“Creating a piece that conveys fullness and ripeness, finding out what the surface has to say by the drawing I lay over it, invites the next adventure.”

To view more of Tim ChristensenKirby’s work, go to www.christensenkirby.com. He can be reached at tim@ christensen-kirby.com. K.T. Anders is a potter and professional writer who resides in Upperville,

Tim Christensen-Kirby has been forced by fire and flood to rebuild his studio—not once, but twice—during the past year.

Virginia. She is a regular contributor to

CLAYTIMES·COM n JULY/AUGUST 2007

Clay Times.

Hard Work Ahead. 13" tall. Thrown and altered porcelain bowl.

We Will Never Meet. 4" tall. Double-walled, thrown and altered porcelain cup.

photo by Kari Olstad

I get with gas than with electric,” he notes. “In an electric kiln, the clay body matures at cone 6, but because all the heat in an electric kiln is by radiation, the black parts get hotter than the white and tend to become glossy. And sometimes they flux right into the porcelain.”

How-to Raku Too Hot To Handle! STORY & PHOTOS By RAY JOHNSON

n unusual path led me to become infatuated with raku. After spending a couple of years doing stained glass using copper foil and lead, I was ready to graduate to glass fusion. This, of course, required purchasing a kiln. As I attempted to sell the idea to my wife, she said she thought it was a good idea as long as she could also have a kiln for firing sculptures that she intended to make. So we purchased two kilns, one for glass fusion and one for ceramics. In my zest for making creative glass pieces, I decided it would be a good idea to make my own slump and hump molds, as they are somewhat expensive. You can guess the next step: I took a pottery class at our local arts center, and immediately became hooked on wheel-throwing and making wonderful little pots. Even though my first creations were of the two- and three-inch variety, my wife encouraged me to go on. I did so while still dabbling with glass fusion. In the meantime, our new ceramics kiln, purchased with the best of intentions, had been untouched for more than a year. Now, having the new kiln and a newfound expertise in making pots, I was duty-bound to go about firing my own pots. I continued over the next few months, while my stained glass efforts diminished to nil.

The main purpose of this article is to share some of my opinions, experiences, and tech-

The Kiln Fortunately, there are several excellent commercially available raku kilns, as well as kits and plans for home-built kilns. The choice obviously depends on your needs and available resources. In my case, being a solo operator with an occasional helping hand from my wife, I was attracted to the small (18") Olympic raku kiln. The hand-cranked winch makes it feasible for one person to raise and lower the upper portion of the kiln with relative ease. Also, the optional ignition ring and thermocouple safety shut-off feature offers convenience and safety for lighting the kiln. More importantly, this device stops the gas flow if the flame is lost or blown out. For mobility, the kiln was mounted on a dolly like those typically used for mounting and moving power tools such as a table saw. The floor of the dolly was constructed by layering some ceramic tile scraps and a sheet of tin over a ½"-thick piece of plywood. One person can easily move the kiln on a smooth surface.

Fuel

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Then came the fatal attraction. After finishing an evening pottery class, I fell upon another class working outside. They were firing raku! Needless to say, I immediately knew what my next quest would be. Now, eight years later, my work is almost exclusively raku.

niques that may be useful to those interested in pursuing raku. Keep in mind that the process described herein is what works for me. I venture to say there are as many approaches to raku as there are raku artists. Those of you who experiment with raku will undoubtedly develop techniques that will yield unique results.

We live in the country, so a fuel source was not a problem because we depend on propane for heating our house. Our local propane supplier installed an external quick disconnect

Pictured: 1) Pots are placed in the kiln and heated to 1650˚ F. The kiln has just been opened. 2) A pot is removed using long-handled tongs. 3) A pot is placed into a container containing combustible, dry paper. 4) It’s important that the combustible material ignites, as pictured.

Pictured: 5) The flames should be fully developed, as pictured here, before covering the container. 6) Cover the pots for 15 to 20 minutes with a well-sealed lid. 7) Carefully remove the pots using long-handled tongs and fireman’s gloves. 8) Immediately quench the pot with water.

As a safety precaution, I leak-check all fittings and connections before lighting up. Our propane dealer provided a detergent-like solution that can be squirted on each area of interest. A diluted solution of liquid soap should also work.

glasses, goggles, or even better, a face shield) are essential. A good set of tongs is also important in terms of safety and facilitating the handling of pots. Don’t skimp. Clothing is also a safety and comfort factor. Due to the intense heat near the kiln, I wouldn’t recommend wearing shorts or skimpy pants. A heavy pair of jeans is a good choice.

Safety

Post-Firing Reduction

I found the easiest way to light the kiln is with a small hand-held propane torch. I have seen some folks use a welder’s spark igniter to light their kiln. To me, that method could be hazardous with your hands so close to the ignition source. Expanding on safety, heavy gloves (welder’s gloves are suitable), a good disposable dust mask, and eye protection (safety

The equipment item that sets raku apart from other ceramic processes is an independent reduction chamber. Translated, that means an ordinary galvanized garbage can with a lid. For most of my work, 10-gallon cans are just right. Of course, larger cans are readily available. I found the best price on lidded cans at our local farm supply store. To maximize reduc-

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fitting, a shut-off valve, and a hose to connect the kiln, for a very modest fee.

tion, the lid should fit reasonably tight. Notice, in the process photos, that the lids are covered with heavy brown paper (grocery store sacks) to improve the seal. One could probably write a book just on the subject of ignitable materials that can be used in the reduction process. There is a myriad of choices including straw, dried leaves, specific types of sawdust, paper, etc. I’ve tried all of the options noted, as well as combinations thereof. Whatever you choose, it must be dry in order to propagate a healthy flame. My choice is newsprint or white packing paper, which can be purchased from your local moving supply store. Dry newspaper works, but the residue left by the ink on the paper greatly increases the work involved in the final step of cleaning the pots. Straw works well if

amount of material applied. In the end, using a blender to mix glazes and a convenient sprayer for application takes a lot of the pain out of the normally torturous process of glazing.

you don’t mind the heavy smoke it generates while burning. Also, dry straw can sometimes be difficult to find. It’s your choice; don’t be leery of experimenting. One way to reduce surface blemishes during reduction is to protect the piece with a cylindrical wire cage that is a couple of inches larger than the pot being fired. Galvanized hardware cloth, with a number 2 mesh (about a ½" opening) makes a sturdy cage. It can be found at any of your home/ hardware centers. Note that it only takes three or four sheets of paper to generate a big enough fire to reduce the pots well. In addition to the aforementioned equipment and materials, you will need a pyrometer. Since accuracy is not of great concern, a simple analog pyrometer will do. I insert mine in one of the uppermost peepholes of the kiln.

Variations

The final product of copper glazing and raku firing. Note the variegated colors revealing unique patterns formed during the post-firing reduction process.

The Clays and Pots

Glazing

Clays suitable for raku are specially formulated to be open bodies to withstand the thermal stress of the firing and quenching. There are many great products on the market that bear the designation of being raku clay. Use one of them. I use Standard Clay 239, mainly because it is locally available. This clay has worked well for me and I have had no problems whatsoever with cracking, a common dilemma for many raku potters.

Like most potters, I find the chore of glazing unattractive, to say the least. Not having mastered the art of dipping, I spray all of my glazes. The resulting surface finish is smooth and even. One tip I gleaned from reading Clay Times is to use a blender for mixing glazes. It’s a whole lot easier than scrubbing a glaze mixture through a sieve. With the blender, no straining is necessary and the mixture goes straight from the blender to the container for my spray gun. If you purchase a blender for mixing glazes, make sure the container portion is glass, not plastic, to avoid damage from abrasion.

Lightweight, thin-walled structures will survive the trauma of raku firing far better than thick, heavy pieces. Also, the use of a long pair of tongs to transfer a heavy piece from the red-hot kiln to a reduction chamber can cause some anxious moments, and even disaster. I trim my pots extensively to minimize weight and to make the wall thickness uniform. Bisque firing for raku pieces is straightforward and similar, if not identical, to

On the subject of spraying, the spray gun that has proven to be most compatible with my operation is the Bailey C-072-7. It utilizes a common one-quart plastic container that is convenient for storing mixed glazes, and consequently makes it easy to change from one glaze to another. The spraying action is smooth and linear, making it easy to control the

A thorough look at different variables involved, and their effects on the outcome of raku-fired pots, is well beyond the scope of this article. However, one simple observation is that generally, the first piece taken out of the kiln will have more copper luster than the last piece. This may be explained by the temperature differential between the first and last piece removed from the kiln, and the fact that elevated firing temperatures tend to increase the formation of copper luster. Logically, the first piece, being hotter than the last piece, is more likely to have a greater amount of copper luster. In any event, there is a lot of room for research and experimentation to obtain more control over the process variables. The fundamental steps of firing raku are illustrated and explained in the pictorial sequence on these pages. Hopefully, this article will contribute to your knowledge of and interest in experimenting with raku firing. A sampling of raku glazes I use, along with photos that illustrate some of the effects that may be achieved, appears on page 55. [

Ray Johnson is a retired aerospace engineer who, together with his wife, now operates Mole Hill Studios in Bellbrook, OH. He may be reached via his Web site at www. molehillstudios.com.

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Now that we have the essential equipment in hand, we can approach some general guidelines for making a raku piece, whether it’s a pot, sculpture, or otherwise. The first is the clay that you use in making your piece.

firing stoneware pieces before they are glazed. I bisque to a solid cone 04. Some of my fellow potters argue that firing bisque-ware to a lower temperature will help eliminate cracking problems. For the clay I’m using, cone 04 certainly seems to be the right choice, as I have had zero structural failures over a very long period of time.

