Pottery Making Jul15

July/August 2015
Your Resource for Ceramic Techniques
Colleen McCall’s Glazed Platters

Upcycling Glaze Waste
DIY Color Palette
Honey Pots
You name it,
we’ve got it!
Bailey = Better Blending!
The new compact Bailey MSV12 All Stainless Mixer/Pugmill.
Bailey “3 Stage Blending” for superior clay quality.
Effortless “auto feed” continuous pugging at 500-600 lbs./hr.
Mixes/recycles at a rate of up to 12 lbs. per batch.
Perfect for the studio.
Check out all our mixer/pugmills & pugmills

NEW!
MSV12 SS Ultra Mixer/Pugmill
“The perfect studio mixer/pugmill”
Limited Special Pricing
Best Discount prices, best selection, best quality

products, and the best customer service.
World Famous Bailey Wheels World Famous Bailey Extruding Fixtures Glaze & Wedge Tables
Bailey Slab Rollers Shimpo C.I. Bailey Extruders for making tubes Dust Solutions
Free Freight Specials Brent . . . and more . . . go with the best! efficiently Rack Systems
Secure
those
bats!
Nitride Bonded Bailey Quick Trim 2 Bat-Gripper™

Largest selection of tools, stains, and glazes at
High Alumina Shelves A low cost centering Hold down loose &
super discounts!
Corelite Shelves tool with 4 point hold worn bats
Toll Free 800-431-6067 (845) 339-3721 Fax (845) 339-5530

www.BaileyPottery.com email: info@baileypottery.com
www.potterymaking.org | July/August 2015 1
It’s like we ship a Tech
with every KM Kiln
Current
+ Sensing
Current Sensors ship with every KilnMaster Kiln. KilnLink is an optional upgrade.
2 July/August 2015 | www.potterymaking.org

www.skutt.com/kilnlink 503-774-6000
12
Inside
July/August 2015 Volume 18 Number 4
Features
12 An Introduction to Color by Birdie Boone
Whether you’re working with homemade or commer-
cial glazes, altering a base glaze to discover new color
palettes can be easy and fun.
18 Carving the Sealed Earth by Karen Newgard

Try this sgraffito technique with a combination of porce-
lain and terra sigillata to discover a crisp graphic quality
with your drawings.
22
22 Wall to Wall Decoration by Colleen McCall
Just because you can’t always see the bottoms of your
pots is no reason to not decorate them. Learn to com-
bine your inspirations and create fully unique surfaces.
30 Étude Géométrique by Andrea Marquis

Altering a simple bowl with a few precise cuts can lead
to an infinite number of new forms.
36 A Honey of a Pot by Sumi von Dassow

Summer is here and the bees are hard at work making
honey. The least we can do is make them a beautiful pot
30 to put it in.
40 Skilled Centering by Joyce Michaud

Getting off to a good start is always the best plan.
Here’s an in-depth look at some best practices for cen-
tering clay before throwing.
In the Studio
8 Upcycling Glaze Waste by Deanna Ranlett
36 0 Colored Clay Naked Raku
1
by Kate and Will Jacobson
Inspiration
44 In the Potter’s Kitchen
Inviting Use by Joseph Pintz
48 Pottery Illustrated
Aboriginal Mark Making by Robin Ouellette
On the Cover Colleen McCall glazes her platter’s sur-

faces from top to bottom and from wall to wall engaging the
44 viewer from every angle.

editor’s note
Social Pots
Volume 18 • Number 4
Publisher Charles Spahr
Editorial
Editor Holly Goring
Associate Editor Jessica Knapp
While I know I should be waxing on about geting into the studio and making all Assistant Editor Forrest Sincoff Gard
the things we showcase in this issue, what I really want to say is grab all of your Editorial Support Jan Moloney
Editorial Support Linda Stover
pots and use them. Make good food. Fill your dishes. Call your friends. Go out- editorial@potterymaking.org
Telephone: 614-895-4213
side. Enjoy the bounty of last winter’s studio making and reward yourself. Reward
Print and Digital Design Melissa Bury
your pots. They were built for use, so use them. Production Associate Erin Pfeifer
As we were putting this issue together we got pretty excited about Joe Pintz’ rec- Marketing Steve Hecker
Circulation Manager Sandy Moening
ipe for agua fresca (pg. 46.) So, we shut off our computers and headed outside. I Advertising/Classifieds
gathered ingredients, Forrest brought his blender, Jessica assembled a smorgasbord, National Sales Director Mona Thiel
Telephone: (614) 794-5834
and Joe sent his pitcher. Really, he did. We made Joe’s recipe, sat outside with our Advertising Services Marianna Bracht
advertising@potterymaking.org
feet up, ate olives and dolmades, and enjoyed the summer air. We don’t do that Telephone: (614) 794-5826
a lot around here, get together with pots for the sake of using them. It’s silly that Subscriptions
www.potterymaking.org
we don’t; between the three of us, the editors of PMI have a crazy amount of col- Customer Service: (800) 340-6532
potterymakingillustrated@pubservice.com
lected pots. Sure, certain things get used every day, but we each have pots that sit on Editorial and Advertising offices
shelves, void of their intention, just hoping a good recipe—or simply some warm 600 N. Cleveland Ave., Suite 210
Westerville, OH 43082 USA
weather—comes along to make us dust them off, fill them up, and watch them go
from collected objects to social motivators.
Pottery Making Illustrated (ISSN 1096-830X) is published
So, while studio time isn’t something you want to forgo all summer—let’s not bimonthly by The American Ceramic Society, 600 N. Cleve-
land Ave., Suite 210, Westerville, OH 43082. Periodical post-
get foolish now—a few hours spent passing pots around the table is also time well age paid at Westerville, Ohio, and additional mailing offices.
spent. And once you’re relaxed and the pots are safely returned indoors, check out GST#:RT0001; BN: 12399 4618.
Opinions expressed are those of the contributors and do not
this issue with Karen Newgard’s nature-inspired terra-sigillata carvings (pg. 18), necessarily represent those of the editors or The American
Ceramic Society.
Colleen McCall’s brightly glazed platters and baskets (pg. 22), Ann Van Hoey’s
Subscription rates: 6 issues (1 yr) $24.95, 12 issues (2
scissor-cut and folded forms (pg. 30), and Sumi Von Dassow’s honey pots (pg. 36). yr) $39.95, 18 issues (3 yr) $59.95. In Canada: 6 issues (1 yr)
US$30, 12 issues (2 yr) US$55, 18 issues (3 yr) US$80 [plus all
We also have Deanna Ranlett upcycling glaze waste (pg. 8), Kate and Will Jacobson applicable GST and PST]. International: 6 issues (1 yr) US$40,
12 issues (2 yr) US$70, 18 issues (3 yr) US$100. All payments
using colored clay for naked-raku (pg. 10), and Birdie Boone designing glaze palettes must be in US$ and drawn on a U.S. bank. Allow 6–8 weeks
(pg. 12). There’s plenty here to keep you busy in the for delivery.
Change of address: Visit www.potterymaking.org to
studio, but I imagine you have a lot of pots to keep you change your address, or call our Customer Service toll-free at
(800) 340-6532. Allow six weeks advance notice.
outside too. Now, get out there and share your pots
Back issues: When available, back issues are $6 each, plus
with the world. $3 shipping/handling; $8 for expedited shipping (UPS 2-day
air); and $6 for shipping outside North America. Allow 4–6
Holly Goring weeks for delivery. Call (800) 340-6532 to order.
Editor Contributors: Writing and photographic guidelines are
available on the website. Mail manuscripts and visual materi-
als to the editorial offices.
WEB EXTRA Archive
Photocopies: Permission to photocopy for personal or inter-

WEB EXTRA images
WEB EXTRA Recipes
nal use beyond the limits of Sections 107 and 108 of the U.S.
WEB EXTRA Video
Copyright Law is granted by The American Ceramic Society,

ISSN 1096-830X, provided the appropriate fee is paid directly
to Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Dr., Dan-
vers, MA 01923; (978) 750-8400; www.copyright.com. Prior
to photocopying items for educational classroom use, please
contact Copyright Clearance Center, Inc.
Check out our new navigational cues located through- This consent does not extend to copying items for general
distribution, for advertising or promotional purposes, or to re-
out the issue. These informational graphics direct you publishing items in whole or in part in any work and in any for-
mat. Please direct republication or special copying permission
to our website where you can find even more of what requests to the Ceramic Publications Company, The American
Ceramic Society, 600 N. Cleveland Ave., Suite 210, Westerville,
you love from this issue: more images from the artists, OH 43082.
related articles pulled from the archives, more recipes, Postmaster: Send address changes to Pottery Making Illus-
trated, PO Box 15699, North Hollywood, CA 91615-5699.
and videos highlighting this issue’s processes. Form 3579 requested.
ceramic arts dail y.org
Facebook www.facebook.com/potterymakingillustrated
Pinterest www.pinterest.com/PMImagazine
Instagram @potterymakingillustrated Copyright © 2015 The American Ceramic Society
Twitter https://twitter.com/PMImagazine or @PMImagazine All rights reserved

Distributed by: Manufactured by:

in the studio | glazing
Upcycling Glaze Waste

by Deanna Ranlett
I am always on the hunt for new surface tips and tricks. We’ve Pressing into Clay
all had dried up jars of underglaze or glaze, a container lid that To see how the chips would behave when pressed into wet clay,
is crusty, or a bucket left uncovered by accident. Here’s an in- dried, then fired, I rolled the chips into leather-hard tiles using
teresting way to use up those materials and a great alternative to a small wooden rolling pin, then bisque fired the pieces to cone
washing them down the drain or dumping them in the garbage. 04 (2). All of the materials bisque fired solidly into the tiles and
were not muddied when brushed and fired with clear glaze (3).
Crushing and Sorting
I found that Mayco’s Stroke & Coat glaze chips were harder
I started by crushing up my dried materials and sorting them
and broke easier, while the commercial underglazes and home-
by type (commercial underglazes, commercial glazes, and
made glazes broke into thinner chips. Different brands also have
homemade glazes) and cone temperature into individual mix-
different melting points. For example, Spectrum’s underglazes
ing cups (1). Caution: Always wear a dust mask and work in a
and Mayco’s Stroke & Coat glazes fired glossy in the bisque fir-
well-ventilated area when crushing dried glazes.
ing. Even some of my homemade cone 6 glazes melted a little bit
Immediately there is a noticeable difference: commercial prod- at cone 04. This would have ramifications if the chips were too
ucts were hard to break up due to the addition of hardeners while close to the bottom of a piece when firing.
homemade glazes crumbled easily. I crushed the chips to between
1
⁄8–¼-inch-sized pieces similar to the chunks found in commer- Mixing with Slips
cial crystal glazes, which range in size to create a variety of effects. Next, I used a white slip, mixed the chips into it, and applied
You can vary the size and shape of your chips to your preference. it to leather-hard clay. I tried this technique because I wanted
1 2 3
Chips of dried commercial underglazes Left: Homemade glaze chips on leather- Left: Underglaze chips on leather-hard clay.
and glazes, and homemade glazes. hard clay. Right: Bisque fired to cone 04. Right: Fired to cone 04 with clear glaze.
4 5 6
Commercial glaze and underglaze chips Homemade glaze chips mixed with a Homemade glaze chips mixed with a
mixed with a cone 6 Chun white glaze. cone 6 marigold-colored glaze. cone 6 black licorice-colored glaze.

