Whud'up, Ceramics posting #9

ASSESSING THE QUARTER, Post # 9

Fall/ 2011 has been an interesting Quarter.  I worked with a new Porcelain (Kleiber) and a new white earthenware (JG).  Generally I constructed similar forms in both clays and worked to improve those forms.  This has been a great way to compare two clay bodies and glazes and I’m’ glad I tried both new clays at one time. 

Kleiber Porcelain:  I made around 25 pieces, including two t-pots and concentrated on glaze combinations.  I am spending more time on individual pieces and on applying glazes. 

JG Earthenware.  JG is an interesting low fire clay.  I have tried some other low fdire whites (Dusky White) but they were a little to powdery.  JG builds a lot olke a porcelain and it slakes easily, absorbs water easily, and joining edges is easy as the clay, when sliped softens wel and accepts attachments.  I like the way it fires to a very white color.  The one thing that need to be watched is making sure attachments aren’t drier than the pot.  In that case, cracking will result.

It has been interesting drinking coffee out of my earthenware cups.  It appears the handles are hotter coming out of the microwave, but cool down quickly.  Earthenware is a bit clunkier and I am not sure yet how strong it is in use.  Earthenware glazes are not as resilient but being a bit softer, may actually suffer banging around a bit better than the harder porcelain.  It is exciting to start to use bright colors that are possible with the lower firing temperatures.  Guess I’ll find out more about this interesting clay with time. 

Dakot Red: I continued to make my Jars out of Dakota red (the Shop clay).  It works well to  use the shop clay for these large pieces and it avoids waste and allows the clay to be dumped back in the shop stocks.

 

NUMBERS:  I made about the same or slightly less pieces than in previous quarters and plan to continue to reduce my total quarter putput down to around 30 pieces.  I would still like to make fewer, but better pieces.  I’m am guessing that about 60% of my pieces are marketable, about 30% are suitable for the ceramic sale and the remaining 10% are complete failures, broken, or unsuccessful. 

METHODS:  This quarter I changed my production method.  I made “runs” of from 8 to 12 pieces, focusing on them until they were leather hard, then starting another set.  This allowed me to  focus better on the finished pieces and keep track of what I am making better.  I plan to stay with this method and would like to get it down to 8 to 10 pieces per fun. 

I want to continue to explore the response of JG and Kleiber to glazes and firing techniques.  I would like to eventually be able to produce marketable pieces in JG. I want to improve my forms, complete more sculpture , and improve my T-pots for utility and understand the range of low fire stains, slips, and glazes.