To me, the most amazing element of raku is the wide variation in results that can be obtained within the boundaries of a single glaze recipe. The many process variables, including firing temperature, the kind and quantity of combustible materials used, the time spent in the reduction can, how well the can is sealed, and even the weather (wind, temperature, and humidity), all have a significant impact on the results.

Creativity and Resiliency

Linda Taylor’s Lessons in Life & Clay by K.T. ANDERS

ometimes clay can be a metaphor for life. “Something about working with clay makes you feel connected with the natural world around you,” says Linda Taylor. “You are creating something out of the earth and you have to be connected to that earth. With clay you learn lessons about resiliency and experimentation. Until it’s fired, clay lets you play and push it and make mistakes that turn into beautiful things. Sometimes you experiment and ruin something beautiful and you have to start over. So you do.” As Linda Taylor has learned first-hand, these are lessons that apply to both life and clay. She had been working haphazardly making pots for years while earning a living in what she describes as a “left-brain government job.” But in 1999 when she found studio space and firing services at a local studio, she let her right brain take over and she delved into clay full-time. “In 2000, my work took off,” she says. “My technical skill increased, but I was also open to experimentation. I was more concerned about expressing my ideas in clay than about the structure of the piece.”

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Taylor explains her theory on how to approach clay: “You can learn technically in a very structured way—throw a cylinder 20 times until you get it right. Or you can experiment and play with the clay—and gradually get to the same level of expertise. There are benefits to both ways. With the first you develop your technical skill much more quickly; with the second, you retain a freshness and willingness to experiment, which is sometimes harder to develop once you’ve locked yourself into the technical skills.”

Experimentation was definitely Taylor’s preferred method of learning. “I was doing work that was a little different,” she says. And it paid off. In 2001 she won second place at the Minnesota State Fair. Warren MacKenzie won first. Unfortunately, that year also brought a devastating biking accident that badly injured her and left her with some physical limitations that make throwing difficult. She is still recovering—but that hasn’t stopped her from working in clay— and experimenting.

Clockwise, from opposite page: Herons; Nectar; Schooling Perch; Feeding the Carp. All are wheel-thrown porcelain with relief carvings and celadon glaze.

Nectar. Carved earthenware.

Streamlining Production

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Bicyclist. Mural glazed and fired to cone 10.

“It’s been an uphill climb,” she admits. “Sometimes I wouldn’t be able to throw. It’s really a challenge for me. But the “up” side was that before, when clay helped me unwind and get inspired after being burned out with all my left-brain activity, this time it helped me get through the pain. When you’re working in clay, you become very focused. And you have a desire to do work that pushes you beyond your boundaries.” Taylor describes her recovery process as a serrated upward curve—a little forward progress, then a bit of a backslide, then forward again. “If I hadn’t had clay, I probably wouldn’t have pushed so hard,” she notes. “My left brain would say, ‘This hurts, it’s not logical to do this.’ But my right brain would say, ‘I want to get this done.’ Clay was an important piece of my recovery.”

Although Taylor says she can throw decently again, she acknowledges that she probably will never throw as much as she did before. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing, she says, noting that, “I’ve been forced to find other ways of working with clay.” To efficiently create multiple forms without throwing and without using heavy plaster molds, she uses an air-release die. “The equipment blows air through tiny holes to release the forms quickly and cleanly from the molds I’ve designed,” she explains. “The pieces are basically like hand-pressed tile but they are deeper forms. I can easily create multiples of a bowl that I have designed, and then can finish by carving.” And carving is what Taylor likes to do. Inspiration comes from the world around her, from her life experiences, and from a desire to bring narrative to the piece. As soon as the pot is firm enough to handle, but not yet leather-hard, she begins carving on her lap, using a large, curved platter form for support, and a rug as a cushion. “To get movement in the clay as you carve, you must work when the clay is as soft as possible,” she explains. “When it’s leather-hard, the clay is more restrictive and the work is much more mechanical. You are more apt to go through or crack out a piece, or even have your tool skip

Bee. One of 16 carved designs for an exterior mural.

Blue Watcher. Carved and stained earthenware.

off to the side. It’s easier to get an ‘s’ curve when the clay is soft.” She draws freehand and works the entire pot during each level of texture or carving. “If I do one side at a time, I’ve found that when I pick it up later and am in a different frame of mind, I’ll carve differently.” Even for her carving, Taylor has found a way to make production easier for herself. She makes a drawing, scans it into the computer, then has a flexible template made by a local company. “I’ve discovered I can use these templates like an impressionist painter, quickly adding texture or images and combining them with fresh carving. They have become an alphabet for me, like the old typesetting letters, that I can combine at will.” Experimentation is still very much a part of Taylor’s work. She enjoys the spontaneity of multiple shaping techniques— sculpting, molding, casting, carving—and two-dimensional techniques such as sgraffito, drawing, and painting to create unique narrative work. “I juxtapose abstract and realistic forms, creating clay collages.”

Although Taylor usually fires to cone 9, she is working on a glaze palette for different firing temperatures and clay

bodies. “I don’t like the clay bodies at cone 6,” she says, “so I’m working on building cone 9 oxidation glazes.” Lately she has begun experimenting with painterly application of glazes to plates with designs in deep relief. “I love form and texture and like work that makes a statement.” Taylor feels that the value of working with clay goes beyond the artistic value. “It’s a medium that offers a wonderful potential for people who are recovering from an injury,” she says. “In the coming years, I hope to grow into larger sculptural pieces that combine clay with other media.”

Linda Taylor is building her Web site at http://www. clay-earthstudios.com. She can be reached at clay_earth_ studios@yahoo.com. [

CLAYTIMES·COM n JULY/AUGUST 2007

Serially switching from high-fire to mid-range, to low-fire bodies keeps her work and ideas fresh. “You can do different things with different [clay] bodies,” she explains. “Some are better for carving, others for throwing; some take a celadon glaze better, others look better in reduction. So depending what I want to do, I need to have competence in all the [clays]. The learning curve is longer, but I’m more satisfied with my work. I guess I’m not a production potter.”

Rose Wheat. Carved and stained earthenware.

Readers Share I Art Works CLAYTIMES·COM n JULY/AUGUST 2007

The Gallery

Untitled. 22" tall. Stoneware clay with flashing slip, fired to cone 10 in a soda atmosphere. Stephanie Gorman, 808 W. Riverside Ave., Muncie, IN 47303. E-mail: stephaniegorman@gmail.com

Untitled vase. Wheel-thrown and altered porcelain. Carved, slip-trailed, and fired to cone 6 in oxidation. Eileen Braun, 5119 Sheridan Lane, Atlanta, GA 30338. E-mail: eileenbraun770@bellsouth.net

Lidded Jar. 12½" tall. White earthenware saggar-fired to 1600˚ F. Judy Blake, 2569 Route 102 Hwy., Lincoln, NB, E3B 7E5 Canada. E-mail: jblake@rogers.com.

Alligator Pot. 10½" tall. Wheel-thrown and textured with sodium silicate while on the wheel. Decorated with red iron oxide stain, sprayed ash, and black liner glaze. Gene Arnold, Mud Duck Pottery, 479 Old Hwy. 601, Mt. Airy, NC 27030. E-mail: mudduck@mudduckpottery.net

To have your work considered for publication in The Gallery, please send a high-quality color print, slide, or 1050- x 1500-pixel digital image to: The Gallery, Clay Times, P.O. Box 365, Waterford, VA 20197. Please include your name, address, telephone number, Web or e-mail address, type of clay, glaze, firing method, and dimensions of the work. (Enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope for photo/slide return.)

Lotus Bowl. Red earthenware decorated with layers of underglaze and clear gloss glaze, multi-fired in oxidation to temperatures no higher than cone 02. Marti Mocahbee, 601 College Circle, Staunton, VA 24401. E-mail: mmocahbee1@earthlink.net.

Raku Vessel. 20" tall. Raku clay body with 7% kyanite added; white crackle glaze on base; acrylics painted on after firing. Raku-fired to 1850˚ F, then reduced/smothered in sawdust. Rick Foris, 189 Highway ZZ N, Amherst Junction, WI 54407. E-mail: foris@triver.com.

Zebra Sentinel I & II. 26" tall and 34" tall. Raku-fired vessels with white crackle glaze. Each lid is enhanced with three African porcupine quills. Jerry Rhodes, 6215 Moorfield Ave., Colorado Springs, CO 80919. E-mail: rhodespottery@aol.com

Bill Lemke photo

Lidded Jar. 5¾" tall. Stoneware fired to cone 10 in a soda atmosphere. Wheel-thrown and altered; decorated with blue-green slip. Brenda Lichman-Barber, 5262 Chisam Road, Sanger, TX 76266. E-mail: lichman@unt.edu

Readers Share I Art Works

The Gallery

CLAYTIMES·COM n JULY/AUGUST 2007

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Good things to know before you throw ...

very ceramic construction process is associated with certain tools that we find in common use, and some not so widely known. Choice of tools is always a matter of personal preference, and this discussion will necessarily be a combination of my own favorite tools and those I see used by other potters and that are available in the marketplace. I’ll discuss them by category, with mention of how we use these tools at various stages of the throwing process. I’ll keep things fairly simple, because this could easily be the topic for a book! Some of these tools have been described or discussed in previous columns, but perhaps not specifically in relation to throwing.

Sponges and Sponge Sticks Generally, the tool we most often reach for while throwing is a sponge. I like the higher-quality natural sea sponges, but find that some synthetic sponges also work well. The standard round Kemper® poly sponge is fine, but I always cut them in half to reach into corners and other recesses. For feeding water onto the clay, any old sponge would work, but the minute the sponge touches the clay, quality matters, and of course better sponges last longer. Cheap cellulose sponges have no place in the ceramics studio for any purpose, because they are less absorbent and deteriorate rapidly. Keep in mind that a sponge will remove slurry from the surface while leaving grog or sand behind, and thus works well on a gritless clay body, but can be problematic on a more textured body.