an irregular, raised surface with a more the light and yellow glazes. In the darker Future testing ideas could include us-
dramatic texture. When fired with a black glaze, I found the underglaze chips ing colored slips mixed with the chips to
clear glaze to cone 6, the look was more got a bit lost (6). Perhaps sprinkled on create further dimension and depth or
erratic and gestural than the pressed- top they would have shown off better. combining low-fire products with high-
in chips. When mixing the commercial The recycled homemade glazes stand out fire ones.
products into the slip, most didn’t dis- well when mixed into the black glazes. Caution: Be sure to test all materi-
solve too quickly to be brushed on, but The chips bloomed in the glaze and gave als and combinations first before using
the homemade glazes didn’t survive a unique soft-colored, crystalline effect. them on your valued pieces and be sure
mixing without dissolving and had to be to protect your kiln shelves and bricks
sprinkled onto the surface between lay- Conclusion from potential running glazes.
ers of slip. These tiles are particularly in- I think this is a fun and interesting way
triguing to me because some of the chips to use dried-up glazes, that would oth- Deanna Ranlett owns Atlanta Clay in Atlanta,
became pebbly and others turned glassy. erwise be discarded, to create intriguing Georgia (www.atlantaclay.com) and MudFire in
textural and colored surfaces. Decatur, Georgia (www.mudfire.com).
Mixing with Glazes
Next, I decided to try the chips mixed
into colored homemade glazes—a Chun
white, a marigold yellow, and a deep, Transform
licorice black. The nature of the liq-
uid glazes led me to try a sandwiching glazes by
technique. If I mixed the chips into the
glaze, they dissolved too quickly, mak-
down firing
ing streaks. So, instead, I brushed on
two coats of glaze, then sprinkled the
in a
chips onto the wet surface, and finally Paragon
digital kiln
covered them with a third layer of glaze.
You could also sprinkle the chips on top
of the third coat of glaze.
In the white glazed tiles, some chips
stayed more raised, but most pooled into
the glaze, which was a great effect as it Colleen Baillie, senior
spread (4). With the marigold glazed tiles at the University of Min-
the effect was very similar to the white nesota and a ceramics
glaze (5). The colors really popped on major, loves the fast Par-
agon TnF-1613-3 pro-
grammable kiln.
She is current with
modern digital technol-
ogy and loves the idea
that she can program the
kiln to down fire (slow Colleen Baillie with a Paragon
cool) and to do a very TnF-1613-3 electric kiln.
slow bisque firing of her
cooling of the modern electric kiln.
larger pots. Precise control of the
firing is available at the touch of a For a demonstration, see your
key pad on the Orton controller. local Paragon dealer. Or contact us
for a colorful, free catalog and the
Colleen is part of the new world
name of your closest dealer.
of potters and ceramic sculptors
that are on the inside track of
modern digital technology. Constantly finding better
ways to make kilns.
Down firing is the newest
movement in firing ceramics.
Paragon will lead in this investi- 2011 South Town East Blvd.
gation of very slow, controlled Mesquite, Texas 75149-1122
800-876-4328 / 972-288-7557
Toll Free Fax 888-222-6450
Cone 6 glaze chips from dried home-
Join the Clayart pottery forum here: www.paragonweb.com
made glazes mixed with a cone 6 Chun
white glaze.
lists.clayartworld.com info@paragonweb.com

in the studio | raku glazing
Colored Clay Naked Raku by Kate and Will Jacobson
Naked raku utilizes an incompat- Glaze Coat

ible slip/glaze combination. The Our raku glaze is a mix of 65% Ferro frit 3110 and 35% Gerst-
slip doesn’t fit the pot and the glaze ley borate. The glaze is poured on to larger pots (3), but may be
doesn’t mature at the typical raku low- brushed on to smaller pieces or sculptural work. Note: Be sure
firing temperatures. that the pot is slightly warm to the touch before glazing. Tip:
After a raku firing, the slip that is under a This glaze has a lot of Gerstley borate and will settle quickly. So,
glaze will have a dark shadowy crackle pat- it needs to be poured right after mixing or frequently stirred if
tern stenciled into it. With a little steel glazing numerous pots at one time.
wool, the slip is easily washed away be- Try different thicknesses until you get a feel for what each layer
cause the glaze would not stick to it, and will do in the fire. Generally, the thinner layers will have tighter,
the dark shadowy crackle pattern is re- smaller crackle lines than a slightly thicker glaze layer. If you
vealed—the essence of naked raku. glaze thick, the crackles will be very large and spaced far apart.
Wanting to take that raw surface Thick glaze can also fire out with dots and shadowy areas with
to the next level, we swapped out the very little crackles.
plain white slip we were using for lay-
ers of colored clay. This brightened our Etching
surfaces while enhancing our nature- After the glaze has dried for a few minutes, etch a drawing
inspired drawings. through the slip/glaze layer (4). We use a wooden tool with a
sharpened point. Do this gently so as not to scratch the sur-
Colored Clay Coat
To begin, throw a thin-
walled pot—we use La-
guna Clay Co.’s cone 10
Amador and WSO clay bod-
ies. When the pots are leather
hard, brush on thin layers of
watered-down colored clays. Most
of these are colored porcelain, but we
also use some white stoneware and
earthenware. Allow the layers to
dry for 10–15 minutes (1). By us-
ing the thinned colored clays, the 1 2
color layers underneath show
Brush on colored clays, then burnish. Apply a thin layer of resist slip.
through when burnished.
Once the colored clays have dried,
burnish them, let the pot sit for 1–4 hours to
dry further, then burnish at least once more to
get a glossy surface. To retain this gloss, the pot
needs to dry slowly for 1–2 days. Bisque fire it
to about 1427°F (775°C).
Resist Slip Coat

Next, apply the resist slip and glaze combina-
tion layers. For the resist slip, brush on a thin
layer of your throwing clay (2). It adheres to
3 4
the pot very well throughout the process and
comes off with ease after reduction. Pour on a layer of glaze. Etch a design through the glaze.

5 6 7
Fire slowly and watch for an orange-peel Fill the smoking chamber with wood Apply a light spray of water to remove
texture on the glaze. chips to induce reduction. the cracking glaze.
face of the pot. The smoke from the

reduction chamber will enter the clay
and create deep shadowy crackles on the
surface. The etching becomes a smoke
drawing on the clay surface.
Raku
We fire one piece at a time to about
1368°F (740°C). The best indication of
when to pull the pot out of the kiln is
when the glaze matures to an orange-
peel look (5).
We create a smoking chamber by dig-
ging in the ground and filling it with
wood chips. Once the pot is removed
from the kiln, it’s cooled outside the kiln
for about 45 seconds. As soon as we hear
the glaze crackling, it’s time to place it in
the smoking chamber and cover it with
more wood chips (6). The hot piece is
then covered completely with a metal
container or lid that allows the carbon to
be trapped by the clay body.
When the piece is cool enough to pull
out of the smoking chamber, lightly spray
it with water to remove the glaze (7). Fol-
low this with a gentle rubbing of steel
wool and water to further clean the piece
and reveal the dark shadowy crackles and
matte surface that is the signature look of
naked raku.
Kate and Will Jacobson have been

WEB EXTRA Recipes
collaborating artists for thirty-five

years and currently live and work in
Hawaii. To see more of their work
and learn about naked raku, check
out, www.jacobsonartstudio.com.
Excerpted from Naked Raku and
Related Bare Clay Techniques,
published by the American Ceramic
Society, Westerville, Ohio. Available
at the Ceramic Arts Daily Bookstore,
www.ceramicartsdaily.org/bookstore.

An Introduction to
Color “Color, like emotion,

is subjective,
by Birdie Boone
complex and mutable.”

—Carole Crews, Clay Culture: Plasters,
Paints and Preservation
As a student, I was taught that the Standard Coaxial Color Blend Key (1)
surface of an object is just as impor-
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
tant as the object itself. A compelling Cr 2.0% Fe 8.0% Cu 6.0% Co 1.0% Mn 6.0% R 8.0% Sn 10.0%
chrome red iron copper cobalt manganese rutile tin
surface, one that has a clear connection to oxide oxide carb carb dioxide oxide
its form, is one of the things that makes a good
pot a great pot. The moment I discovered I could 8 9 10 11 12 13
Cr 1% Cr 1% Cr 1% Cr 1% Cr 1% Cr 1%
manipulate glaze color, my life was forever changed. Fe 4% Cu 3% Co 0.5% Mn 3% R 4% Sn 5%
Every formal or aesthetic decision is made with intention
as I design each form, so they deserve to have an intention- 14 15 16 17 18
Fe 4% Fe 4% Fe 4% Fe 4% Fe 4%
al surface as well. My palette tends to be at the softer end of the Cu 3% Co 0.5% Mn 3% R 4% Sn 5%
spectrum, in order to evoke emotional responses. I use colorants
in fairly low percentages, and often they are modified, or toned 19 20 21 22
Cu 3% Cu 3% Cu 3% Cu 3%
down, by certain other colorants. Co 0.5% Mn 3% R 4% Sn 5%
Johannes Itten, who developed and taught the first color course
at the Bauhaus in the early 1920s, thought of colors as “primordial 23 24 25
Co 0.5% Co 0.5% Co 0.5%
ideas.” Indeed, one of the reasons color is so powerful is that it can Mn 3% R 4% Sn 5%
trigger a visceral response that is at once both personal and universal.
You don’t need to know glaze chemistry in order to develop color in ate, avocado Mason stain, 26 27
Mn 3% Mn 3%
glazes. Certainly, knowing the chemical properties of a glaze can be chartreuse Mason stain, R 4% Sn 5%
helpful for making considered decisions about which colorants to crocus martis, nickel oxide,
use and which not to bother with, but it isn’t necessary. As you test, rutile, and manganese carbonate 28
R 4%
you will learn it empirically by looking at the results and seeing how (2 and 3). Sn 5%
the colorants are reacting in combination with one another as well The colorant percentages in the top row
as how they are reacting to the materials in the glaze recipe. of circles are high; this is so that the test results
clearly show how the colorants are reacting to
Easy Blends for Big Results the base glaze and to one another. The remaining 21
The coaxial color blend is a great way to start an investigation of circles, in a standard coaxial chart, are the blends; in ef-
color. It provides a lot of diverse color information with fairly fect, each colorant in the top row is mixed in equal parts with
little work. Over the years, I have learned that the most difficult all the other colorants in the top row to create numbers 8–28.
part for many people is understanding the coaxial blend diagram. Note: The top/base row is mixed by weight, the blends are mixed
The coaxial blend consists of a top row of base colorants. by volume from the top row.
In a standard coaxial diagram, there are seven common ones:
chrome, iron, copper, cobalt, manganese, rutile, and tin (1). Choosing a Glaze Base
Base colorants can be added or eliminated and the colorant If you have a glaze base that works well for you, start with that.
percentages can be adjusted to suit a palette you’re interested If there is a glaze you like that already has a colorant or colo-
in creating. My custom coaxial blend consists of nine base rants in it, simply remove them from the recipe and you will
colorants: neodymium oxide, cobalt carbonate, copper carbon- have your base glaze. You can even test commercial clear glazes

Birdie’s Custom Coaxial Color Blend (2)
in blends. Keep in mind that a trans-

parent glossy glaze is going to give you
the brightest color response. Satin and
matte glazes are usually higher in alumina,
which is what helps create that softer surface
and a softer glaze color. If you’re up to the task, test
one glossy glaze and one satin or matte glaze and compare.
Before you do the whole coaxial blend, you might want to just
test the single colorants to see how they are reacting to your chosen base
glaze and then choose which ones you want to move forward with.
DIY Coaxial Color Blend

To create your first standard coaxial color blend, start with a clay body (either one you
currently use or one you wish to test glazes on), your chosen base glaze, and seven colo-
rants similar to the ones in figure 1. Make and bisque fire 28 tiles. If you typically use a
slip under your glazes, be sure to apply it as you normally would.
1: Weigh out the dry ingredients for 1000 grams of a base glaze.
2: Add the same amount of water
(either by weight or volume; 1 gram Birdie’s Custom Coaxial Color Blend Key (3)
of water = 1mL of water, so either
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
add 1000 grams or 1000mL of water.) Nd 6.0% Co 0.1% Cu 1.0% A 4.0% c 3.0% Fe 3.0% Ni 1.0% R 4.0% Mn 2.0%
This gives you a total of 2000 grams of neodymium cobalt copper avocado chartreuse crocus nickel rutile manganese
oxide carb carb stain stain martis oxide carb
material, including water.
3: Mix well and sieve (the glaze may 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
Nd 3% Nd 3% Nd 3% Nd 3% Nd 3% Nd 3% Nd 3% Nd 3%
seem thin, but this is okay; do not adjust.) Co 0.05% Cu 0.5% A 2% c 1.5% Fe 1.5% Ni 0.5% R 2% Mn 1%
The first seven cups will need to be large
enough to hold 200g of wet material. The re- 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
mainder can be smaller. Number all 28 cups with Co 0.05% Co 0.05% Co 0.05% Co 0.05% Co 0.05% Co 0.05% Co 0.05%
Cu 0.5% A 2% c 1.5% Fe 1.5% Ni 0.5% R 2% Mn 1%
an indelible marker and arrange in the same manner
as the diagram. 
25 26 27 28 29 30
4: Add 200g of glaze base to each of the cups in the top row Cu 0.5% Cu 0.5% Cu 0.5% Cu 0.5% Cu 0.5% Cu 0.5%
A 2% c 1.5% Fe 1.5% Ni 0.5% R 2% Mn 1%
(because it’s a wet mix, you need 200g since only 100g of it is
glaze material, the other 100g is just water, which has no bearing on 31 32 33 34 35
the amount of colorant you add.) You will have some left over. A 2% A 2% A 2% A 2% A 2%
c 1.5% Fe 1.5% Ni 0.5% R 2% Mn 1%
5: Weigh out and add the appropriate amount of colorant to each
cup in the top row and mix very well (I use a stiff paintbrush with 36 37 38 39
c 1.5% c 1.5% c 1.5% c 1.5%
about an inch-wide brush head; it gets into the corners of the cup Fe 1.5% Ni 0.5% R 2% Mn 1%
so everything mixes well.)
6: Begin the blends under the top row using a measurement of 11: Add the same 40 41 42
either 1 or 2 teaspoons (5mL and 10mL, respectively). I use a amount of glaze base Fe 1.5% Fe 1.5% Fe 1.5%
Ni 0.5% R 2% Mn 1%
small medicine syringe; use anything you like as long as you are with rutile (cup #6) to
consistent. Add this chosen amount of glaze base with chrome the column that includes 43 44
oxide (cup #1) to each cup numbered 8–13. cups 12, 17, 21, 24, 26, and the Ni 0.5% Ni 0.5%
R 2% Mn 1%
row with cup 28.
7: Add the same amount of glaze base with red iron oxide
(cup #2) to cups 8 and 14–18. 12: Add the same amount of glaze base 45
with tin oxide (cup #7) to the column R 2%
8: Add the same amount of glaze base with copper carbonate that includes cups 13, 18, 22, 25, 27, and 28. Mn 1%
(cup #3) to the column that includes cups 9, 14, and the row
that has cups 19–22. 13: Using stain or an underglaze pencil, label
28 tiles with numbers 1–28 or label the actual colorant
9: Add the same amount of glaze base with cobalt carbonate percentages directly on each tile (if the glaze slurry is too thin to
(cup #4) to the column that includes cups 10, 15, 19, and the get a good application onto the tile, at this point, you can add a
row with cups 23–25. small amount of flocculant to each cup, such as an Epsom salts
10: Add the same amount of glaze base with manganese dioxide solution), or leave it uncovered for several hours to allow some
(cup #5) to the column that includes cups 11, 16, 20, 23, 26, and water to evaporate. For accurate results, be sure the glaze coats
the row with cup 27. are around the thickness of a dime.

