Kiln 1/ or Lots of surprises

What a joy to open the kiln; I was very anxious to see the results that's why I couldn't wait till it got to 100 degrees, and therefore, I can still hearing a voice of cracking…

The glaze of this one is still cracking

these ones looks like summer plates, I  like them.

Val's turquoise on these plates, came out really beautiful

Rosenrot and WB

 

Karenstarshine aqua, Rendy's blue, with metal black on top

Rendy's Blue around and

Saphire green on the bottom (which I got by avoiding the cobalt from the Saphire blue recipe

80% came out better than my expectations, the few that didn't will probably go to the smashing box.

*****

During the coming days, I will load 2-3 more kilns, because there are so many new bowls waiting

 

Painting glazes or playing with glazes III

After a week in Netherlands, for a short vacation I am back at the studio making new experiments with glazes.

Although the vacation passed so quickly, (like vacations always do) I did managed to see a little bit of art, with the help of my beloved cousins Dori and Bert. First we went to the north, to see Makkum http://www.royaltichelaar.com/  , where traditional pottery and modern are meeting and melting into each other. I was so relieved to see that even great master's pottery works are not always perfect in shape and quality; I even bought one that was lying on the "damaged" table but still cost like fortune.

The next day we went to see the Textile museum http://www.textielmuseum.nl/ and the Contemporary museum in Tilburg ( De Pont Foundation for Contemporary Art www.ivarhagendoorn.com/.../de-pont-foundation-for-contemporary-art ) which was very inspiring and made me missing painting so much till it hurt my bones.

That's why I didn't wait much and immediately start painting with brushes on the pots I have already ready for dipping in glaze.

As in previous experiments, it looks so beautiful before firing, but I have no clue about the results…

The kiln is already working from 10:00 o'clock this morning and I am eager to see how the dishes will look, after being heated in 1800 Celsius degree.

I really hope they won't stick to the kiln shelves…

Way of doing

There are many ways to make a sgraffito decoration. ( http://www.answers.com/topic/sgraffito), mine is very simple; I use engobes in a few different colors, to cover the leather-hard bowls, let it dry a bit, and then start cutting, usually from the center to the edges.

The tools I use are scalpels, and round edges etching tools.

This is a time consuming work, but sometimes, it is also like a meditation for me. I embroider my thoughts, into the patterns, one round after the other, till it becomes complete.

Sometimes a bowl takes 2 hours, sometimes 4 or even more, depends on the size of it, and the density of the decoration.

I love to do this kind of work, in painting too, a little different, but still the same in a way.