The “synthetic elephant ear” sponges sold by many vendors are quite nice. At www.axner.com, they say, “These sponges have less drag, float in the bucket for easy retrieval, and rinse out clog-free.” I have found that they hold up well and

really do float even when fully saturated. The thin shape and smooth surface make them especially good for compressing the rim while throwing. S-cracks in the foot are most often caused by leaving water in the bottom of the pot for too long while throwing, or by failure to remove all of the water and slurry when done throwing. I have nothing against Kemper, and I use many of their tools, but they should be ashamed of themselves for the design and quality of their sponge sticks. Yes, I know, I’ve ranted about this before in my column. The one with the full-size, round poly sponge on the end is too large to fit through the mouth of many vessels, and after some use the sponge tends to fall off the handle. Perhaps in response to this problem, Kemper created the “Spongette,” which features a smaller sponge on the end of a wood handle, but they really missed the mark by using a cellulose sponge that will deteriorate rapidly in studio use. The sponge stick included in the Doo Woo® Korean tool set is a little better, but there is not enough bulk in the sponge for much absorbency. The lack of any sort of suitable commercially-available sponge stick really isn’t a problem, because you can easily make your own. Cut a standard Kemper poly sponge in half. Round the end of a 14" length of 3/8" wood dowel, and grind a small groove ½" from the end. Wrap the flat surface of the cut sponge over the end, and bind it in place with brass or copper wire or with nylon upholstery thread so that the constriction caused by the binding seats in the groove. That way, the sponge won’t fall off the end of the dowel after repeated wetting and drying. Don’t try to use a sponge stick when it is completely dry. Dip it in water and squeeze it out first to make it more receptive to water.

Chamois I have noticed that potters often either swear by chamois or have no use for it at all. The most common use is for smoothing the rim of a finished pot, or to smooth attachment points, as when adding handles. Chamois will press coarser particles down into the clay, leaving a smooth rim, while a sponge removes the fine particles, leaving a gritty surface. The chamois squares sold by ceramic suppliers tend to be high-quality. Some potters use the full square, while others cut it into

CLAYTIMES·COM n JULY/AUGUST 2007

Natural sea sponges vary widely, and three common types used in ceramics are “elephant ear,” “sea wool,” and “silk.” I have used all three, and find that both price and quality vary widely in all three. I wish I could give more specific guidelines here, but I am baffled by this inconsistency, and can only suggest that you buy a selection from your favorite supplier and see which you like best. Don’t assume that just because a sponge is sold as “natural” it will be fine-textured, sturdy, and/ or long-lasting. For studio use, purchase natural sponges only from ceramics suppliers.

by VINCE PITELKA

Shop Talk I Tool Times

Tools for Throwing

narrower strips. The chamois is the clay tool most easily lost in the water bucket, and thus most inclined to appear in recycled clay. I have known potters to attach a fishing float at one end of the chamois strip in order to prevent this. If you find yourself using a lot of chamois for the above purpose or for other applications in the studio, such as the “jug finger” mentioned below, you can purchase large pieces packaged as car-wash chamois, available from most auto-supply stores. Be sure to avoid the synthetic chamois, and get the highest-quality variety they have. The price per square inch will still be far less than when purchasing squares of chamois from a ceramics supplier.

interior of many different vessels, as with the fine Japanesestyle throwing sticks available at www.baileypottery.com. The jug finger or “potter’s finger” is similar to a throwing stick, and the terms are often used interchangeably. I think of a throwing stick as being relatively straight, with a curve or knob just at the end, while a jug finger generally features a curved shaft designed for particular applications, such as expanding and shaping the interior surface of a wide-shouldered jug or bottle. To preserve structural integrity, such shaping is often done with a specialized tool after the neck is collared in—thus the need for this long, curved tool that essentially serves as an extension of the potter’s own fingers. Online research revealed several makers of jug fingers. At www.axner.com you can find some nice ones designed by Jack Troy, available in several lengths, although they refer to them as throwing sticks, also the case with those available at www. mkmpotterytools.com. The latter come in a variety of sizes, and feature interchangeable, small “ribs” attached at each end, providing varying shaping capabilities. I like the idea of the interchangeable ribs, but my own preference would be to have a comfortable handle permanently affixed to one end. If you have access to a bandsaw and disk and drum sanders, it is easy to make good jug fingers. The traditional models generally feature a handle on one end, a shaft of a length and curvature designed for the intended use, and a rounded wooden knob on the business end. There’s one significant shortcoming with this design: When throwing jugs, bottles, or small-necked vases, we normally remove all water from the inside bottom and walls before collaring in the neck. When using a traditional jug finger, the wood tip tends to drag against the de-watered surface—and that can be problematic. Adding more water to the inside surface at this point would decrease structural integrity when you need it most.

To assist the wheel-throwing potter, many different styles of sponges, chamois, and throwings sticks are commercially available. Many potters also choose to make their own unique tools.

CLAYTIMES·COM n JULY/AUGUST 2007

Throwing Sticks and Jug Fingers

A throwing stick is generally a straight, smooth stick with a slightly larger, rounded knob on one side of the end. The straight side can be used for smoothing the inside of a form to achieve a straight, true surface. More often, the knob side of the end is used as an aid in lifting the walls of a form too narrow to access with the hand. For very small-diameter forms such as teapot spouts, a length of wooden dowel rounded on one end makes a fine throwing stick. Shimpo® and Kemper both make good throwing sticks of this type. In some cases, a throwing stick is designed more like a very long, curved rib, and is used for lifting and forming the

Fortunately, there’s a simple solution. Make a jug finger without a knob at the end of the curved shaft, round off the end of the shaft, and grind a shallow groove about ½" from the end, as with the sponge stick. Wrap a small piece of scrap sponge over the end, wrap a square of chamois over that, and bind it with wire or upholstery thread so that it cinches the chamois into the groove. Trim off the excess chamois. When using this jug finger, leave it soaking in your water bucket, and then just squeeze it off slightly before each use. The moisture in the sponge and chamois will make the business end slide smoothly against the clay without friction, but also without contributing additional moisture to the surface. This discussion of throwing tools will continue in the September/October issue of Clay Times. [

Vince Pitelka is professor of clay at Tennessee Technological University’s Appalachian Center for Craft, an active participant on the Clayart Internet discussion group, and author of Clay: A Studio Handbook. You can contact Vince through his Web site at http://iweb.tntech. edu/wpitelka.

BY marc ward

t’s the time of year (as I write this) for new kiln construction. With this time of year comes the same old screw-ups. Whose fault is that? I’m afraid the fault lies with the way we educate potters. The making of fired clay objects, in our educational system, has been about the visual and/or tactile responses to these objects. Cool … that’s the essence of art. But wait, there’s more to this little creative story. In clay, you’re expected to do far more than you are in the other arts. Far more. I started my college art education in printmaking. I truly loved it. But, guess what? Nowhere, no how, not ever, was I faced with the idea of building my own intaglio press. I also loved to paint. There were no classes on making my own canvases or producing my own pigments. That’s just not done. Why is it that so many times clay artists are forced to make their own production or presentation tools—tools they are not given the knowledge or even the desire to make? Is this the basis for the problem that relegates clay to the perceived bottom of the art totem pole? I don’t know, but clay artists face a unique issue that is not common to the other arts.

It’s funny, I started out thinking this article was going in a certain direction and the next thing I know, I’ve done this mini-rant about the education system. I guess you can figure out that I don’t make some fancy outline or “idea tree” when it comes to writing. It just happens as it happens. So, back to kilns … This past week, I’ve fielded some of those calls that always come in at this time of year. “I’ve built a new kiln and it stalls,” or “I’m wanting to change over my kiln to natural gas,” or “Do you know how expensive propane is getting?” Let’s start with the second call: moving from propane to natural gas. Be aware that changing from high-pressure propane to low-pressure natural gas is something that will not happen with the same number of burners. If, on the other hand, you want to move from low-pressure propane (11" water column) to low-pressure natural gas, that should be as easy as just changing orifices. Before you switch gasses, know or find out how many BTUs you are currently using. Then, determine if low-pressure natural gas can provide you with these BTU values. Don’t call the propane company and have them pick up the tank before you check this out. I speak to folks on a regular basis who begin moving to natural gas,

having meters set, and starting to lay pipe only to find out they will need new burners and a different kiln configuration to be able to use natural gas. And speaking of laying pipe… I received the “my kiln stalls” call this week. It was a piping problem. I hear this far too often. When you are laying pipe to a kiln fired with low-pressure natural gas, the person running the pipe must ask what amount of BTUs are needed at the kiln. If they don’t ask, they don’t know what they are doing, plain and simple. Get someone else. To give you an idea of how crucial this is, I’ll give you the numbers. This small, hard brick kiln in question needed 370,000 BTUs. They had a run of 10 feet of ¾" pipe. They were right on the edge of having pipe that was too small. Then I asked how many elbows were in this line. Bingo! Here’s the problem: They have six elbows in that short run. Each elbow is worth over 2 ft. of friction loss. So now they have an effective run of about 25 ft. You can only get 225,000 BTUs down this “virtual” 25 ft. of pipe. But that’s not enough to fire the kiln. Lesson learned. Ask questions. Get answers. Don’t assume. If you do these things, you’ll have a more pleasurable firing experience. [

Marc Ward is owner and operator of Ward Burner Systems PO Box 1086, Dandridge, Tennessee 37725. He invites you to sign up for his free newsletter, and can be reached by phone at (865) 397-2914 or through the online catalog and Web site at this address: www.wardburner.com.