Selected Color Blends From Birdie’s Coaxial Color Blend Tests (4) strong flux, so you may notice this glaze
is runnier with high amounts of iron.
• I typically use 1–2% in the top row of
my blends for soft yellows and to modify
other colorants.
Base Line Manganese dioxide (MnO2)/manganese
Nd 6% Co 0.1% Cu 1% A 4% c 3% Fe 3% Ni 1% R 4% Mn 2% carbonate (MnCO3):
• Good color modifier
• Very strong, use 1% or less
• I typically use 1–2% manganese carbonate
in the top row of my blends.
• Manganese carbonate is less volatile and
Cobalt Line doesn’t form specks like manganese
Co 0.1% Co 0.05% Co 0.05% Co 0.05% Co 0.05% Co 0.05% Co 0.05% Co 0.05% Co 0.05% dioxide does.
Nd 3% Cu 0.5% A 2% c 1.5% Fe 1.5% Ni 0.5% R 2% Mn 1%
• Creates colors in the purple family
Nickel oxide (NiO)/
nickel carbonate(NiCO3):
• Good color modifier
• Refractory, (doesn’t melt well and can
Copper Line
make a glossy glaze become matte)
Cu 0.5% Cu 0.5% Cu 0.5% Cu 0.5% Cu 0.5% Cu 0.5% Cu 0.5% Cu 0.5% Cu 0.5%
Nd 3% Co 0.05% A 2% c 1.5% Fe 1.5% Ni 0.5% R 2% Mn 1% • Very strong, use in amounts of 1% or less
• I typically use 1% NiCO3 in the top row of
my blends
• Combining nickel and cobalt carbonate or
oxide often creates grays
• Expensive
Iron Line
Fe 3% Fe 1.5% Fe 1.5% Fe 1.5% Fe 1.5% Fe 1.5% Fe 1.5% Fe 1.5% Fe 1.5% Neodymium oxide (Nd2O3):
Nd 3% Co 0.05% Cu 0.5% A 2% c 1.5% Ni 0.5% R 2% Mn 1%
• Rare earth oxide, from the lanthanide
family of elements
• Changes from blue to purple under
various light sources
• Mixes well with almost everything else
Manganese Line • Colorfast in any type of glaze base
Mn 2% Mn 1% Mn 1% Mn 1% Mn 1% Mn 1% Mn 1% Mn 1% Mn 1% • Use 4% or less for tints, 6–8% for
Nd 3% Co 0.05% Cu 0.5% A 2% c 1.5% Fe 1.5% Ni 0.5% R 2%
stronger color
• Expensive
14: Fire when ready in either a neutral electric kiln or an oxidation or reduction atmo- Light or dark rutile/titanium dioxide (TiO2):
sphere in a gas kiln. Be sure to place cones in the kiln so you know exactly what tempera- • Titanium dioxide and rutile are good color
ture the kiln reaches. Colors can appear different at even slightly different temperatures. modifiers in small amounts, 1–4%
• Good for variegation and micro-crystalline
15: Once fired, arrange tests in the same pattern as the diagram and examine your results. growth in glaze with higher amounts 8–10% 
I fired my custom coaxial color blend tiles to cone 6 in an electric kiln (2). In order to • Rutile is an iron-bearing mineral form of
WEB EXTRA images
help you really see what is happening in my customized blend, I have also separated titanium. Use titanium if you don’t want the
some of the results into lines for each colorant I used (4). added iron (dark rutile has more iron than
light rutile).
Guide for Using Oxides, Carbonates*, and Stains Stains/Inclusion stains (Mason, Cerdec,
Chrome oxide (CrO): Degussa, Chinese):
• If your base glaze has zinc in any amount, chrome will turn an it an unattractive brown. • You can get just about any color you want
• Refractory, meaning it doesn’t melt well and can turn a glossy glaze to matte. with stains.
• Very strong, use in very small amounts, less than 0.5%. Higher percentages of chrome may • Stains can be good color modifiers in
also turn an unattractive brown because there is too much to dissolve into the glaze melt. smaller amounts, use 2–4% for tints, 5–8%
for tones, 10–12% for strong colors
Cobalt oxide (CoO)/Cobalt carbonate (CoCO3):
• I typically use 4% in the top row of my
• A very little goes a very, very long way.
blends, never more than 6%
• Tends toward purple in the presence of magnesium in a base glaze.
• Expensive
• Very strong, use in amounts of 3% or less. Higher amounts may give metallic results. 
• Utilize Mason’s reference chart
• I typically use 0.1% in the top row of my blends.
WEB EXTRA Video
(www.masoncolor.com) for detailed

• Expensive
information on how to use each stain.
Copper oxide (CuO)/Copper carbonate (CuCO3):
*Note: A carbonate tends to be about half the
• Tends toward blue or green, depending on the base glaze.
strength of an oxide.
• Mixes well with almost everything else.
• Very strong, use in amounts of 3% or less
• I typically use 0.3–1% in the top row of my blends.
Birdie Boone is a full-time studio potter cur-
rently living in rural Virginia. She holds an MFA
Red iron oxide (Fe2O3)/ochre/crocus martis: in Ceramics/Artisanry from the University of
• Examples of iron-bearing minerals with slightly different effects Massachusetts Dartmouth. She is available for
• Very strong, use 2% or less as a color modifier. Amounts higher than 4% can give very workshops on color development; for more infor-
different results, including micro-crystalline growth and metallic brown colors. Iron is a mation, contact her at birdieboone@gmail.com.


carving
the Sealed Earth
by Karen Newgard
Playing around with brushing on slips and glazes then remov- ered terra sigillata (Latin meaning sealed earth). The combina-
ing them with different tools led me to sgraffito (Italian word tion of porcelain and terra sigillata gave me the crisp graphic
meaning to scratch away) decoration. While in college, I started quality I was trying to achieve.
decorating pots by drawing through black slip, revealing the
stoneware below. Once fired, it didn’t look like a drawing but Wheel Work
more like a photo negative. To get the reverse look of dark During my early studies in pottery, I learned to throw on a trea-
shapes on a white ground, I carved around the line I was draw- dle wheel (1 and 2). The pots I loved at the time were made on
ing and removed the negative space, leaving the line. To further one and I wanted to follow in that school of pottery making.
refine the quality of the drawing, I switched to porcelain clay, Also, I enjoy the control and quietness of the this style of wheel.
which has finer particles. It gave me a nice clean background for Before I dig into any decorating, I think about the forms I would
my narratives. But, I was still carving slips at the leather-hard like to make on the wheel. Since my decoration is all encompass-
stage and the line smeared as my tool moved through the slip, ing, I choose to make pretty straightforward forms. The simple
muddying the nice white porcelain background. Then I discov- forms allow me to divide the pots into segments for decorating.

Inspiration so thick, the layers are easy to distinguish,
My imagery is very much connected to my early interest in Minoan pottery and their no- making the decanting process easier. A
tion of depicting scenes from everyday life. Therefore my early images and scenes stem batch of this recipe lasts me about three
from memories of my grandparents’ farm, growing up in Louisiana, and recognizable ev- weeks. Once mixed and decanted, the
eryday items. I have developed an iconographical library of images over my career that I terra sigillata should be the consistency of
still draw from today, continuously adding to those domestic stories by going outdoors whole milk. I add 1 cup of terra sigillata
and carving botanical scenes, inevitably adding birds and insects to those scenes. to 1 teaspoon of black Mason Stain 6600.
Always test other stains or oxides before
Terra Sigillata: Mixing, Decanting, and Using using. If evaporation occurs during use,
Terra sigillata is like a tight second skin on the pot, often used to seal porous low-fire clay add a little distilled water. Keep the mix-
bodies. It’s made by deflocculating a clay (or combination of clays) and isolating the fine ture covered when not in use
particles. The recipe I use doesn’t require ball milling due to the fine clay particles that Once a pot is bone dry, brush on two
make up Grolleg kaolin. I find I get a large yield and this recipe is very easy to make. Be- thin coats of terra sigillata, being careful
cause water isn’t the same in every city, it’s critical to use distilled water to maintain con- not to overlap brush strokes, and waiting
sistent results. Using a drill and paint mixer attachment in a 5-gallon bucket is the easiest a few minutes between coats. If too many
method for mixing. Let the mixture sit untouched for 36 hours in a glass container if coats are applied it could cause the sigillata
you have one. After settling, three layers will form: the waste layer on the bottom, a thin to craze and pop off after the glaze firing.
layer of water on top, and the usable terra sigillata in the middle. The deflocculent, triso-
Sgraffito
dium phosphate (also known as TSP and available in home stores), charges the particles
Use a dull pencil to lightly lay out your
in the Grolleg causing them to repel and separate. Because the waste at the bottom is
design, being careful not to press down
too hard because it will leave a mark or
remove some of the terra sigillata (3).
The goal here is to draw on top of the
sigillata, not start the carving process.
After you’re satisfied with the drawing,
use a worn needle tool (or similar tool) to
outline images (4). If the tool is too sharp,
it leaves a jagged line. To remove the
background, I use the Kemper WLS carv-
ing tool or wire loop tool for tight spaces,
and for larger spaces I use a small Dolan
loop tool (5). With my carving marks I
can create a sense of rhythm; making a
1 2 leaf look like it’s blowing in the wind (6)
or a bird fluttering in the trees.
Centering a mound of clay on a treadle Finishing the shape and rim of a bowl
wheel. The rotation of the flywheel is thrown on a treadle wheel. Using a large In setting up my decorations, I like to
powered by pushing a wooden pedal. stiff rubber rib removes throwing marks. give myself starting and stopping points,
3 4 5
After applying terra sigillata to the sur- Use a worn needle tool to outline the im- After defining the outlines, remove slip
face, lightly draw your design on top of ages. Don’t use a sharp tool, it will create from the negative spaces using larger
the sigillata using a pencil. a jagged line. loop trimming and carving tools.

process | Carving the Sealed Earth | Karen Newgard
6 7 8
Carving the negative space areas with Carving concentric circles reminiscent of Carving linear patterns around the rim
specific patterns and curving marks adds lines created in rippling water and that of a bowl that reference a field of crops
a sense of rhythm and movement. define banded areas around the rim. planted in rows.
9 10
After carving, remove the dry shav- Add colored accents to the finished, My pieces are finished in a gas-fired salt
ings and dust from the surface using a carved main design or image using com- kiln, which highlights the carving, with a
WEB EXTRA images
vacuum equipped with a HEPA filter. mercial underglazes. light sheen without the use of glaze.
such as a distinct foot or visible spout and handle attachments. sonality. I am able to achieve this goal best in a gas-fired salt kiln.
Conversely, I often negate the form all together and wrap a scene I introduce just enough salt to add a little sheen to the carved
around the piece. areas of the pot. There’s no need to burnish or use a clear glaze
Repeated patterns have always been appealing to me; repeti- in this firing process as the salt is a flux that lowers the melting
tion of a field of wallpaper motifs, lines created in rippling water, point of the silica, causing it to slightly melt on the outer surface
or crops in rows (7 and 8). Looking for these types of arrange- of the pot, creating a glaze. This firing process also affects the
ments in nature or our modern landscape is a source inspiration. liner glazes and the more open areas on forms such as serving
Caution: The carving process produces a lot of dust so I wear bowls or plates by accentuating the variations in color.
an apron and carve over a square of egg-crate foam that catches
the shavings, keeping them contained and making them easy to
WEB EXTRA Recipes
TERRA Sigillata
dispose of. The dust created in this process is extremely fine. I Grolleg Kaolin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4000 g
never blow the dust away while working, I also never sweep it Trisodium Phosphate (TSP) . . . . . . . . 40 g
away. I only use a only vacuum with a HEPA filter (9). Distilled Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 cups
When the carving is complete, I add a pop of color with Mix for 5 minutes and let settle for 36 hours. Decant
AMACO Velvet Underglazes to accent the main images (10). the middle layer for use. For color, add 1 teaspoon of
stain per 1 cup of terra sigillata.
Salt Firing
I have always gravitated to atmospheric firings, I love the tonal Karen Newgard has been a full-time studio potter since 1997 and currently
variation I get with clay and especially glazes. I choose glazes that has a studio/gallery in Asheville, North Carolina’s River Arts District.
will complement the aesthetic of the pot, giving it depth and per- Learn more about her work at karennewgardpottery.com.