CLAYTIMES·COM n JULY/AUGUST 2007

These ponderings do not change the fact that potters and folks working in clay need to build or buy their own kilns. If you have the financial resources to buy a commercial kiln, you don’t face the box that other potters find themselves in. And this is a box for which our current education system doesn’t prepare you. Our education system may be just a self-replicating system that teaches those in clay not to just create clay objects, but to teach.

Yikes! What have I said? Colleges and universities are the largest group of customers I have. I think it’s time for educators to educate themselves in all aspects of the things they teach ... then teach it. Prepare the serious students for everything they’re likely to encounter during a career in clay.

Shop Talk I Firing

Answers to Some Burning Questions

Earth, Wind & Fire Pottery Workshop Aug. 12-18, Upper Peninsula, Michigan at Timber Doodle Lodge. Classes include handbuilding, wheelthrowing and raku firing. Beginners Intermediate. For more information call Jon at 906-446-3262. Visa, M/C, Amex. $1000 includes workshop plus room and board.

NEW potter’s T-shirt designs now available at the Clay Times online store, along with tools, books, back issues, and more!

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WORKSHOP SERIES ODYSSEY CENTER FOR CERAMIC ARTS 3-DAY WORKSHOPS HANDBUILDING FUNCTIONAL POTS Sandi Pierantozzi — April 20-22 GENERATIONAL INFLUENCES Ben Owen — August 10-12 THE UNEXPECTED Randy Brodnax — September 14-16

SUMMER WORKSHOPS

CLAYTIMES·COM n JULY/AUGUST 2007

James Watkins

THE FUNCTIONAL POT: TOOLS, TIPS, TRICKS AND TECHNIQUES Bill van Gilder RIGOROUS SURFACE PLAY Julia Galloway Charlie WHITE TERRA SIGILLATA SURFACES & ALTERNATIVE & Linda FIRING TECHNIQUES Charlie & Linda Riggs EXPLORING INTENTION Linda McFarling Riggs GOOD IDEAS, BETTER POTS Becca Floyd FORM, SURFACE & GLAZE Richard Burkett MOLDS, MODELING AND NARRATIVE FIGURES Nan Smith INTENSIVE MASTERS THROWING Joyce Michaud RISKY POTS Kevin Crowe PERSONAL OBSERVATION OF THE HUMAN FIGURE Melisa Cadell ENVIRONMENTAL INSPIRATION James Watkins

ODYSSEY CENTER FOR CERAMICS ARTS 236 Clingman Avenue Asheville, NC 28801 Phone: 828-285-0210 Website: www.highwaterclays.com Email: odyssey@highwater clays.com Melisa Cadell

Would you like to share your clay experiences with fellow CT readers? Looking for a way to achieve recognition of your work? It’s easy! Visit the “Submissions” link at www.claytimes.com to find out how to get your work noticed in Clay Times! It’s easier than you might imagine, and rewarding in more ways than one! www.claytimes.com

Agencies now agree, this commonly-used ceramic ingredient should be considered a 2B human carcinogen ... by MONONA ROSSOL

he National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is the research arm of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Many of its activities apply to our work in the studio.

cause the glaze to have an iron color ranging from tan to black depending on the amount used. And when ilmenite is mixed into a glaze in large particles instead of a powder, the glaze will have little dark spots or speckles.

NIOSH sets the standards for respirators, investigates and reports on workplace hazards, sets air quality standards that are usually more protective than OSHA’s, and researches solutions to occupational chemicals. In past Clay Times columns, I have covered two NIOSH Hazard Evaluation and Technical Assistance reports on high school pottery classroom hazards (January/February 1999 and September/ October 2001).

The other mineral ores are titanium dioxide bonded with various metal oxides such as calcium, zinc, or lead. When these are used raw, the metals will act as fluxes.

By looking at NIOSH reports and standards, it is easy to see that they are often ahead of the curve when it comes to occupational research. A prime example was NIOSH’s research on titanium dioxide (TiO2). TITANIUM DIOXIDE TiO2 is the white pigment in almost all white paints, in cosmetics, sunscreens, and many other consumer products. Titanium dioxide is also a ceramic glaze ingredient that makes glazes opaque (as opposed to clear or glassy). Some ceramic clays also contain TiO2.

For example, the ore called “ilmenite,” is iron monoxide combined with titanium dioxide (FeO•TiO2). This ore would

In 1988, NIOSH reviewed and evaluated all of the animal and human studies of TiO2 and concluded that TiO2 is a carcinogen when inhaled into the lungs. But no other agency agreed with NIOSH. Experts pointed out that some studies showed evidence that TiO2 caused cancer, but other studies were negative. NIOSH’s opinion was largely ignored. Then recently, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) also took another look at the data. Last year, they concurred with NIOSH’s opinion and listed TiO2 as a “2B” carcinogen, which means it is “possibly carcinogenic to humans.” The change in IARC’s opinion came about because their scientists reevaluated all of the previous studies concentrating on the particle size of TiO2. Essentially, the differences in the size of the particles used in the various experiments explained why the studies had varying results. By weeding out the studies of the larger particles, the data showed TiO2 was an animal carcinogen when inhaled. OSHA requires U.S. manufacturers to include the cancer ratings of IARC on their material safety data sheets (MSDSs). They also are required to update their data sheets within three months after they have become aware of any new

information. For this reason, the MSDSs for paints, glazes, cosmetics, sunscreens, and other products containing TiO2 should be updated by this time to include IARC’s cancer listing. Although I’ve only looked at about a dozen MSDSs for products containing TiO2 in preparation for this column, I didn’t find a single one containing the new IARC data.

ULTRA-FINE PARTICLES Today, the cancer status of TiO2 is big news because ultra-fine “nanoparticles” of TiO2 are routinely used in most makeup products and sunscreens. The good news is that IARC found no evidence that these particles will absorb through the skin. Studies of sunscreens containing ultra fine TiO2 on the healthy skin of human volunteers revealed that the particles only penetrate into the outermost layers of the skin. This suggests that healthy skin is an effective barrier to titanium dioxide. There are no studies on penetration of TiO2 on damaged or diseased skin. (There also is very little data on ingestion of TiO2.) In other words, TiO2 white pigments in glazes, paints, inks, and cosmetics are primarily hazardous if they get airborne and are inhaled. We should avoid any situation in which glaze dust is airborne or when consumer paints are sanded, sprayed, or airbrushed. The new cancer status of TiO2 also should be another reason for people to cease using airbrush and spray makeups and sunscreens. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved TiO2 and the other make-up and sunscreen ingredients only for skin contact. Any make-up or sunscreen product that is applied in a way that will cause it to be inhaled is misbranded and illegal under FDA’s rules. That doesn’t seem to stop some manufacturers from advertising these products.

CLAYTIMES·COM n JULY/AUGUST 2007

The pure TiO2 used in ceramics is usually extracted from ores called anatase, rutile, brookite, or ilmenite. These ores are minerals which combine TiO2 with various metal oxides. In some cases, potters use these ores without purification, just as they come from the earth. When they do, these ores will provide color and/or function as fluxes to affect the temperature at which the glaze fuses into a smooth surface.

NIOSH RESEARCH

Studio I Health & Safety

NIOSH Looks at Titanium Dioxide and Studio Safety

Studio I Health & Safety

NIOSH SAFETY RULES Clearly, if TiO2 is only toxic by inhalation, all we have to do is keep it out of the air in the pottery studio to use it safely. We should control the dust anyway, because there are other substances in the studio that can cause lungcancer. Most notably, the crystalline silica that is present in almost every glaze and clay can cause lung cancer and silicosis. Some of the recommendations NIOSH made in their two studies of high school potteries were good ones. I’ve rephrased and expanded them as follows:

1. Wet mop frequently and sponge off shelves and surfaces. The NIOSH 1999 study found that there was no significant dust in the high school pottery classroom because it was mopped twice at day. If you can’t wet mop, invest in a HEPA vacuum. 2. Spray glazes or sand dry clay only in an effective exhaust system such as a spray booth. 3. Use pre-mixed liquid glazes if possible. 4. If you mix glazes from powdered chemicals, do all of the dust-producing processes in

The Original... Pat Johnson of Fayetteville, TX.

local exhaust systems, including opening dusty bags, scooping out the powders, weighing the powders, and mixing with water. Sometimes a large spray booth can be used for glaze mixing as well. 5. Launder aprons and smocks frequently. Clay-smudged work clothing is a well-known source of silica dust exposure for workers. 6. If dust cannot be avoided, use respiratory protection. Remember, you should be medically certified, fit-tested, and trained to use these devices properly. (Readers needing more information on respirators can refer to Clay Times, Nov./Dec. 1999 and Jan./Feb. 2000, or contact me for copies of these columns.) 7. Don’t use strong fans for air cooling in a pottery. These will stir up dust from every surface. 8. Examine all your procedures for potential dust exposure, including vigorous wedging (manipulating clay to work out air bubbles). In the 1999 study, the NIOSH investigator placed a personal monitor on an instructor working at the wedging table. The test showed that the instructor was exposed to silica at 0.03 milligrams per cubit meter of air, which is in excess of the current workplace threshold limit value (TLV) for silica. 9. Always remember that it is the dust you can’t see that is the most toxic. Keep the place clean and dust won’t be a problem. [

FOOTNOTES: * Readers can get copies of NIOSH studies from its Publications Office, 4676 Columbia Parkway, Cincinnati, OH 45226-1998, by calling 800-356-4674, or online at its Web site at: www.cdc.gov/niosh. The Hazard Evaluation and Technical Assistance reports referred to in this article are: 1. HETA 97-0189-2668—Valley High School, West Des Moines, and 2. HETA 99-0084-2807—Haverhill High School, MA—released 4/01.

CLAYTIMES·COM n JULY/AUGUST 2007

** NEWS, John Dudley Miller, 3/7/06, http:// www.the-scientist.com/news/display/23216/.

Trinity Ceramic Supply, Inc. 9016 Diplomacy Row Dallas, TX 75247 214 631-0540 www.trinityceramic.com

Monona Rossol is an industrial hygienist/chemist with an M.F.A. in ceramics/glass. She may be reached at ACTS, 181 Thompson St., #23, New York, NY 10012-2586; telephone (212) 777-0062; e-mail ACTSNYC@cs.com.

Great Glazes

Share your glaze with us! If it’s published, you’ll earn a FREE Clay Times T-shirt! Send glaze recipes, photo of glaze (if you have one), and your T-shirt size to: Great Glazes, c/o Clay Times, PO Box 365, Waterford, VA 20197.

by RAY JOHNSON (supplement to “how-to raku” article on page 39)

Richard Behrens Crackle ê cone 016 raku

Frit 25 (Pemco) Frit 3134 (Ferro) Lithium Carbonate China Clay or EPK Silica TOTAL

43.6% 26.3 9.9 6.2 14.0 100%

add Bentonite

1.9

Silver-Blue Variation ê cone 016 raku

Frit 25 (Pemco) Frit 3134 (Ferro) Lithium Carbonate China Clay or EPK Silica TOTAL

43.6% 26.3 9.9 6.2 14.0 100%

add Bentonite Silver Nitrate* Soda Ash Cobalt Carbonate

1.9 2.0 1.0 1.0

Turquoise Variation ê cone 016 raku

Frit 25 (Pemco) Frit 3134 (Ferro) Lithium Carbonate China Clay or EPK Silica

add Bentonite Copper Carbonate

100% 1.9 2.8

All recipes are given in percentages (by weight). Results vary with clay bodies and firing conditions; always test first to be sure you’re happy with the results. To mix a glaze batch to store in a 5-gallon bucket, multiply each percentage ingredient by 50 grams (for a half-bucket with room for dipping) or 100 grams (for a very full bucket).

To mix one pint of the recipe for spraying, multiply each ingredient percentage by 3.75 grams. To make one quart of the glaze for spraying, multiply by 7.5 grams. If you use silver nitrate, be sure to apply the glaze shortly after it is mixed; otherwise you will end up with a container full of black, gooey stuff! [ *CAUTION: Silver nitrate is toxic! Handle this material ONLY when wearing gloves and a NISOH-approved respirator!

éé Should be suitable for functional and decorative/sculptural pottery. è Questionable for use on functional pottery. Test thoroughly before using. ê Limit to use on decorative/ sculptural work.

CLAYTIMES·COM n JULY/AUGUST 2007

TOTAL

43.6% 26.3 9.9 6.2 14.0

ith so many books, articles, and Internet resources on the subject of glazes, even just for raku, you can pass a great deal of time experimenting to find the glazes that suit your work best. I did just that, using my pots as test tiles. Although I had a few clunkers in the beginning, the results were almost always exciting and gratifying. The glazes I find most satisfying are those that yield a smooth, shiny surface in contrast with the rough, sandy surface produced by many raku glazes. It’s a matter of choice obviously, but as my wife points out, textured surfaces are painful to dust and clean. In any event, I’ll share the base glaze that I use almost exclusively along with turquoise and silver-blue variations. By itself, the base glaze produces a nice white crackle.

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Clay in Art International Edited by Kostas Tarkasis Hardcover • $65.00

review by steven branfman

o say that I was skeptical at first is an understatement. I’ve seen publications like this before: yearbooks, annuals, summaries, and compendiums. All are designed to advertise and expand the subscription base of the accompanying magazine. So when this publication came to my attention I was, well, not going to be easily impressed. On the other hand, the magazine of origin here was Kerameiki Techni International Ceramic Art Review, the former national ceramics journal of Greece. (Fairly recently, the magazine was converted to an annual yearbook and online newsletter.) The magazine had been good, very good— excellent, in fact. Even though it was originally published in Greek with only brief English summaries, I had been a longtime subscriber. So, being familiar with the editorial and photographic quality of the magazine, my interest was piqued. Clay in Art International is a yearbook in the most complete and complimentary sense of the word. But to confuse it with a book of fluff and repetitive and reformulated articles from previous issues of the magazine would be a grave mistake. This is a book—a self-standing, self-existing, and stand-alone publication. Whether you were a reader of Kerameiki Techni or not is of no consequence. This is a book for you to seriously consider.

The range of features is extensive. The 2005-2006 edition includes the work of no less than 50 clay artists. Included is a revealing article on Kichizaemon Raku XV, a fascinating article on Ruth Duckworth, and features on Anthony Caro, Akio Takamori, and Italian sculptor Alberto Mingotti, among others. Outstanding work by many artists about whom you have never heard is brought to life in full-page photos that scream to be seen. The current 2006-2007 edition features pieces on Kurt Weiser, Dong-Won Shin, Cristina Cordova, Magdalene Odundo, and others, as well as a mix of exhibition reviews, critical writing, and personal accounts. As if the book itself weren’t enough, included is an Annual Panorama CD-Rom and access to Clay Art International Online—a source of online news with im-

ages and articles from around the world continually updated throughout the year. The CD-Rom is a book in and of itself, and these two features alone are worth the price of the book! I know, I sound like an advertisement. You’re right. When a product of this quality and significance comes along, I can only be enthusiastic. I’m not the only one. At this year’s NCECA conference, the publisher brought more than 30 copies of the book, hoping that people would be interested enough to stop and take a look, to generate some interest, and to maybe sell a few so he wouldn’t have to bring them back to Greece. They were all sold before the first day was over. He should have brought over 100, 200, or even more—I think they would all have sold. Clay in Art International is a new publication that deserves—no, demands—your attention. It is unlike anything else and will serve to inform, educate, and inspire you. It is an annual that will never get stale. It is a book that you will go back to over and over again. It is a book that you will wish came out twice a year, once a month, or every week ... well, maybe not every week. While you’re at it, consider a subscription to the newsletter. There is a ton of clay art happening all over the world, and Kerameiki Techni can help keep you in the loop. Clay in Art International and Kerameiki Techni comprise a pretty formidable combination. Go ahead; take a chance. Make my day! [ Steven Branfman is an accomplished potter, author, and teacher of pottery and ceramics at Thayer Academy in Braintree, Massachusetts. He is the proprietor of The Potters Shop and School and may be reached at (781) 449-7687 or via e-mail at sbranfpots@aol.com.

CLAYTIMES·COM n JULY/AUGUST 2007

Clay in Art International is a beautiful volume. The 2005-06 edition is 260 heavy, glossy pages that offer a substantial feel in your hand. It is filled with full-color, high-quality photographs almost to the point where a quick flipping of the pages might impress you as a picture book. Don’t let that fool you. The text, though contributed by many authors, is extensive and well-written. Clay in Art International

is not thematic, and this is a strength. The editor, Kostas Tarkasis, is a ceramic artist and possesses a keen aesthetic eye. He expertly assembles a collection of features, exhibition reviews, and independent articles, bringing major ceramic events to our attention. This is not, nor is it intended to be, a how-to book. There are no demonstrations, nor step-by-step instructional articles. There is no need for that. There are insightful interviews, inspiring profiles, and provocative criticism of both world-renowned artists and emerging talents. Don’t be intimidated, though. This is not a collection of wordy, esoteric, overly academic art-talk diatribes. The clear intention of the book is to offer an annual record of international trends and developments in the field of contemporary clay art for everyone to understand and be able to make a connection with. Clay in Art International succeeds in all respects.

Resources I Books & Videos

Clay in Art International

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w.uspigm /wTel:w 630 893 9217ent.c / : ttp Fax: 630 339 2644 o

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CLAYTIMESÂ·COM n JULY/AUGUST 2007

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New INCLUSION Pigments Christmas Red, Bright Red, Fire Red, Blood Red, Soft Red Orange, Tangerine & Yellow..$25/lb Chemicals Bismuth Subnitrate $40/lb. Cobalt Carbonate $20/lb. Cobalt Oxide $30/lb. Cobalt Sulfate $14/lb. CMC & V-Gum T $8/lb. Erbium Oxide $35/lb. High Purity Red Iron Ox. $3/lb. Nickel Ox. & Carb. $22/lb. Silver Nitrate $350/lb. Or 25g for $25 Selenium $45/lb. Stannous Chloride $22/lb. Tin Oxide $12/lb. Vanadium Pentoxide $25/lb.

Community Pottery Classes Check out these listings to find local programs for wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculptural techniques, & more … Listings appear alphabetically and include various classes across the United States.

ARIZONA

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

MAINE

Mesa Arts Center — 1 E. Main Street, Mesa, AZ 85211; (480) 644-6500; www.mesaartscenter.com; artscenterinfo@mesaartscenter.com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture.

Hinckley Pottery — 1707 Kalorama Road, NW, Washington, DC 20009; (202) 745-7055; www.hinckleypottery.com; info@hinckleypottery.com; wheel-throwing.

Starflower Farm & Studios — Ceramicsfocused retreat center; 941 Jackson Road, Monroe, ME 04951; (207) 525-3593; www.starflowerstudios.com; squidge@starflowerfarmstudios.com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture, private lessons, critiques for advanced students.

ARKANSAS

FLORIDA

Flat Rock Clay Supplies — 2002 South School Ave. (Hwy. 71), Fayetteville, AR 72701; (479) 521-3181; www.flatrockclay.com; info@flatrockclay. com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, tile, special topic classes and workshops.

Carla’s Clay — 1733 Northgate Blvd, Sarasota, FL 34234; (941) 359-2773; www.Carlasclay.com; cobrien@carlasclay.com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture, gallery, tools and supplies.