Wall to Wall
by Colleen McCall
My colorful, hand-painted pottery is decorated from top to bot- and decorated them. The patterns quickly became more interest-
tom, inside and out. Rarely is there a surface left bare or free from ing, leaving me to seek out new shapes and alternative construc-
pattern or texture. Whether painted, carved, cast, or stamped, tion methods to improve the quality of the overall design. After
I add interest to every angle of my dark brown, stoneware pot- failing to make truly square pots I found a square form to cast
tery with layers of porcelain slip, a bevy of underglaze colors, and in plaster and press mold with better success. I soon began col-
white, breaking tin glaze. Vintage textile prints and cast glassware lecting glassware, melamine, and plastic in all shapes and textures
are my primary inspiration. I like drawing upon the familiar to to make molds from. The shape of my hexagonal mold is some-
evoke memory and emotion, but it’s only where just between a circle and a square. Be-
a touch point for a fresh and ing both round and angular, it’s
unique collaboration. always exciting to explore its
Initially, I threw round many variations of form
shapes on the wheel and surface.

Creating a Plaster Press Mold
For this hexagonal mold I used a thin, non-porous plastic take-out
dish, which could be cast as a one-part mold. Prototypes can also
be made by combining objects to achieve new shapes. For example,
starting with a wide square plate placed face down on the table and
stacking an upside-down shallow bowl on top of the plate creates a
pasta bowl shape with an ample rim for decoration.
To prepare an object for casting, add wet clay to the object’s
inner rim to secure it to the work surface and to prevent the liq-
uid plaster from seeping under the object when it’s poured. Next,
with the dish inverted and the clay rim secured to a flat surface,
build up short, thick, clay walls around the thin plastic edge of
the disposable dish to contain the plaster as it’s poured (1). When Opposite: Hexagonal plate with peony motifs. Above: Hexago-
creating a one-part mold with a non-porous object, mold soap nal platter with cutouts and floral designs over a grid pattern,
is generally not necessary. After the prototype is secured, mix the 2015. Photos: ARC Photographic Images.
plaster using a ratio of 6 pounds of plaster to 2 quarts of water, could chip or gouge the plaster) and use a stiff rubber rib to
adding the plaster to the water. Let the unmixed contents slake compress the rim, the clay on the top side of the slab, and to even
undisturbed for at least three minutes to hydrate the plaster, then out and smooth the surface (5).
slowly mix it using a Jiffy mixer or similar for 3 minutes to initi-
ate the chemical setting process. Just as the plaster is beginning Variations of Form
to thicken, pour it over the prototype. Pour when liquid to pre- For a deeper bowl shape, build short slab walls around the perim-
vent the formation of air bubbles on the surface of the model. As eter of the bowl. When doing this, be sure to reinforce any seams
the plaster thickens, but before it sets, you can manipulate it to with small coils on the interior of the bowl to prevent cracking (6).
mound evenly over the form (2). The plaster heats up as it sets. For a sturdier and more elegant bowl, add a coil or flattened band
Once the plaster has cooled fully, remove the clay walls, smooth to the top edge to thicken and define the rim. The basket bowl has
down any rough edges with a green kitchen scouring pad, and a slight swoop at the rim where a single coil has been attached to
wipe down the mold with a damp sponge (3). Allow the mold to the rim with slightly more clay in the corners for extra height.
completely dry before using it. At this point the bowl is ready for its first coat of porcelain
slip. A total of three coats should be applied while the clay is still
Prepping the Clay and Filling the Mold supported by the mold (7). Wait for the slip to dry between coats.
I stack wedge my clay for slab rolling as I find it reduces warp- When the slip-painted clay has firmed up, remove it from the
ing by aligning the clay platelets. Slice a chunk of clay into two mold by sandwiching a board on top and carefully flipping up-
thin pieces, press each one flat, then slam one half on top of side down. While upside down, use gentle but firm pressure to
the other, pressing it flat again. Slice and repeat 6–8 times until score and slip on a foot ring or foot nubbins.
the clay feels more fluid. Gradually flatten with a rolling pin, To create a basket effect, extract cut outs from the corners
flipping the clay over and turning it 90° with each pass until it of the form with a thin blade after the bowl is removed from
reaches its final thickness of ¼ inch. Compress the slab with a the mold. Smooth the edges of the cuts (8). Carving or exterior
metal rib to further align the clay particles. painting is best done now with the piece firmly inverted (9).
Use the slab while it’s soft to fill the mold, easing the ribbed
surface face down into the interior (4). Gather the edges slightly Learning how to Combine Patterns
to help the clay fill the mold without stretching too much. Press My pattern book is sorted into five sections to organize the spa-
the clay against the mold, and add wet clay to backfilling any ar- tial dynamics of a particular pattern. Motifs such as animals or
eas that become thin. It may take a few attempts filling the mold single flowers are the first section. A motif functions as a unit
before you figure out the nuances of the form and process. Trim that can either be used alone as a focal point or can be repeated
off the excess clay around the rim using a plastic tool (metal tools in various ways to create a pattern.

process | Wall to Wall Decoration | Colleen McCall
1 2
Secure the model to the table with clay, then build slab walls Pour liquid plaster over the model. When it starts to set up,
around the perimeter and reinforce with buttresses. manipulate it to mound up evenly over the model.
3 4 5
When the plaster has set up, remove the Drape a slab over the mold and gently fit Use a rib to compress the clay, and to
model and clean the mold. it into the space. even out the surface.
6 7
To create a deeper bowl, add slab sides and reinforce all joins Add a layer of slip to the interior surface while the bowl is still in
using soft, thin coils. the mold. Repeat this, adding a total of three layers of slip.
Section two, overall patterns, is most abundant since many What I call ground patterns, collected in the fourth section of
fabrics are printed to be used in multiple directions. These pat- my book, are those that are more basic and subdued. They act
terns are random and don’t adhere to any one orientation. They as a filler or create an interesting background when used with a
work well on any shape. focal point motif.
The third section, vertical patterns, is limited in use to upright The fifth and final section contains borders or scrolling pat-
forms such as vases and mugs or square and rectangular shapes terns that can trim a form or frame an overall design.
that have a top and a bottom. As an example, wallpaper tends to When combining patterns I look for similar elements of shape,
be vertically oriented. scale, and line. I can always unify patterns with complimentary

8 9
After removing the bowl from the mold you can alter the shape Carve surface texture using loop tools and trim the rim edge
by cutting out sections freehand or adding a coil foot. using a small rasp tool.
10 11 12
Choose a motif or pattern, photocopy it, Cut out the shapes in the motif and use Hand paint the lightest parts of the motif,
and try different color combinations. them as stencils to transfer the patterns. here the peony, stem, and stamen.
13 14
Apply a layer of wax resist over the patterns to protect them, then Add filler motifs to the background. Carve through the wax, un-
apply an overall layer of underglaze for the background. derglaze and slip layers to define the outlines of the foreground.
color combinations. I also tend to mix styles and historical genres Transferring Motifs
within a piece or in an arrangement of dishware, like bold Art I use paper stencils to transfer patterns to the form. Occasion-
Deco lines softened by an Ikat (a textile dying process) ground ally, I enlarge or reduce their scale to fit the form better. If your
with Iznik pomegranates surrounded by calico. I draw each form clay surface is a soft leather hard, I suggest putting a sheet of
once and photocopy it multiple times to play with dividing the thin plastic between the clay and the paper template as the
form into zones for decorating. I can then play with adding pat- moisture from the clay will cause the paper to slough off into
terns together. When I settle on a combination I may draw it once your precious line work. Trace the template with light pressure
again and copy it multiple times to try color combinations (10). using a dull pencil or ball-tipped sgraffito tool. This leaves an

process | Wall to Wall Decoration | Colleen McCall
15 16
After the bisque firing, lightly sand the surface using wet/dry Once the bisque plate is dry, touch up any bare spots from the
sandpaper to remove sharp burrs from the sgraffito process. sanding process, then add glaze to areas of the motifs
17
Apply two thin layers of clear glaze over the whole surface on The finished peony pattern plate, showing the raised feet and
the top and bottom of the plate, except for the feet. You can also carved pattern accentuated with tin white glaze. Photo: ARC
use a different glaze on the bottom of the plate. Photographic Images.
impression of the pattern in the clay that guides your brush smudging newly drawn lines. As you begin to carve through
work (11). the layers of slip, underglaze, and wax, the remains will pile up.
Simply dump them out into your glaze and clay recycle bin and
Handpainting Efficiently continue carving. Don’t brush or blow them off as they may mar
When applying underglazes to create the patterns, I use wax re- the surface and create excess dust. Brush off any straggling bits of
sist thinned with water to paint more efficiently in layers. Ap- clay after the bisque firing when the work is wet sanded.
WEB EXTRA images
ply wax over light areas of color to protect them when painting
over with darker colors or to block the edges of motifs to make it Wet Sanding Bisqueware
easier to quickly fill in a solid background color. The peony and Wet sanding bisqueware removes sharp burrs created by carved
wheat pattern begins with hand painting the stamen and pink sgraffito lines. To wet sand bisqueware, use lots of water to keep
petals (12). The brown leaf dots are added with a fine-needled the dust to a minimum. I work over a bowl of water with 320-grit
glaze applicator. When dry, the entire peony is brushed with wax wet/dry sandpaper alternating between sanding and sponging to
resist. I give the wax about 20 minutes to harden before painting remove dust from the sgraffito crevices (15). Be careful not to
the background color (13). Using three coats of color provides a sand off the underglaze color. Mistakes can be easily fixed by ap-
more saturated, solid color. Using a graphite pencil, I then sketch plying more underglaze to the thoroughly cleaned bisque. Cau-
the stem of the wheat in alternating directions throughout the tion: Always wear a dust mask when doing any sanding.
ground. I paint the wheat kernels last in a slightly darker color
Glazing
WEB EXTRA Archive
than the chartreuse. Any time I incorporate a transparent glaze

color into the motif, it lessens the painting time but also adds a The first stage of glazing on the peony and wheat pattern is to
new dimension to the design. apply a transparent celadon green glaze to the leaf and stems of
the peonies with either a brush or glaze applicator squeeze bottle
Sgraffito Tips (16). Finally, the entire interior is brush coated with two thin lay-
My favorite sgraffito tool is a tight cornered ribbon tool. I find ers of transparent clear glaze (17).
it grabs the clay more surely, allowing me to vary the pressure,
Colleen McCall is a full-time studio artist living and working in Elmira,
which alters the line thickness (14). I also keep a variety of
New York. To see more of her work, visit www.colleenmccallceramics.com
sgraffito tools on hand depending on the line quality I prefer. or visit the Upstate New York Ceramics Invitational at Main Street Arts
Tip: Depending on the form, you may want to work from left (www.mainstreetartgallery.com) in Clifton Springs, New York July 11–
to right if right handed or from the middle out to keep from August 30.

ALL YOUR CLAY DESIRES
Highwater Clays
THE EARTH’S BEST CLAYS
highwaterclays.com

ÉTude
Ann Van Hoey’s
Géométrique
by Andrea Marquis
The work of Belgian artist Ann Van Hoey con-

sists of sculptural earthenware vessels and a line
of bone-china dinnerware that she designs for the
European firm, Serax. Inspiration for her forms
comes from Étude Géométrique (geometric study),
which for Van Hoey is about “the marriage between
the circle and the square.” Origami is also an inspi-
ration and Van Hoey’s terra-cotta vessels are often
darted in three sections to create a dynamic tension
between the circle and the triangle.
Most of her forms are unglazed and the finished sur-
face mimics the leather-hard stage when Van Hoey ex-
plains, “the clay is full of life.” In her Structure series she
investigates textured surfaces, she does this by texturing the
molds that she uses to build her vessels. Despite her primary
focus on unglazed surfaces, she has also experimented with col-
or on some of her forms. These vessels have been professionally
enameled at an auto body shop with car paint, producing a luscious
surface that goes above and beyond glaze. The eye-catching forms tap
into the psychology of our deepest desires through her choice of colors
with serious caché, like Ferrari red and yellow.
While in the studio, Van Hoey engages in the making process with focus,
precision, and intensity, but also with a sense of humor. She is very aware of the
tension between her meditative clay process and the demands of the tech-savvy world
outside the studio walls. There is evidence of this awareness and humor in her work, if
you look closely on the side of the vessels in her Social Clay series, she has embossed the
phrases, “Sent from my iPad,” “sorry for the briefness,” and “join me on Facebook.”
The simplest forms are deceptively complex to make and for Van Hoey there are no short cuts or
tricks. Her forming process has evolved over time through trial and error. Ideas for new pieces come
naturally from the evolution of working in her studio, where patience and repetition are critical in
achieving geometric perfection.
Ann Van Hoey transforms round shapes into a variety of forms inspired by origami
and geometry, like those shown here from 2011. Photo: Dries Van den Brande.