CALIFORNIA Xiem Clay Center — 1563 N. Lake Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91104; (626) 794-5833; www. xiemclaycenter.com; information @xiemclay.com; wheelthrowing, handbuilding, sculpture, tile.

The Lake Eustis Arts Accord — 205 & 211 North Grove Street, PO Box 1619, Eustis, FL 32727; (352) 589-4ART (4278); info@lakeeustisartsaccord. org; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, raku, firing, sculpture. Workshops and classes. The St. Petersburg Clay Company — 420 22nd Street South, St. Petersburg, FL 33712; (727) 896-2529; www.stpeteclay.com; stpeteclay@ stpeteclay.com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding.

COLORADO Northern Colorado Potters’ Guild — 209 Christman Drive, Fort Collins, CO 80524; (970) 416-5979; www.coloradopottery.org; ncpg@comcast.net; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, glazing, fused-glass jewelry.

CONNECTICUT Tracy Art Center, Elaine’s Pottery Studio — 56 College Street, Old Saybrook, CT 06475; (860) 388-3599; www.exfpottery.com; exfpottery@yahoo.com; adult & children’s classes in wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture, decorating, glazing, raku.

Callanwolde Fine Arts Center — 980 Briarcliff Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30306; (404) 872-5338; www.callanwolde.org; wheel-throwing, handbuilding.

KENTUCKY Kentucky Mudworks LLC — 238 Jefferson Street, Lexington, KY 40508; (859) 389-9681; www. kentuckymudworks.com; mudworks@insightbb.com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture.

LOUISIANA Louisiana Pottery — 6470 Highway 22, Cajun Village, Sorrento, LA 70778; (225) 675-5572; www.louisianapottery.com; lapottery@eatel.net; handbuilding, special focus classes.

Baltimore Clayworks — 5707 Smith Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21209; (410) 578-1919; www.baltimoreclayworks.org; matt.hyleck@baltimore clayworks.org; workshop contact: forrest.snyder@ baltimoreclayworks.org; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture, tile, mosaic, decorating, printmaking, slipcasting, wood firing, salt firing. Shiloh Pottery, Inc. — 1027 Brodbeck Road, Hampstead, MD 21074; (410) 239-8888; www.shilohpottery.com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding. The Frederick Pottery School, Inc.— 5305 Jefferson Pike, Suite C-2, Frederick, MD 21703; (301) 473-8833; www.frederickpotteryschool.com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, wood firing. Greenbelt Community Center — 15 Crescent Road, Greenbelt, MD 20770; (301) 397-2208; www.greenbeltmd.gov; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, tile. Montpelier Arts Center— 9652 Muirkirk Road, Laurel, MD 20708; (301) 953-1993; www. pgparks.com/places/artsfac/mac.html; montpelier.arts@ pgparks.com; classes for children and adults include handbuilding, wheel-throwing, raku; special parent/child workshops offered. Glen Echo Pottery — 7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo, MD 20812; (301) 229-5585; www. glenechopottery.com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, raku and soda firing. Chesapeake Arts Center — 194 Hammonds Lane, Brooklyn Park, MD 21225; (410) 636-6597; www.chesapeakearts.org; davidj@chesapeakearts.org; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, fully-equipped, open studio hours.

CLAYTIMES·COM n JULY/AUGUST 2007

Trails Recreation Center — 16799 East Lake Avenue, Centennial, CO 80015; (303) 269-8400; www.aprd.org; arts@the-trails.org; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture, glazing.

GEORGIA

MARYLAND

Resources I Classes

MARYLAND, cont.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Jayne Shatz Pottery — 452 Laurel Valley Court, Arnold, MD 21012; (410) 757-6351; www. jayneshatzpottery.com; jesclay@aol.com; wheelthrowing, handbuilding, sculpture, glazing, firing, wall relief and tile, workshops, critiques, marketing strategy, group and private sessions.

Jeff Brown Pottery — 950 1st NH Turnpike, Northwood, NH 03261; (603) 942-8829; www.jeffbrownpottery.com; jeff@jeffbrownpottery.com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding.

MASSACHUSETTS Mudflat Pottery School, Inc. — 149 Broadway, Somerville, MA 02145; (617) 628-0589; www.mudflat.org; info@mudflat.org; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, tile. Juliet Rose Gallery & Studio — 191 Reimers Road, Monson, MA 01057; (413) 5969741; www.julietrosegallery.net; julietrosearts@aol. com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture, surface design.

MINNESOTA Edina Art Center — 4710 West 64th Street, Edina, MN 55435; (612) 915-6604; www.edinaartcenter.com; artcenter@ci.edina.mn.us; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture, tile. Northern Clay Center — 2424 Franklin Avenue East, Minneapolis, MN 55406; (612) 339-8007; www.northernclaycenter.org; nccinfo@northernclaycenter.org; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture, tile.

MISSISSIPPI Bodine Pottery & Art Studio — Rebuilding: New location: 212 Southampton Road, Hattiesburg, MS 39401; (228) 806-3153; www. bodinepottery.com; hukmut@bodinepottery.com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, PMC (precious metal clay).

MISSOURI L&R Specialties, Inc. — 202 E. Mount Vernon, Nixa, MO 65714; (417) 725-2606; www. claydogs.com; wheel-throwing.

CLAYTIMES·COM n JULY/AUGUST 2007

MONTANA

Clay Arts Guild of Helena — 3025 Bozeman Avenue, Helena, MT 59601; (406) 449-6080; www.helenaclayartsguild.com; wheelthrowing, handbuilding, raku, studios.

NEVADA Pottery West — 5026 North Pioneer Way, Las Vegas, NV 89149; (702) 987-3023; potterywest@ cox.net; wheel-throwing.

NEW JERSEY The Art School at Old Church — 561 Piermont Road, Demarest, NJ 07627; (201) 7677160; www.tasoc.org; info@tasoc.org; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture, tile, glazing, raku. Thompson Park Creative Arts Center — Monmouth County Park System, 805 Newman Springs Road, Lincroft, NJ 07738; (732) 8424000, ext. 4343; www.monmouthcountyparks.com; sliu@monmouthcountyparks.com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, workshops, raku & electric kilns, beginners-advanced for adults, children, parent/child. Visual Art Center of New Jersey — 68 Elm Street, Summit, NJ 07901; (908) 273-9121; www.artcenternj.org; Deemick@artcenternj.org; All things clay. Kissimmee River Pottery — One 8th Street #11, Frenchtown, NJ 08825; (908) 9963555; www.kissimmeeriverpottery.com; riverpots@ earthlink.net; beginner to advanced classes, wheelthrowing, handbuilding, workshops, cone 10 reduction firing, single firing, raku, adult day and evening classes, summer camp for kids 9-15, open studio.

NEW YORK Clay Art Center — 40 Beech Street, Port Chester, NY 10562; 914-937-2047; www. clayartcenter.org; mail@ clayartcenter.org; wheelthrowing, handbuilding, sculpture, special topics, kids and adults. The Painted Pot — 339 Smith Street, Brooklyn, NY 11231; (718) 222-0334; www.paintedpot.com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture. 92nd Street Y Art Center — 1395 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10128; (212) 4155562; www.92Y.org/artclasses; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture; intensives in plaster, glazing, and complex serving pieces; open studio available.

NORTH CAROLINA Odyssey Center for Ceramic Arts — 236 Clingman Avenue, Asheville, NC 28801; (828) 285-0210; www.highwaterclays.com; odyssey@highwaterclays.com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture, tile. Sawtooth School for Visual Arts — 226 N. Marshall Street, Winston Salem, NC 27171; (336) 723-7395; www.sawtooth.org; ceramics@ sawtooth.org; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture, tile, classes and workshops in other fine arts and media.

OHIO Yost Pottery Studio — 1643 Massillon Road, Akron, OH 44312; (330) 734-0763; www.yostpottery. com; Wheel-throwing, handbuilding, tile, firing.

OREGON Maude Kerns Art Center — 1910 E. 15th Avenue, Eugene, OR 97403; (541) 345-1571; www. mkartcenter.org; staff@mkartcenter.org; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture.

PENNSYLVANIA Allen Stoneware Gallery & Pottery Studio Classroom — Colony Plaza, 2602 West 8th Street, Erie, PA 16505; (814) 836-0345; www.allenstoneware.com; pottery@allenstoneware.com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture.

Resources I Classes

Finch Pottery — 5526 Finch Nursery Lane, Bailey, NC 27807-9492; (252) 235-4664; www.danfinch.com; dan.finch@earthlink.net; wheel-throwing.

The Art League School — Located near the Torpedo Factory at 105 North Union Street, Alexandria, VA 22314; (703) 683-2323; www.theartleague.org; school@theartleague.org; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture, tile, mosaic. Jacksonville Center for the Arts — 220 Parkway Lane, Floyd, VA 24091; (866) 787-8806; (540) 745-2784; www.jacksonvillecenter.org; info@ jacksonvillecenter.org; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture, mosaic, raku and pit firing, glazing and decoration. LibertyTown Arts Center — 916 Liberty Street, Fredericksburg, VA 22401; (540) 371-7255; www.libertytownarts.com; libertytownarts@verizon.net; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, glazing, decorating, tile, raku. Nan Rothwell Studio Pottery — 221 Pottery Lane, Faber, VA 22938 (near Wintergreen); (434) 263-4023; www.nanrothwellpottery.com; wheelthrowing, handbuilding, glazing, firing.

The Clay Studio — 139 North Second Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106; (215) 925-3453; www.theclaystudio.org; info@theclaystudio.org; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture.

Manassas Clay & Tin Barn Pottery Supply — 9122 Center Street, Manassas, VA 20110; (703) 330-1040; www.manassasclay.com; manassasclay@aol.com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture, glazing, raku.

RHODE ISLAND

WASHINGTON

Newport Art Museum School — Coleman Center, 76 Bellevue Avenue, Newport, RI 02840; (401) 848-8200; www.newportartmuseum.com; info@ newportartmuseum.com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding.

Northwest Ceramic Art Institute (The Clay Zone) — 2727 Westmoor Court, Olympia, WA 98502; (360) 943-7765; www.theclayzone.com; ddurso@theclayzone.com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture. [

SOUTH CAROLINA Adele’s Pottery Studio & Gallery — 1659 Middle Street, Sullivan’s Island, SC 29482; (843) 883-9545; wheel-throwing, handbuilding for children and teens.

TENNESSEE Mud Puddle Pottery and Supply — 538 Highway 70, Pegram, TN 37143 (20 minutes outside Nashville); (615) 646-6644; www.mudpuddlepottery.com; mudpuddle@bellsouth. net; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture.

A year-round listing of your community pottery class in CT and on our Web site is available for just $99—a real bargain! To feature your classes, call Karen Freeman at (540) 882-3576 or e-mail: advertising@claytimes.com.

TEXAS

VIRGINIA Creative Clay Studios — 5704 E General Washington Drive, Alexandria, VA 22312; (703) 7509480; www.creativeclaypottery.com; daisy_gail@msn. com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture, classes, workshops, studios, retail supplies, tools, clay.

www.flatrockclay.com

Quality at Great Prices Clay, Glazes Tools, Books Raw Materials Equipment Workshops

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Fayetteville, ARkansas

July 23-27

Sierra Nevada College, Lake Tahoe, NV

www.sierranevada.edu/workshops

Aug 3-5

Sharon Art Studio, San Fransisco, CA

www.sharonartstudio.org - ph. 415.753.7004

Aug 10-12

Clay Planet, Santa Clara, CA

www.clayplanet.com - ph. 408.295.3352

Aug 17-19

Western Colorado Center for the Arts

Grand Junction, CO - ph. 970.243.7337 ext.1

www.gjartcenter.org

Aug 30-Sept 1 Rehoboth Art Center, Rehoboth, DE ph. 302.227.8408 Sept 22-23

Rockingham Community College Wentworth, NC

pryork@rockinghamcc.edu

CLAYTIMES·COM n JULY/AUGUST 2007

Southwest School of Art & Craft — 300 Augusta, San Antonio, TX 78205; (210) 224-1848; www.swschool.org; information@swschool.org; wheelthrowing, handbuilding, sculpture.

Bill van Gilder 2007 Workshops

Opinion I Around the Firebox

The Inconvenient Truth for Potters by DAVID HENDLEY

ecently and finally, concerns over global warming, carbon dioxide emissions, and the environment in general have reached the critical mass. Three-dollar-a-gallon-plus g asoline as well as Al Gore’s Academy-Award-winning documentary on global warming, An Inconvenient Truth, are both big motivators. Inspired by the movie, Clay Times has joined the worldwide movement to reverse global warming, pledging to take action to make a difference, and asking for suggestions of ways for potters to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

CLAYTIMES·COM n JULY/AUGUST 2007

Even with the official designation that global warming is, indeed, real and caused by human activity, I’ve been around long enough to know that all “International Commissions” are at least partially politically motivated. I just don’t put much stock in a weather forecast for the year 2040, when half the time the forecast for next week turns out to be spectacularly wrong.

The earth has always been warming and cooling. Have you ever wondered why that huge glacier-covered island northeast of Canada is called “Greenland?” Well, when Icelandic settlers first arrived there in about 1000 A.D., the southern part of the island was warm, lush, and green. In fact, from about 800 to 1300 A.D., all of Europe and the North Atlantic experienced unusually warm weather, often referred to

as “The Medieval Warm Period.” This, at a time when not a single SUV was spewing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. But, hey, we could quibble over the science forever and it wouldn’t really matter. I’m

David Hendley stacks wood for firing his kiln.

just glad people are finally paying attention, and I enthusiastically welcome all to the ecologically-concerned-potters camp. Global warming aside, anyone can see that our cities have become increasingly shrouded in smog, and consumption is driving up the cost of the energy and materials potters depend on. It’s pretty obvious that we waste untold amounts of energy and resources, causing pollution in the process. As potters, we should

be doing all we can to reduce emissions, conserve resources, and use energy wisely. We should have been doing it all along, long before global warming became the cause du jour. Historically, potters have been practical, self-reliant, and resourceful. This naturally translates into using materials and energy efficiently. In fact, the current interest in wood-fired pottery kilns can be traced back to the first “oil crisis” of 1973, when the cost of gas suddenly doubled and some potters found that their propane suppliers could no longer deliver the gas they needed to fire their kilns. The “inconvenient truth” for potters is that we are pretty far down the list, should it come to rationing or the need to justify the use of scarce resources. I remember thinking, as a pottery student in the fall of 1973, “Great, I’ve finally found something I really want to do, but with the cost and scarcity of energy, it looks like it will be impossible to be a potter.” With those days in mind—back in the late 1980s when I planned and set up my current studio—it was done with energy efficiency, recycling, and sustainability as primary concerns. I now have a great situation where I walk 50 yards to work, can recycle materials such as glass jars and wood ashes as glaze ingredients, use locally dug clay, and fire my kiln with scrap wood. I believe that with lots of

planning and diligence, one person really can make a difference. So, what can you, as a potter, do to help the environment? I always think it is funny, and typical of our consumer-oriented society, when I read lists of things to do to reduce global warming and half the items on the list start with “Buy.” Actually, “not buying” is usually a better way to reduce emissions, save energy, and conserve resources. The key is to think, really think, about the consequences of your action before you buy anything. Is there a way to make, recycle, or make do without buying that new object of your desire?

As is true for most people, a large percentage of the CO2 sent into the atmosphere by potters can be traced back to transportation and the internal combustion engine.

If you are really serious about reducing your CO2 emissions, it is possible to “work off the grid,” and become close to self-sufficient as a potter. Take a look at Pioneer Pottery, by Michael Cardew, and The Potter’s Alternative, by Harry Davis. These books were written as guides for potters in the under-developed world, and tell you how to find and process clay, build your own wheel, make the bricks for your kiln, and formulate glazes with local materials. Following many of these steps would take a heroic commitment and is beyond the scope of most, but it is interesting and worthwhile to think about what is possible. Following the instructions in Davis’s book, I have actually learned how to make my own cones. All appliances, including electric kilns, that have a coil or element that gets hot when a current is applied utilize “electric resistance heating,” which is generally agreed to be the least efficient way to heat things. This is because so much of the original energy (usually from natural gas or coal) is lost in the process of turning it into electricity, transporting it to your electric meter, and then turning it back into heat. Electric heat seems “clean,” but that is because the pollution and CO2 emissions are occurring far away, where you can’t see them. If you are fortunate enough to live in an area where hydropower, wind power, or solar power is used to generate electricity, of course the equation is quite different, but only a tiny

percentage of our power comes from these sources. Also, most electric kilns have walls just 2½" or 3" thick, compared to 9" thick walls on most gas kilns. So if you do regularly fire an electric kiln, consider adding extra insulation to the kiln. This can be accomplished by removing the outer stainless steel jacket, adding a layer of fiber insulation, and replacing the jacket. The cover will now be too small, so an extra section of steel must be added. I have not done this, but I’m told it’s not too hard and quickly pays for itself. (Maybe someone who has done the upgrade could write a step-by-step article for Clay Times?) Finally, know that I’m writing this to give you some ideas to think about, not to criticize anything you might do in your pottery studio. All I’m suggesting is that potters keep their eyes open and be conscious about the choices they make and the impact those choices will have. We all have to compromise and work with less-than-ideal situations. I, for example, use an electric kiln for bisque firing, even though I know it is usually not the most efficient way to fire pottery. For me, this is a great use for an electric kiln. Previously, when I bisque-fired with my wood kiln, I would invariably lose a few pieces because direct contact with the flame would over-fire and crack them. Besides, from reading recent news reports, and even with firing the electric kiln, I calculated that I still use less electricity in my studio in a year (1800 kwh) than Al Gore’s home consumes in three days! [ David Hendley operates Old Farmhouse Pottery in Maydelle, Texas. Please visit his Web site at: www.farmpots.com, or send an e-mail to: david@farmpots.com.

CLAYTIMES·COM n JULY/AUGUST 2007

Remember that everything you buy uses oil—if not in the actual product, at least in its manufacture and transportation. Is there oil in your clay? Of course, unless you walk to the clay pit and dig it by hand. Are you burning oil by shipping water around the country? Absolutely, if you buy pre-mixed, ready-to-use clay (ditto for bottled water). There are plenty of low-tech, no-machineryrequired ways to make your own clay body, by making a clay slip and then drying it to a plastic state. As a bonus, the resulting clay will be more plastic, because the clay particles are more thoroughly wetted, compared to clay made in a pug mill. As another bonus, making your own clay body will allow you to recycle your throwing water as well as all those bits of unwanted clay and glaze back into your next batch of clay. (A cup of glaze will have no significant effect on a 100-lb. batch of clay).

If, for example, you drive 20 miles from your home to your pottery studio, even in a fuel-efficient car, anything you could do to reduce emissions in the studio would probably be pretty insignificant compared to the CO2 your commute is generating. Your efforts would be better spent on figuring out a way to eliminate that driving.

Opinion I Around the Firebox

“All I’m suggesting is that potters keep their eyes open and be conscious about the choices they make and the impact those choices will have.”