Hand Rolling Slabs
Van Hoey’s forms begin as slabs and she uses commercial clay straight out of the bag.
She prefers the clay to be soft and it’s important that the clay be pliable but not sticky.
After working with the Dutch artist Netty Janssens, she doesn’t wedge her clay, prefer-
ring to align the clay particles by gradually thinning the slab as it’s rolled out.
After every pass over the slab Van Hoey carefully pulls the clay up and off of the can-
vas to allow the slab to expand evenly and to allow the clay platelets to align, strength-
ening the slab. She then uses a soft red Mudtools rib to repeatedly smooth the slab
throughout the rolling process. She carefully removes impurities and large grog
particles as she makes her final passes over the slab. The clay slab must be
perfect because most of her vessels are not glazed and the finished sur-
faces come from the fired bare clay.
Tips for rolling slabs out by hand:

Start with a slice of bagged clay that is pliable but
not sticky.
Use wooden slats of varying thicknesses (starting
with two thicker slats and replacing them with pro-
gressively thinner slats as you work) to gauge and
even out the thickness of the slab as it’s rolled out.
Begin rolling at the center of the slab, moving to
the outer edges.
Flip the slabs over after every roll to compress and
align particles on both sides.
Roll and thin the slabs gradually to keep the clay
particles aligned.
Once the slab has reached the approximate
desired size and thickness, roll it one way, in the
same direction.
Filling the Mold

To create her vessel forms, Van Hoey pieces her rolled slabs
into a half spherical plaster mold, usually 11–19 inches
(30–50 cm) in diameter, that she purchased from her local
clay supplier. In preparation for construction, she works with
a paper pattern, developed through trial and error, to approxi-
mately fill her mold. She first lays the pattern on the slab (1) and
then over the mold, eyeing the shape of the pattern to fit the inte-
rior curve of the mold. Using a modified knife (see figure 4 inset), she
cuts out a piece of clay that is approximately the same size and shape
as the pattern (2). Next she uses a plastic circle with dividing lines as a
guide to create marks on the top of her mold to aid in equally dividing the
circumference of her vessel (3).
The mold and slab are cleaned and then inspected for contaminants and ir-
regularities. As Van Hoey readies the cut piece, she flips and reverses the slab to
ensure the perfect side faces outward and the finished surface is without imperfec-
tions. She carefully presses her cut slab into her mold; slowly expanding the slab into
the curved shape (4). She notes that it’s important this be done gradually and she takes
great care to rib the clay up and down, and then back and forth with horizontal strokes.
Next, she trims the slab, cutting it on the top edge with her modified pen knife
that allows the blade to be inserted at an angle (5). She locates the dividing marks

process | Ann Van Hoey’s Étude Géométrique | Andrea Marquis
on the mold that were created with the plastic circle template. to feel where the slabs overlap and cuts the top slab to fit. She
Using each mark as a guide, she draws a line in the clay with removes the leftover piece with her pin tool and applies slip to
her knife that only goes halfway through the slab—this prevents the bottom slab.
scratches on the interior of the mold. Then she removes the Next, she gently compresses the slabs together with her
excess clay (6). finger (7). Using a semi-circular custom-made rib that she cut
Van Hoey uses a total of three slabs to complete her form. out of an old credit card, Van Hoey repeats the above step with
When joining two slabs she compresses the edge of the slab, bev- more pressure. During this process she removes a little of the
eling it with her finger in order to create more surface area for overlap of clay to make the wall thickness uniform. After the
the thin slab pieces to connect. She scores the edges, taking care clay has been carefully ribbed, she removes the top edge with
not to scratch the mold. With light pressure she uses her finger her modified knife.
1 2
Lay the paper template over the smoothed out slab. Cut the slab to the approximate shape and size of the template.
3 4
Use a circular dividing tool to mark the edge of the mold with Press the cut slab into the mold, slowly expanding it to match
guidelines for cutting the slab sections. the curve.
5 6
Trim the top using a modified knife Score a line through the excess clay along the edge of the slab
that allows the blade to be held then remove it.
flush with the top of the mold.

All process photos: Joseph Hu.
7 8
Compress the slabs together gently before repeating the com- Repeat the compression, refining, and smoothing process after
pression process with a rib. adding the bottom slab.
9 10
Flip the mold upside down onto a bat and gently tap the bot- Use a soft rubber rib to smooth and compress the seams and to
tom of the mold to release the form. compress the entire outside of the vessel.
11 12
Cut darts into the form with heavy-duty scissors. The length and Gradually overlap the clay cuts, score and slip within the over-
width of the darts guide the final shape. lapped area and join.
13 14
Refine the seams using a wooden sculptor’s thumb or rubber- Scrape the rim with a metal rib to bevel it, then smooth and
tipped tool. compress the edge.

but plastic enough to fold without cracking. The vessel shape must
be evenly pliable so it’s important to avoid a draft that can lead
to uneven drying. She lets her piece set up in the mold with a bat
over the top and places them in a cardboard box turned on its side.
With the box closed, which protects it from drafts and helps to
equalize the moisture in and around the piece, she lets the vessel
set up for an hour or two.
Van Hoey removes the piece from the mold by flipping it upside
down on a bat and gently tapping the mold to release the form (9).
The upside-down form and bat go onto a banding wheel. Using
the flat, wide side of a metal rib, she cleans the outside of seams
where the slabs were joined together. She inspects the outside sur-
face of the form for any irregularities—popping air bubbles and
Object, 10 in. (26 cm) in length, slab-built and press-molded then using a red Mudtools rib to smooth the exterior surface (10).
earthenware, 2015. Photo: Dries Van den Brande.
Darting
Using her hands, Van Hoey flips the clay form right-side up and
cradles it in a pillow. With her circular dividing tool (see figure 3),
she establishes three equidistant points on the top edge of her form
and makes a mark. Next, she measures how long she wants the dart
to extend toward the bottom of the form as well as how wide she
wants them to be, both of which will affect the final shape. These
marks guide her as she cuts her darts.
With large, sharp, heavy-duty scissors, which create a cleaner,
straighter cut, Van Hoey cuts through her form (11). She cuts next
to the seams between the original slabs of clay used to make the
form so that the seam will be underneath the dart and therefore
concealed by it when the clay walls overlap. Next, she gradually
folds and smooths the clay cuts to until they overlap. Then, with
a needle tool, she marks the outline of the overlap. She scores and
Object from the Earthenware Ferrari series, 16 in. (40 cm) in slips each side (12), making sure there’s ample slip in the corners of
length, slab-built and press-molded earthenware, automotive the overlaps, which keeps the darts from pulling apart.
paint, 2014. Photo: Dries Van den Brande.
Finishing the Form
She repeats this process, rolling out slabs, cutting out patterned Van Hoey uses a wood sculptor’s thumb to refine the seams (13),
pieces, joining them and then refining the form to produce the compressing them so there is absolutely no gap. The edges of the
WEB EXTRA images
sides of the vessel. darts get dabbed with water and compressed. Small holes often ap-
She fills the bottom by approximating the shape and repeats the pear at the bottom of the darts due to the movement of the folding
above steps, beveling the edges and scoring the clay form in the process so she repairs them by touching them up with water and
mold. Before attaching the bottom piece of clay to the form in the then using a wooden tool to compresses the area inside and out.
mold, Van Hoey stamps the bottom of the slab with her chop (pot- She then smooths all of the seams’ sides and joints with a red Mud-
ter’s mark) and places the slab into the mold face down—this way tools rib and repeats this process until perfect. The clay form then
impressing the stamp won’t distort the final form. Compressing gets covered in loose plastic and she smooths the rim the next day.
the slabs together she repeats her refining and smoothing process To finish the piece, Van Hoey scrapes the rim with a metal rib
(8). The refining process is very meditative. She notes that though (14), beveling it slightly, and then refines the overlapping top edges
it has been a slow evolution repeating the same technique, with with a wooden tool. She uses a damp sponge to smooth the exteri-
practice she’s been able to hone and continue to improve her forms. or, removing finger marks on the outside edge—the inside doesn’t
Van Hoey smooths the bottom of the form, then moves the get sponged. Finally, the bottom gets tapped slightly to flatten it
out (this keeps it from rocking) and the finished piece is slowly
WEB EXTRA Video
mold onto a pottery wheel for more clean up. She centers it by eye,
then secures the mold to the wheel head with clay wadding and once fired to cone 1.
continues to compress the clay form against the mold and refine Ann Van Hoey holds her first degree in economics from the University of
the thickness of its wall. She trims the top edge of the vessel one Antwerp. At 50, she went back to school, received an art degree from the
more time with her altered knife and then compresses it with her Institute for Arts and Craft in Mechelen, and set up a studio. She has an
finger to finish the top edge. extensive exhibition record throughout Europe, America, and Asia, which
includes receiving the silver prize in the 2013 Cheongju Craft Biennial in
Removing the Vessel Form Korea. To learn more visit www.annvanhoey-ceramics.be.
Timing is critical for Van Hoey’s altering process. The clay must be Andrea Marquis is a ceramic artist, educator, and writer living in Phila-
at the perfect stage—firm enough to be handled out of the mold, delphia, Pennsylvania.

38
Silicon Carbide Kiln Shelves

Custom Manabigama Kiln Refractory Packages

by Sumi von Dassow
Folk wisdom tells us that locally-produced raw honey carries define the neck; with the rib pressing in from outside, use a finger
health benefits beyond its power to sweeten your day. If your inside, above the rim to push out just slightly (1). The lid is going
daily ritual involves spreading honey on your toast or stirring to be thrown right-side-up, and it will set into the flaring lip of
it into your tea, then perhaps the next pot you need to make is the pot. To measure for the lid, set your calipers just inside the
a honey pot. Honey is classically served not with a spoon but flared rim (2). Set the form aside (while still attached to the bat)
with a wooden honey dipper, a utensil that allows you to drizzle and throw the lid immediately.
honey over your toast with some degree of control. Since honey
is sticky, you need to be able to leave the dipper in the pot—
Off-The-Hump Lid
rather than taking it out and setting it aside between uses as Since the lid will take a very small amount of clay, it’s easiest to
you might with a sugar spoon—but the pot must have a lid to throw the lid off the hump. Tip: Throwing off the hump means
avoid attracting insects. Thus the defining characteristic of a centering a mound of clay on the wheel and using it to throw
honey pot is an opening in the lid to accommodate the handle several small items. Once you get used to using only part of the
of the dipper. clay on the wheel, you’ll find that throwing off the hump is easier
than wedging and centering very small amounts of clay, and saves
The Right Approach you time as well. Generally I’ll make a few honey pots and then
One approach is to throw a small covered jar and simply cut throw all the lids from a two- or three-pound hump.
a hole in the lid, but the fun of making a honey pot is finding To throw the lid, roughly center a mound of clay—the whole
a creative way to make the opening. I like to use a fingertip to mound doesn’t have to be perfectly centered, only the top part
reshape the lip of the pot and the edge of the lid to create what that you’re going to use. For a small honey-pot lid, you’ll only
looks like a little open mouth to receive the dipper. need a few ounces of clay, maybe the size of a tangerine. Use your
On a bat, start with 1½–2 pounds of clay for the pot and throw pinky fingers to create a shallow groove toward the top of the
a wide-bellied form, collaring in to give it a neck and a flaring lip, mound to separate the appropriate amount of clay for the lid.
similar to a basic vase or pitcher form. Use a soft rubber rib to As you throw the lid, ignore the rest of the mass of clay, as if the
Two variations of the honey pot, fired and glazed. Both are made with stoneware and fired to cone 6 in a reduction atmosphere.