Introducing the Paragon Iguana cone 10 easy-to-load digital kiln

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The new Iguana is a smaller, less expensive version of our popular Dragon kiln. The Iguana’s 18” wide, 18” deep, 22 ½” high interior fires rapidly to cone 10. The front-loading Iguana is easy on the back muscles. With the optional 22” high stand, the interior floor is a comfortable 34 ½” high. • Saves electricity with 3” firebricks. • Proportional power elements for more even heating • Heavy-gauge steel completely covers the bottom under the firebricks. • 1 ½” air gap between the The Paragon Iguana plugs into a standard switch box and kiln. 6-50R outlet, so you can fire it on the outlet Electrical components stay most studio kilns already use. cool and last longer. • Sentry 2.0 digital controller with controlled cooling 2011 South Town East Blvd., • Available in 200, 208, 220, Mesquite, Texas 75149-1122 240, 480 volts, 800-876-4328 / 972-288-7557 1 and 3 phase Toll Free Fax 888-222-6450 Call or email for a free www.paragonweb.com catalog. See your local Paraparagonind@att.net gon dealer.

10:00:54 AM

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Details on all of these products: www.axner.com/claytimesad axner pottery supply • 800-843-7057 Axner is a trade name of Laguna Clay Co

Looking for helpful studio tips? Got some to share? This is the place... Double Diaper Duty Nothing is worse than broken work from transporting pieces to shows, shops, and galleries. I wrap all my pieces in diapers and Depends® when taking them to the various venues. The elastic in the diaper legs wrap snugly around pieces, and the diapers/Depends® act as padding.

Readers Share I Tips & Techniques

The Slurry Bucket

Karen Cruce Missouri City, TX

Extruder Escapades

Hole it Down! To keep your pot from flying off the wheel when trimming, first trim a small, shallow hole on the bottom center of the pot. This gives a spot for your finger to firmly hold down the pot while you trim the rest of the foot. You can trim the hole away at the end of the process. This technique works particularly well when trimming a small foot.

Hair care products in the studio? Perhaps they’re just what you need to keep those animal-fur brushes in prime condition ...

Karen Cruce Missouri City, TX

Care and Feeding of Animal Brushes Natural animal hair brushes have gotten really expensive, particularly the handmade ones. For brushwork of any kind, I

think they are definitely the best. So, after a decorating session using stains, slips, or glazes, I shampoo the brushes and then use a hair conditioner on them. All of my animal hair brushes really thrive on this kind of care and feeding! Rinny Ryan Naples, FL [

FREE CLAY TIMES T-SHIRT! Send us your useful clay tip or technique to share with our readers. If it’s published, we’ll send you a Clay Times T-shirt. Mail your tips (and T-shirt size) to: The Slurry Bucket, c/o Clay Times, PO Box 365, Waterford, VA 20197.

CLAYTIMES·COM n JULY/AUGUST 2007

Paveen “Beer” Chunhaswasdikul Gadsden, AL

Sometimes it can be difficult to insert certain types of extruder pins into their holes. I keep the extruder pins in the freezer. The cold makes the metal contract just enough to allow for easy insertion.

Resources I Classified Marketplace

Classified Marketplace Classes & Workshops

Opportunities, cont.

• Celebrate CERAMICS in SPAIN with SETH CARDEW at the wheel. Weekly residential courses or daily private tuition. Also, cottage to rent at the pottery. www.cardew-spain.com.

• JOIN AMERICANPOTTERS.COM TODAY! Be part of a national, searchable database for FREE. Or have an “online gallery” and sell your work ($99.00 a year). Check out: www.americanpotters.com.

Employment

• Sell your work to GALLERIES and SHOPS. For 25 years we’ve helped thousands of artists grow their careers. You’ll discover more studio time, less travel time, and more profit than ever before. Average sales: $25,000. www.AmericanCraft.com or (410) 889-2933.

•

Art Lab Tech — Fairfield, CA. Solano Community College. www.solano.edu/ human_resources/vacancies.html (click on “Classified”). Deadline: 9/5/07. For more info, call: (707) 864-7114.

Tools for Potters

•

GlazeMaster™ glaze database and calculation software for Windows and Macs. $50.00 + $4.50 shipping in North America. Visit www.masteringglazes.com for a free trial download and more information. Or send your check or VISA/MC information to Frog Pond Pottery, PO Box 88, Pocopson, PA 19366.

•

AWESOME! Bill van Gilder’s Professional Hand Tools. 13 very functional tools for handbuilding and wheel work: classroom and studio-tested! Visit store at www. claytimes.com to view and order tools.

• Exhibition Opportunities

•

The Bemidji Community Art Center announces its Fifth Annual “It’s Only Clay” National Juried Ceramics Competition and Exhibit. Dedicated to functional clay vessels. Juror: Jeff Oestrich. Fee: $30 for three entries. Deadline: Aug. 29, 2007. Show: Oct 5-27, 2007. Information: www. bcac.wordpress.com.

POTTERS FOR PEACE — Our goals are to assist developing world potters with appropriate technologies sustained using local skills and materials; help preserve cultural traditions; offer design and marketing help and training in the production of low-cost ceramic water filters. Visit us online at: www.pottersforpeace.org.

•

To all K-12 Ceramic Arts Teachers — The 11th Annual National K-12 Ceramics Exhibition opens at the March 2008 NCECA Conference in Pittsburgh, PA. For more information, visit the Web site at www.k12clay.org.

Opportunities Kiln Repair

•

CERF helps professional craft artists strengthen and sustain their careers through business and career-strengthening programs, emergency relief support, advocacy, and research. For more information, visit The Craft Emergency Relief Fund at www.craftemergency.org or call (803) 229-2306.

CLAYTIMES·COM n JULY/AUGUST 2007

• ClayParent — A new Internet forum for

potters who are parents, and their issues. After many requests for this type of interaction, the Clayworkers’ Guild of Illinois is donating Web space to open up this forum to members and non-members alike. Registration is free. The forum is located at: www.mudmamasandpapas.com.

• Kiln and Studio Repair Service — Mike Swauger, The Kiln Doctor; licensed and insured; (877) 545-6362; mike@thekilndoctor. com. Equipment sales, delivery & set-up, installations. Most parts and accessories are in stock on my full-service vehicle. Serving VA, MD, WV, DC. Rely on more than 17 years of experience. •

Kiln Repair. All makes — Washington, DC metro & Northern Virginia. $45/hour (one-hour minimum) plus parts. Larry Safford, The Studio Resource: (703) 283-7458; larrysafford@comcast.net.

Place your ad in the Clay Times classifieds for as little as $50! For complete details, visit the Web site at www.claytimes.com or call ad manager Karen Freeman at 540-882-3576.

Travel

•

Potter’s Workshops and Tours in an Undiscovered Mexico. Explore the immense, but little known, ceramic diversity of deep Mexico. Hands-on learning and uncommon, small-group travel among the ancestral masters. Visit www.traditions mexico.com, or e-mail: traditionsmexico@ yahoo.com.

Videos & Books

• EXTRUDE IT! Getting the Most From Your Clay Extruder, new instructional DVD videos by David Hendley. Volume l: Extrusions as handles, feet and additions; Volume ll: Twopart dies for hollow extrusions; Volume lll; The expansion box and extrusions as building components. $43 each or $105 for the set (more then four hours of video). (903) 795-3779; www.farmpots.com. •

SAVE $14.95 NOW when you order Great Glazes II for just $15 (reg. $29.95) at the Clay Times online store at www. claytimes.com. This second hands-on studio glaze book features dozens of favorite glaze recipes for all firing temperatures and atmospheres. ALSO AVAILABLE: Bill van Gilder’s excellent book of DIY television pottery projects, Wheel-Thrown Pottery, from Lark Books. Visit www.claytimes. com for exclusive autographed copies!

• TOM TURNER’S POTTERY SCHOOL AND HIS TWO-DAY WORKSHOP 4DISC DVD SET available at: www.tom turnerporcelain.com, or telephone (828) 689-9430. [

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Aftosa 17 AMACO 4 Axner Pottery Supply 64 Bailey Pottery Equipment 26 Beryl’s Cake Decorating Supplies 56 BigCeramicStore.com 60 Bracker’s Good Earth Clays 15 Buyers Market of American Craft 48 Carolina Clay Connection 67 Ceramic Supply Chicago 56 Clayworks Supplies 61 Clay Times Online Store 31,48,52,56 Continental Clay Co. 64 The Cookie Cutter Shop 56 Dan Finch Pottery 10 Del Val Potter’s Supply 56 Dolan Tools 56 Earth, Wind, & Fire Studio Workshops 52 Euclid’s Elements 5 Flat Rock Clay Supplies 61 Georgie’s Ceramic & Clay Center 25 Giffin Tec 3 Great Lakes Clay & Supply Co. 56 Guild Sourcebooks 25 Herring Designs 33 Hood College 33 Jane Cullum How-to Videos 67 Japan Pottery Tools 61 The Kiln Doctor 67 L & L Kilns 2 Laguna Clay Co. 6 Larkin Refractory Solutions 58 Master Kiln Builders 67 Mid-South Ceramic Supply 9 Mile-Hi Ceramics 10 MKM Pottery Tools 67 Muddy Elbow Mfg./Soldner Wheels 12 Odyssey Center for the Arts 52 Olympic Kilns 33 Paragon Industries 64 PCF Studios 67 Peter Pugger 48 Potteryvideos.com 58 Scott Creek/Clay Art Center 64 Sheffield Pottery 33 Sierra Nevada College 61 Skutt Ceramic Products 68 Spectrum Glazes 16 The Steve Tool 67 Stonewall Gallery 25 Trinity Ceramic Supply 54 Tucker’s Cone Art Kilns 58 U.S. Pigment Corp. 58 van Gilder 2007 Workshops 61 Ward Burner Systems 67 Wise Screenprint 56

CLAYTIMES·COM n JULY/AUGUST 2007

Index to Advertisers

Resources I Ad Index

New Instructional DVD

CERAMIC PRODUCTS