1 2 3
Throw a vase shape, create a flared rim, Measure just inside the lip with double- Create a groove with your pinky fingers,
then define the neck with a soft rib. ended calipers. open up the top, and form the knob.
4 5 6
Shape the knob and form the lid to fit Create a dip in the rim by placing two Shape the lid in the opposite way: use
the jar and your hands. Make sure it fits fingers on the outside of the rim and two fingers of your left hand to support
inside your caliper measurement. pulling the lip out between them. the rim while you push up between them.
groove is the surface of the wheel head. Center the clay above the into this groove and pull it through. Remove it from the hump
groove and, keeping your pinkies in the groove, open the center with dry fingers.
with your thumbs. If you’ve never thrown off the hump, you’ll be When the lid is placed on the pot, this will create an opening
wondering how you can be sure to open up to the correct depth. just right for a dipper. As soon as the two pieces have stiffened
Here’s the secret: if you keep the sides of your pinkies in that up enough to handle, put the lid on the jar and make sure it
groove and open up with your thumbs, you won’t go too deep. settles into place and the opening is adequate for the handle of a
Your thumbs just aren’t long enough or flexible enough. Separate dipper (8). Tweak the rim of either piece as necessary while the
your thumb tips as they drill down, so that a small spike of clay clay is still soft enough.
is left behind in the center of the lid (3). Shape this bit of clay to
form the knob. Once the knob is shaped, pull out the rest of the Trimming
clay into a wide, shallow bowl form (4). The rim should fit right You shouldn’t need to do much trimming on either piece. If
inside the caliper measurement. the lid came off a bit heavy, turn it upside down in the mouth
of the jar, center the jar on the wheel head, and trim off the
Dip for the Dipper excess. Alternatively, center the lid upside down on the wheel-
Okay, so now you have a simple lid that sets into the rim of the head, then use a coil of clay under the lip to accommodate the
vase form you’ve made, but how will it accommodate the dip- lifted section and level the lid for trimming (9). If the pot needs
per? You’ll need to alter the rim of the vase form very much like trimming, the altered rim won’t keep you from turning it up-
a pitcher’s pour spout, and make a similar but opposite shape in side down on the wheel head and holding it in place with three
the rim of the lid. Place two fingers of your left hand on the out- wads of clay.
side of the lip of the vase, and draw one finger of your right hand
between the fingers of your left hand to pull a section of the lip Alternate Approach
down (5). Then do the opposite on the lid; pull a section up (6). If you prefer a pot with a gallery, it’s only slightly more compli-
To cut the lid off the hump, use a wood or metal tool to further cated to make it this way. Throw a jar with a thick rim and split
deepen the groove under the lid (7), then wrap your cutting wire the rim to form the gallery. Then throw the lid upside down,

process | A Honey of a Pot | Sumi von Dassow
7 8 9
Create a sharp groove at the base of When the lid and jar rim have stiffened, If you can’t turn the lid upside down on
the lid. Wrap a cutting wire around the place the lid on the pot and tweak it to the rim to trim it, center it on a coil to
groove to cut the lid off the hump. make sure they fit together nicely. accommodate the reshaped rim.
Recipe
10
Two versions of the finished honey pot

with dipper; one with a gallery inside of
the rim on the pot and one without.
measuring to make sure it fits the gallery

of the pot. Reshape the rim of the jar
and the lid and try them together before
they get too stiff (10). You’ll want to cut
off the gallery inside the reshaped area
of the jar to accommodate the dipper.
Once the lid has stiffened up enough,
trim it, attach a small blob of clay, and
throw it into a knob. It’s a good idea to
put a small dry sponge under the lid
when you do this to avoid collapsing it. Honey Syrup
Be sure to use stable, food-safe glazes
Beyond the simple and delicious honey drizzled on toast for break-
on your honey pot. If you don’t want to
fast or a snack, another good summer-time use is to stir it into cold
leave an unglazed area inside the rim of
drinks. It simply won’t dissolve in cold water, so the trick is to make
the honey pot, fire the lid separately. You a honey syrup. Honey syrups can also be poured over pancakes,
can dip the whole lid in glaze and fire it drizzled on top of a cake, or mixed into yogurt.
on stilts, or wax the underside and fire it
right-side-up next to the honey pot. ½ cup honey
½ cup hot water
Sumi von Dassow is an artist, instructor, and
regular contributor to Pottery Making Illus-
trated. She lives in Golden, Colorado. Mix honey into hot water; warm gently in a pot on low heat un-
til honey is fully dissolved. You can add cinnamon, lemon juice, or
Check out Sumi’s book, In the Potter’s Kitchen, other flavorings as desired. Keeps in refrigerator without crystalliz-
available in the Ceramic Arts Daily Bookstore, ing for weeks.
www.ceramicartsdaily.org/bookstore/in-the-
potters-kitchen.

presents
NEW DVD RELEASE

Go Figure!
In her new video Figure Sculpting in Clay, Melisa
Cadell demonstrates how to create figures in a
straightforward and accessible way, as well as
how to infuse the figure with emotional and
gestural qualities that help breathe life
into the work.
This thorough and insightful presen-
tation will help you not only sculpt
convincing human figures, but also
create depth and character within
your work. ceramic arts daily 2-DISC SET!
In this installment of the Ceramic Arts Daily Presents Video Series, Melisa Cadell shares her straight-
Figure Sculpting in Clay with Melisa Cadell

forward and accessible techniques for sculpting the human form. In addition to demonstrating how
to create figures with attention to anatomical detail, Melisa also addresses how to infuse the figure presents
with emotional and gestural qualities that help breathe life into the work. Feeling that they are often
Go online to watch a
overlooked, yet crucial to creating believable figures, Melisa starts out with her uncomplicated
approach to the hands and feet. Then it’s on to the ever-important head and Melisa explains how
Figure Sculpting
understanding the anatomy and complexities of the head is crucial to conveying a message to the
video clip or purchase

viewer. Finally, she brings it all together by sculpting an entire figure from head to toe. This thor-
ough and insightful presentation will help you not only to sculpt convincing human figures, but also
to create depth and character within your work.
Melisa’s new DVD!

Jennifer Poellot Harnetty
Editor, CeramicArtsDaily.org
Program Manager, Ceramic Arts Daily Presents Video Series
in Clay Melisa Cadell with
Melisa Cadell is a studio artist and educator who lives in the mountains of Western North Carolina
with her family. Cadell holds a BFA from the University of North Texas and an MFA from East Ten-
nessee State University. In addition to teaching workshops around the United States, Cadell currently
ceramic arts daily video library
teaches clay and mixed media sculpture at Appalachian State University and East Tennessee State
University. Her work has been exhibited nationally and featured in publications such as American
Style magazine, Ceramics: Art & Perception and 500 Figures in Clay (Lark Books, 2004). For more
information, please visit www.melisacadell.com.
Total Running Time: Approximately 4 hours
ceramic arts dail y.org

g
ceramic arts daily video library
www.ceramicartsdaily.org/bookstore
Copyright 2015 The American Ceramic Society
MelisaCadelDVD_Cover.indd 1 5/22/15 2:16 PM
The place to build,

Frosting | Cone 04
manage, and share
★★★★★ 7
your ceramic recipe
collection! 
More than 550 recipes for high-fire, mid-range,

low-fire, majolica, raku, and salt/soda glazes, 
slip, clay, and engobe recipes 
Basic Soda Slip | Cone 10 Robust search to find exactly what you’re looking for
★★★★★ 5
Download recipe files for glaze calculation
Save recipes in your own account for later testing
Upload your own recipes to share with the community
Hundreds of recipes
and more added
Copper Red Glaze | Cone 6 every day.
★★★★★ 3 Start building your recipe collection—join today!
DON’T MISS AN ISSUE!
renew your Pottery Making Illustrated
www.ceramicrecipes.org subscription online at


Skilled
Centering by Joyce Michaud
A well-wedged mound is the first step toward efficient center- around the wheel head will refer to the face of a clock with 6:00
ing and skilled throwing. Skilled centering facilitates throwing at the potter’s belly button.
by maintaining strong clay with compressed and aligned par-
ticles and an even moisture content throughout the centered
1. Wedging
mound. The biggest problem during centering is not just con- Wedging prepares the mound for centering.
trolling the off-center high points and finding the center, but A. Create a high point at the center bottom to dispel air when
also maintaining the strength and homogeneous consistency of attaching the mound of clay to the bat or wheel head.
the clay established during wedging. Overworking and the re- B. Make fairly straight vertical sides to simplify centering (1).
sulting over saturation of the clay during centering erodes the C. Create a subtle high point at the top of the mound to allow
strength of the clay, ultimately compromising the thrown form. the clay to move up the core of the mound during centering.
Note: Directions in this article are given for a counter-clock- D. For vertical forms prepare a vertical mound. Open forms
wise spinning wheel. For ease of communication the points start with a lower, wider mound.
1 2 3
Shape the wedged mound with straight Cup the mound, look down on the wheel, Continue the movement in a follow-
sides and curved ends. and hit the clay against the wheel head. through across the wheel head.
4 5 6 7
Straighten and reposition the 5 Touch the high points of the base and the top and move toward the center. 6 and 7 Rotate the
mound after the hit. wheel so the off-center point is toward your body. Push down and move toward the center.

4. Slap Centering
Photos: Timothy Jacobson.
Slap centering begins the centering of

the clay with dry hands and quick di-
rected slaps to dispel high points and
minimize the work of final centering.
Don’t overwork the clay at this step. At
the end of slap centering, the mound
should have straight sides with a soft
curve and subtle high point at the top.
A. Center your head above the wheel
8 9
and look for off-center high points.
Slap centering with dry hands to remove Slap and release quickly, dispelling many B. With the wheel moving very slowly,
any high points and create straight sides. high points as the wheel slowly turns. use loose arms and cupped hands to slap
and release, dispelling many high points
at one time (8). Touch quickly and release
immediately, releasing the top of your
hands first and move in the direction of
the turn of the wheel to avoid torquing the
mound. Your hands should not contact
the clay on the same horizontal plane (9).
5. Seal the Mound and

Center the Top
Sealing the mound creates a small but-
10 11 tress at the base of the mound preventing
Seal the mound to the wheel head by A tiny buttress minimizes the buildup of the water from eroding the suction (10).
creating a small buttress of clay. water that erodes clay at the wheel head. A. Throw a bead of clay at the base of
the mound by rolling your index finger in,
2. The Hit down, and out creating a tiny buttress (11).
The hit, done well, results in a fairly centered vertical mound, minimizing the work Centering the top of the mound cre-
of final centering. The hit also expels air and attaches the mound to the wheel. ates a dynamic high point to assist in
Trapped air under the mound may cause it to release from the wheel head during wedging during centering.
centering or throwing. Removing the splash pan facilitates centering. B. Moving against the spin, throw in
A. Cup your hands around the clay with your small finger under the change of direc- a tight spiral from the edge to the center
tion at the base of the hit (2). top of the mound and back to the edge,
B. Stabilize your head with your nose over the center of the wheel (3). leaving a high point at the center top of
C. Practice moving the wedged mound straight up and down over the center point of the mound (12).
the wheel to get a feel for the weight of the clay, the vertical alignment, and the center
Lubrication
point of the wheel.
Lubrication minimizes friction. Dur-
D. Keep your elbows out—elbows next to your body during the hit cause an angled
ing final centering, lubricate carefully to
rather than vertical mound.
minimize the breakdown of the struc-
E. As your hands move down in the hit, continue the movement in a follow through
tural integrity of the clay caused by too
from the mound out across the wheel head.
much water or a torque in the mound
3. Reposition caused by too little lubrication.
Repositioning the mound moves the clay closer to center and straightens the mound Lubricate by creating slip from the
if necessary. If the mound is off center or at an angle after the hit and the suction is mound using a loosely held wet sponge
strong, reposition the mound instead of rewedging and repeating the hit (4). or your wet hand. Move quickly and re-
A. If the mound is at an angle, touch the high point of the base where it’s the most off move the sponge or hand from the sur-
center. At the same time, touch the high point on the opposite side at the top where it is face of the clay before the slip is eroded.
most off center and move these points toward the center to straighten the mound (5). Replace the lubrication as it’s eroded
B. Rotate the wheel head so that the point that is the greatest distance off center is to- during centering. A sponge in your right
ward your body. Embrace the clay, press down, and move the mound toward the center fingers allows replacement of lubrication
(6 and 7). during final centering.

finger pads away from the clay, use the
soft, flexible touch of your fingertips in
order to feel the movement of the clay,
and direct your body pressure at both
pads of the left hand to the crest of the
off-center high points. Move against the
spin to dispel high points and release
from the clay at 9:00.
D. Center the bottom 1⁄3: A tag team
of the left and right hands accomplishes
12 13 the final centering of the bottom 1⁄3 of the
Center the top of the mound to remove Wedging during centering compresses
mound. As your left hand moves to center
high points and prepare for opening and aligns particles to minimize coning. the bottom 1⁄3 keep an eye on the forma-
tion of a larger buttress at the base of the
mound. As soon as you see the buttress
getting larger, release the pressure of the
left hand, protect the right fingers with a
heel of
left hand sponge, and starting at the top of the but-
tress, throw down against the spin (diag-
onally toward your body 3:00–5:30) (15).
At the wheel head, rotate your right palm
up to deposit the clay under the outer
edge of the mound, create an undercut,
and move clay across the wheel head and
14 15 up the center core of the mound. This
Angle of approach is determined by the Center the bottom of the mound. Use a move creates a high point on the side of
direction you need to move the clay. damp sponge to add water as needed. the mound about ½ inch above the wheel
head. The wrist pad of the left hand
Wedging During Centering moves to dispel the high point, centering
Wedging while centering consists of directing the movement of the clay down, across the bottom ¼ inch of the mound without
the wheel head, and up the center of the mound, mixing and blending the clay to abrading the side of the hand. The right
maintain the compression and alignment of clay particles and the homogeneous con- hand moves to the change of direction at
sistency of the clay (13). Overworking, and thus over lubricating, the top 1⁄3 of the the top of the mound to hold it on cen-
mound leads to a weakening of the structural strength of the top 1⁄3 of the pot, often ter, as the left hand dispels the high point
resulting in thin walls and weak rims. at the bottom of the mound. Touch and
Conversely the bottom 1⁄3 of the mound is often underworked and difficult to move, dispel any remaining high points and the
contributing to thickness in the base of the walls and the floor of the pot. Pay attention centering is complete.
to your angle of approach to efficiently direct the movement of the clay toward the core
of the mound and dispel unwanted high points as you move against the spin of the wheel
Hand Ergonomics
(14). With adequate preparation, the need for coning, which may erode the strength of a Use of the hands warrants a brief discus-
well-wedged mound, is minimized. sion to prevent injuries and maximize
efficiency. During centering, the job of
6. Final Centering the right hand is to center the top of the
Final centering moves all high points to a centered position to prepare for opening. Ef- mound, lubricate in advance of the left
ficient final centering compresses and aligns the clay particles and fine tunes the shape hand, control the buttress at the base of
of the mound—taller and narrower for vertical forms, lower and wider for open forms. the mound, and move the clay across the
A. Hold a sponge in your right hand and lubricate in advance of your left hand. wheel head. Keep your hand cupped and
B. Center the top 1⁄3: With a cupped hand, position your left thumb pad at the change of pull or push with your arm and body. For
direction at the outer edge of the top of the mound at approximately 7:00. With a raised a counter-clockwise spin, your left hand
shoulder, tuck your left elbow into your body, direct the bones of your lower arm to the provides the power for centering. The job
center core of the mound, use your body weight to apply pressure, and center the top 1⁄3 of of the left hand is to control major high
the clay, releasing pressure at 9:00. Keep your right thumb perpendicular to your fingers and points to center the mound. Look at the
move it toward the center of the mound in order to find and control high points. palm of your left hand with your thumb
C. Center the middle 1⁄3: Both the thumb and outside pads of the left hand control extended and note both the muscle pad
the middle 1⁄3 of the mound as the elbow moves down and the arm becomes parallel at the base of your thumb and the smaller
with the wheel head—do this without a splash pan in place. Begin at 7:00, keep your pad over your wrist bone. With your hand

cupped, these two muscle pads are located perpendicular to the Check the angle of your fingers and arms when you are
end of your arm bones and are your high point controllers and di- throwing or centering to make sure you are actually directing the
rect the force from your body into the clay. If your hand is straight, clay where you want it to go (see figure 14).
there is no power and the pads at the base of your fingers contact
the clay and cause significant friction. Keep the finger pads off the Wheel Speed
clay by cupping your hands. Fingertips of a cupped hand touch the Speed is determined by type of wheel, types of clay, consistency
clay and communicate movement of the clay and the location of of clay, amount of clay, and strength of the potter. The wheel
off-center high points. Your extended thumb keeps the muscle pad speed must be fast enough to assist in the movement of the
strong and available for use in controlling high points. For center- clay, but slow enough for the potter to control the movement
ing, a move against the spin is critical. Your left hand moves away of the clay. A fast wheel requires brute strength and lots of lu-
from your body between 7:00 and 9:00 and your right hand moves brication. If the wheel rotates too slowly, the clay doesn’t move
toward your body between 1:00 and 3:00. easily. The spin of the wheel must assist in displacing the off
center high points of clay from the surface of the mound to the
Angle of Approach core of the mound and back out to fill in the low points. Learn
Angle of approach is determined by the direction you need to your clay consistency during preparation for centering and test
move the clay. Your tucked elbow controls the angle of approach your wheel speed as you throw to center the top of the mound.
for your left arm and hand, and thus controls the movement of The bottom 1⁄3 may require an adjustment in the wheel speed
the clay. Posture and body position affect the angle of approach. due to the weight above.
Be aware of how natural body movements affect the needed
angle of approach and how equipment may hinder the desired
angle of approach. Joyce Michaud is Professor of Art and Founding Director of the Graduate
The height of the potter’s chair in relation to the wheel head Ceramics Arts Program at Hood College in Frederick, Maryland. Her per-
can prevent the use of body weight transfer. sonal art work and teaching led her to research the physics involved in the
art of throwing. She has researched and taught the fine art of throwing for
Wedging during centering is hindered by the height of the 26 years. Her ceramic art is in the permanent collection of the Smithson-
splash pan because the left arm and elbow cannot move low ian’s Renwick Gallery. She has published the DVD Hand Throwing: East
enough to move clay in or up. Asian Wedged Coil.
upcoming ceramic arts bookstore

save the date
ER
S COU
new book
POTT
conference release!
NC
IL
Handbuilding
ww
w. l.
or
po tt e r s c ou nci
Techniques If you enjoy handbuilding, then Handbuilding

Techniques is one book you’ll definitely want in
your collection. You’ll discover how to make a
Susan O’Brien Margaret Bohls wide range of functional pots using a variety of
handbuilding techniques used by professional
ceramic artists. Illustrated with hundreds of
step-by-step images, Handbuilding Techniques
gives you all the how-to information you need
to explore
new methods
and expand
your skills. HAndbuilding Ceramic
teCHniqueS Arts
Written for Handbook
Harris Deller Sunshine Cobb intermediate

Series
edited by bill Jones
to advanced
October 23–25, 2015 mark your calendars!
Bill Jones received a Bachelor of Fine If you enjoy handbuilding, then Handbuilding Techniques is one
Handbuilding TecHniques
Arts in studio ceramics from The book you will definitely want in your collection. This Ceramic Arts
Ohio State University, and operated
Handbook brings together the best techniques, tips and projects
a pottery studio during the 1970s.
potters, this
from more than two dozen experts published in Pottery Making
He joined the American Ceramic
Society in 1997 to serve as editor of Illustrated and Ceramics Monthly.
Pottery Making Illustrated as well
You’ll discover how to make challenging pots from coils, create
Join Potters Council at the Cedarhurst Center for the Arts

as manage the Ceramic Arts Daily
plates and platters with a twist, design and use complex
book promises
Book program. He currently lives
and works in Gambier, Ohio, where
templates, and construct functional pieces from both soft and
he continues to edit ceramic art leather-hard slabs. And, when you mix and match techniques to
suit your own style, the possibilities are endless.
in Mt. Vernon, Illinois, for a weekend packed with ceramic

handbooks and operate Pine Row
to move you
Studio with his wife, Pamela.
Illustrated with hundreds of step-by-step images, Handbuilding
Techniques gives you all the how-to information you need
to explore new methods and expand your skills. Written for
demonstrations, exhibitions, and artistic experiences!

intermediate to advanced potters, this book promises to move
into an excit-
you out of your comfort zone into a world of inspired creativity.
ing world of
Look for information soon at www.potterscouncil.org.
inspired
Jones
Check out everything Cedarhurst has to offer at www.cedarhurst.org. creativity.

The American Ceramic Society
www.CeramicArtsDaily.org
Printed in China
potters council Member organization Go online to download a free excerpt or order your copy today!
www.potterscouncil.org for ceramic artists www.ceramicartsdaily.org/bookstore

in the potter’s kitchen | food and clay
Inviting Use
by Joseph Pintz
Food is always on my mind. I grew up in a household that placed

a high value on food. This value was reinforced during college.
As an anthropology major, I learned how material culture sheds
light on what a society values. I began my journey as a maker of
utilitarian objects at the same time, while learning more about
cooking and serving food in handmade containers.
The food we share nourishes us both physically and emo-
tionally. It also feeds the social relationships that define who we
are within a group. Mealtimes, from the perspective of anthro-
pologists, are cultural sites for socialization. Eating and drink-
ing from handmade pots causes us to slow down, creating the
perfect opportunity for conversation.
I use a handful of basic handbuilding techniques to create
my pottery forms. I often use soft-slab construction and then
scrape the surface to highlight the unrefined qualities of my
coarse earthenware clay body. In order to compliment the tex- My pitcher form is based on an old tin pitcher that I once
ture created during the forming process, I use a combination of saw at an antique store. I used it as a starting point for how to
slip and glaze to create subtle, weathered surfaces that suggest approach the form but adjusted the proportions and shape ac-
a history of use. cording to how my clay behaves as a material.
1 2 3
Templates and tools used to make a Using paper patterns, cut out the body, Bevel the base slab at a 45° angle. Roll
handbuilt pitcher. base, handle, handle pocket, and spout. out a small coil and blend it into the base.
4 5 6
Score, slip, and bend the slab around to Score and slip the bottom of the pitcher Use a paddle along the edge of the base
complete the circle and form the body. and around the base edge. to gently reestablish the form.

Photos: Jeffrey Bruce.
7 8 9
Place the handle inside a fold of plastic and Score, slip, and attach the handle pocket Score and slip the top edge of the pitcher
gently swipe your finger along both sides. slab. Set handle aside to firm up. and the short side of the spout and attach.
10 11 12
Use a lug of wet clay to help prop up the Use a trimming tool to carve out a foot Scrape the entire exterior surface with a
handle while the joint sets up. on the bottom of the pitcher. rib to bring out the texture of the grog.
Body and Base Now, take the slab that will be inset into the curve of the han-
Begin by rolling out a ⁄8-inch thick slab (1). I use a series of paper
3 dle to create a pocket. Cut two grooves that are the width of the
patterns to make the following parts: a body, a base, a handle, a handle along the pocket slab; this allows you to fold the edges
handle pocket, and a spout (2). Cut out all the parts and set aside up into a bridge-like shape. Score and slip along the grooves be-
the spout and handle parts, storing them under plastic. fore folding up and reinforcing the corner with a small coil for
Bevel the edge of the base slab at a 45° angle. Roll out a small added strength. Next, place the handle on edge and bend it into
coil and blend it into the base (3). This ramp of clay will be help- the approximate curve while inserting the pocket into place.
ful in the next step when joining the base to the body. Lightly mark where these parts come together; then score and
Next, cut the one side edge of the body at a 45° angle while slip them together (8). Don’t poke a hole in the handle pocket
undercutting the second side edge in the opposite direction at a at this point. Leaving it filled with air will help give it structure
45° angle so they line up properly when the body is assembled. while it’s setting up and during the attachment of the handle.
Score and slip the angled side edges of the body and bend the Set the assembled handle aside and allow it to firm up a bit
slab around to complete the circle (4). Compress these seams to- while you work on attaching the spout to the body of pitcher.
gether with a rib on both the inside and outside, while providing Spout
support with your opposite hand. Then, gently oval the body. Compress the spout with a rib to remove any texture. Then,
Bevel the bottom edge of the body at a 45° angle. Score and slip place the spout inside a fold of thin plastic and gently swipe your
the bottom of the pitcher as well as around the base edge (5). In- finger along the long side of the spout. Flip it over and repeat this
vert the body and place it on the base. While supporting the wall process on the other side to give your spout a nice tapered edge
on the outside, use your fingers to gently blend the interior ramp that will aid in pouring. Miter the top edge of the pitcher body
of clay from the base into the wall to secure them together. Use a to a 45° angle. Score and slip this edge as well as the short side of
paddle along the edge of the base to gently reestablish the form (6). the spout and attach (9). The articulation of this seam on both
Set the body aside and allow it to stiffen up a bit. the inside and the outside is very important to my pitcher form.
Handle Setup Allow the clay to stiffen up before refining this detail.
To assemble the handle, start by compressing the handle slab Handle Pocket
with a rib to remove any texture. Then, place it between thin After the handle has firmed up, cut away a slight divot from
pieces of plastic and smooth it on both sides (7). This gives it a the top and the bottom of the handle so that it fits the curve
soft, rounded edge. of the pitcher. Check for fit and then lightly mark the body

Watermelon Agua Fresca
Recipe
Hirsch Satin Matte
Cone 04–02 Now that the pitcher is all done, it’s time to make some agua fresca and
Gerstley Borate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 % sit on the porch to watch the sunset! And nothing says summer like
watermelon, so here’s a great recipe to turn your watermelon into a
Lithium Carbonate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
delicious, refreshing drink.
Whiting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Nepheline Syenite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 8 cups seedless watermelon
EPK Kaolin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 1 lime, juiced
Silica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Pinch of salt
100 % Agave nectar (optional, to taste)
A few sprigs of mint (for taste and for garnish)
Add: Bentonite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 % Ice
For Turquoise Water
Add: Titanium Dioxide. . . . . . . . . 1.66 % Cut watermelon into chunks (1). Puree the fruit in a blender (2). Strain
Chrome Oxide. . . . . . . . . . . 0.36 % into a bowl through a fine-mesh sieve (3). Squeeze the juice from the
Copper Carbonate. . . . . . . . 0.92 % lime (4). Transfer watermelon juice to pitcher; stir in 1½ cups water, lime
For Green juice, and mint. Chill. Serve over ice and add mint sprigs as garnish
Add: Chrome Oxide. . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 % (5 and 6). You can also add a spirit such as gin or vodka to make a cocktail.
For White
Photos: PMI staff.

Add: Rutile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 %
For Yellow
Add: Yellow Stain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 %
where it will be joined. Score and slip the

handle as well as corresponding points
on the body and press firmly to attach. 1 2
Use a lug of wet clay to help prop up the
Remove the rind of the watermelon Puree the watermelon on a medium
handle while the joint sets up (10). It’s and place the fruit into a blender. setting until consistent.
important for the visual strength of my
pitcher that the line of the handle pocket
is parallel to the line of the body, so ad-
just accordingly. Next, backfill the gaps
between the handle and the body with
small coils of clay to help strengthen the
attachment as well as help make the han-
dle look more visually substantial where
it joins the body.
3 4
Finishing Touches
Once the handle and rim have set up Use a fine-mesh sieve and strain the Stir in fresh squeezed lime juice. Add
juice into a bowl. agave nectar as an optional sweetener.
to medium leather hard carefully refine
the seams and transitions between the
individual sections. Remember to prick
a pinhole into the pocket of the handle
to release the trapped air before it gets
too hard. Turn the pitcher over on a thin
piece of foam and trim away the center
WEB EXTRA images
portion of the base to create a foot ring

(11). This makes the bottom look more
considered as well as help to make it sit
5 6
flat on the table.
Scrape the exterior surface of the en- Transfer the juice to the pitcher. Serve Fresh watermelon juice served in Joe
over ice and garnish with mint sprigs. Pintz’ handbuilt pitcher.
tire pitcher to bring out the texture in the
grogged earthenware (12). Allow it to dry
and bisque fire. Finally, brush three coats Joseph Pintz is currently an assistant professor at the University of Missouri and a studio artist. He received
of a colored glaze, such as Hirsch Satin his MFA from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and has completed numerous artist residencies including
Matte and fire it to cone 03. the Roswell Artist-in-Residence program and the Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts.

Classified Advertising Products Services
GREAT HANDBUILDING TEMPLATES! Custom Mold Design—For 25 years, Petro
Buy/Sell Developed by Sandi Pierantozzi. A set of 24 Mold Company has been creating molds for
Durable, Flexible, Templates to Create Cir- renowned potters and ceramists all over the
CERAMICS BUSINESS FOR SALE. Retir- cular & Conical Forms. CircleMatic DVD world. Our innovative molds can help with
ing! Rycraft cookie stamps established in also available! Perfect for Potters or Teach- your productivity and profits. We set the bar
1968. Equipment and inventory. Trademark, ers! www.CircleMatic.com. for quality standards with sculpting, mold
trade dress rights, and hundreds of copy- design, and new ceramic casting services.
righted designs. Website and production STRONG ARM CENTERING AND Visit us today at www.custommolds.net or
training available; robin@rycraft.com; (530) OPENING TOOL—Take the struggle out (814) 796-6635 and let us help you.
258-1955; www.cookiestamp.com. of CENTERING AND OPENING clay! Try
the STRONG ARM for 30 DAYS and if you Travel
For Sale: Two Kilns—Duncan & Cress, don’t love this tool return for a full refund!
used 3 yrs—Byron, Currier & Ives vil- Mention this ad and get FREE SHIPPING JAPAN, KYOTO—Ceramics of Japan, Oc-
lage, about 22 houses—3 nativity sets, one within the continental USA. Watch the Video tober 8–18, 2015. Studio and kiln visits in
new, about 50 other molds like new, all for at www.marcspotterytools.com or call (585) Kyoto, Tamba, Shigaraki and Bizen. Japanese
cost of ad. New Jersey (908) 241-3898 or 223-1930. ceramics expert Robert Yellin and a small
walterdot@aol.com. group explores ceramics art in Japanese his-
TOOLS THAT WORK! For throwing & tory and contemporary interpretations of tra-
Selling off my potter friend’s Tennessee es- handbuilding; hole cutters, wiggle wires, ditional forms and techniques. Contact Elaine
tate. Bailey Shuttle 34/B kiln. Shelves, stilts, 6-blade trimming tools, large and small foam Baran, Esprit Travel & Tours. Japanese art
and new galvanized hood. Geil 12-cubic-foot trimming bats, edge rounding tool sets and and culture specialists. www.esprittravel.com;
downdraft kiln, shelves, stilts, and hood. much more at www.vangilderpottery.com. ebaran@esprittravel.com; (800) 377-7481.
Contact rockyflatspotter@aol.com for info
and images. Real Estate
Events Rare and extraordinary, this lakefront index to advertisers
Home/Ceramic studio is located on Lake
Come to visit 1001 Pots, the ceramic event in Huron, in beautiful northern Michigan. This Aardvark Clay. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Val-David, Quebec, Canada. From July 10 property offers privacy, solitude, and amaz-
to August 16, 2015, this exhibition presents Amaco and Brent. . 6, 7, 16, 17, 28, 29
ing beauty with 150 feet of frontage and
masterpieces from Quebec and Canadian ce- 3.2 wooded acres. The white sandy beach Bailey Pottery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
ramic production. Nearly 100 potters and is a swimmer’s paradise. This artisan built CeramicArtsDaily Bookstore . . . . 39, 43
ceramicists will have work on display. In ad- home/studio is clad in cedar siding and ce-
dition, each artist will have their own outdoor dar shakes. From its handmade tiled kitchen CeramicRecipes.org . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
exhibition area. A separate exhibition space and bathroom to the beech hardwood floors, Carolina Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
will be open to the public for new emerging this is a one-of-a-kind dwelling. $325k. Call
artists from a professional ceramic school. The Chinese Clay Art. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
or email Art Homer at (269) 209-6688;
Gaetan Beaudin Gallery will present a selection ahomer@jaquarealtors.com to schedule your Classifieds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
of one of a kind pieces. To celebrate its 27th personal showing or for more information. Clay Art Ctr/Scott Creek. . . . . . . . . . . 5
anniversary, the entire team of 1001 Pots will
prepare a rich and varied program which will Northern Arizona ranch property of the Clayscapes Pottery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
appeal to all age groups. www.1001pots.com late ceramic master Don Reitz. 13.5 Acres Continental Clay. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
or expo@1001pots.com for more information. on the Verde River in Clarkdale, AZ.
Ranch home, studio and gallery. Extensive Cornell Studio Supply. . . . . . . . . . . . 39
WORKSHOPS at Baltimore Clayworks; 11 kiln compound 20 miles from Sedona. Coyote Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
SUE TIRRELL, Sat–Sun Nov 7–8; Please vis- $940,000. Contact Donna Chesler at (928)
it www.baltimoreclayworks.org or call (410) Dolan Tools. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
301-3004 or donna.chesler@russlyon.com.
578 1919 x10. Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty. Georgies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Call for Submissions to: ANNUAL THREE Visit http://tours.tourfactory.com. Great Lakes Clay. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
WHEEL STUDIO CERAMIC SHOW LO- MID-COASTAL MAINE RETREAT CEN- Herring Designs/SlabMat. . . . . . . . . . 39
CATION: Three Wheel Studio, 436 Wicken- TER—Huge 2-story ceramics studio w/ gal- Highwater Clays. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
den St, Providence, RI 02903. DEADLINE: lery, 4 guest studios, large teaching space,
September 1st, 2015. EVENT DATES: Oc- and equipment on 125 acres of extraordinary L & L Kiln Mfg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover 4
tober 15th, 2015 through November 15th, land: orchards, spring fed pond, gardens, Larkin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
2015 to apply or for more information: fields and woods trails. Large renovated farm
www.threewheelstuio.com/opencall. Master Kiln Builders . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
house w/retreat apt. $465,000; (207) 525-
3593; www.starflowerfarmstudios.com. Mayco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover 2
Opportunities
MKM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Need a mature couple to live, work, build, The former home and studio of Jerry Roth-
man is available for sale or lease. 3,000 square Mudtools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
maintain in mountains of Pennsylvania. Clay
studio and lodging provided until caretakers foot studio fully equipped for large-scale Northern Indiana Pottery Supply. . . . 39
cottage is finished. Sober living only. Contact architectural or sculptural work including:
two large kilns, a test kiln, three bedroom/ Original Hi Roller. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
us at: theavenue.lec@gmail.com.
three bath artist-built home on eight gor- Paragon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Watermark Art Center call for submissions for geous acres, shared with former ceramic art- Peter Pugger Mfg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
the 13th Annual It’s Only Clay National Jur- ist Mayer Shacter, in San Miguel de Allende,
ied Competition and Exhibit, featuring 2015 Mexico. In the quiet country, but near other Potters Council. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
juror, John (Butch) Holden. Dedicated to artists and restaurants, only five miles from Sheffield. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
functional ceramics, this annual event is a col- town. San Miguel is a magical town, a U.N.
Skutt. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
laboration between the Watermark and Bemi- World Heritage Site that has long been a
dji State University. Awards for 1st, 2nd, 3rd Mecca for artists. It is home to a lively, active Smith-Sharpe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
place prizes equaling $1,600.00 and purchase expat community of Americans and Canadi- Spectrum Glazes. . . . . . . . . . . . Cover 3
awards for BSU Margaret Harlow Collection. ans including many artists and writers. All this
Fee is $30 for 3 entries. Postmark deadline for $275,000 or $2,250/month. People who Splashpan Pottery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
September 14th, 2015. More information and move to San Miguel never look back! It’s the WiziWigTools.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
application at www.watermarkartcenter.org adventure of a lifetime. Contact Mayer Shact- Xiem Tools USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
or call (218) 444-7570. er: mshacter@mac.com. (510) 295-4097.

WEB EXTRA Archive
person, woman, man
snake entering
a hole
animal tracks snake leaving

flowing water, rain a hole
legendary routes
legendary routes
honey ant site
ceremonial people sitting

headdresses
travel
connected watering holes

or running water
Derek Jungarrayi Tjimpuna Williams

Thompson
Tjimpuna Williams
aboriginal mark making

The Aborigine people of Australia make use of many common symbols in their artwork. Although these vary from region
to region, they’re generally understood and form an important part of Australian Indigenous art. A few of the more com-
mon ones, and some variations, are shown here. The meaning of the symbols can change depending on the context of the
story. To see more work by Derek Jungarrayi Thompson, Tjimpuna Williams, and others, visit www.ernabellaarts.com.au.

Pottery Making Jul15

Cargado por

Información del documento

Derechos de autor

Formatos disponibles

Compartir este documento

Compartir o incrustar documentos

Opciones para compartir

¿Le pareció útil este documento?

¿Este contenido es inapropiado?

Copyright:

Formatos disponibles

Pottery Making Jul15

Cargado por

Copyright:

Formatos disponibles

July/August 2015

Your Resource for Ceramic Techniques

Colleen McCall’s Glazed Platters

Check out all our mixer/pugmills & pugmills

Limited Special Pricing

Best Discount prices, best selection, best quality

Nitride Bonded Bailey Quick Trim 2 Bat-Gripper™

Toll Free 800-431-6067 (845) 339-3721 Fax (845) 339-5530

2 July/August 2015 | www.potterymaking.org

18 Carving the Sealed Earth by Karen Newgard

30 Étude Géométrique by Andrea Marquis

36 A Honey of a Pot by Sumi von Dassow

40 Skilled Centering by Joyce Michaud

On the Cover Colleen McCall glazes her platter’s sur-

www.potterymaking.org | July/August 2015 3

Photocopies: Permission to photocopy for personal or inter-

Copyright Law is granted by The American Ceramic Society,

ceramic arts dail y.org

4 July/August 2015 | www.potterymaking.org

www.potterymaking.org | July/August 2015 5

Upcycling Glaze Waste

8 July/August 2015 | www.potterymaking.org

www.potterymaking.org | July/August 2015 9

Colored Clay Naked Raku by Kate and Will Jacobson

Naked raku utilizes an incompat- Glaze Coat

Resist Slip Coat

10 July/August 2015 | www.potterymaking.org

face of the pot. The smoke from the

Kate and Will Jacobson have been

collaborating artists for thirty-five

www.potterymaking.org | July/August 2015 11

Color “Color, like emotion,

complex and mutable.”

12 July/August 2015 | www.potterymaking.org

in blends. Keep in mind that a trans-

DIY Coaxial Color Blend

www.potterymaking.org | July/August 2015 13

(www.masoncolor.com) for detailed

14 July/August 2015 | www.potterymaking.org

www.potterymaking.org | July/August 2015 15

18 July/August 2015 | www.potterymaking.org

www.potterymaking.org | July/August 2015 19

20 July/August 2015 | www.potterymaking.org

22 July/August 2015 | www.potterymaking.org

www.potterymaking.org | July/August 2015 23

24 July/August 2015 | www.potterymaking.org

www.potterymaking.org | July/August 2015 25

than the chartreuse. Any time I incorporate a transparent glaze

26 July/August 2015 | www.potterymaking.org

www.potterymaking.org | July/August 2015 27

The work of Belgian artist Ann Van Hoey con-

30 July/August 2015 | www.potterymaking.org

Tips for rolling slabs out by hand:

Filling the Mold

www.potterymaking.org | July/August 2015 31

32 July/August 2015 | www.potterymaking.org

www.potterymaking.org | July/August 2015 33

34 July/August 2015 | www.potterymaking.org

Silicon Carbide Kiln Shelves

www.potterymaking.org | July/August 2015 35

36 July/August 2015 | www.potterymaking.org

www.potterymaking.org | July/August 2015 37

Two versions of the finished honey pot

measuring to make sure it fits the gallery

More than 550 recipes for high-fire, mid-range,

Save recipes in your own account for later testing

Upload your own recipes to share with the community