[Fish Pond]

Hi Trina. I was reading the forum on whether to commet or not. I myself would like to have feed back so I can inprove. I need all the help I can get. I love the realism of the piece. I think Lotus leaves and the fish are killer. I assume that this is not mounted, like on a wall or anything. (Constructive advice here and I am speaking from a tile setters perperspective here, not an art critic; all the edges need to line up in a straight line especially the outside edges. That is, if you are putting other tile around the piece. If the outside is straight it is more marketable because often people are adding it to a installation as an insert or an accent piece, like part of a back splash or shower wall. If I were thinking of buying this piece the irregularities would make me second guess my decision. Also you have to figure that I am looking at it as somebody at an art show who thinks hand built tile should look like the stuff at the building center and be priced the same too. Trust me they are there. ) so... If the piece is already mounted and grouted when they look at it it helps them to see the finished work. Also mounting a piece before hand, provides allowances so you can line up the edges on the outside if need be. (You can fudge a bit in the middle.) A trick I found is to mount it on backer board with sheet rock mud. Just like it was thin set. After it is set up you can grout in all your spaces (Grout lines) with sheet rock mud too. It makes for a good way to display your tile pieces. They are heavy but you can set them on easels like paintings, otherwise I think tile is hard to display. As long as you are careful and don't bend it much it will stay in place. Always carry the piece flat and check to see that none are loose before you put it on an easel. You can even paint the grout line with acrylic paint like it is stained grout. If a customer wants to take your tile home to live in their home or that they want you to install it above their hot tub, all you have to do is set the piece down where you can take a garden hose to it and all the sheet rock mud will loosen up and you can wash it right off. You can soak the tile if need be but it cleans off pretty easy and no harm to your vitrified tile at all. I think the tile piece is great. I would be proud to have it installed in my home. I don't think this came off that hard core. Opps just got a negative! Something else that helps to make a piece stay straight is surround it with a wooden frame while it is still wet that way it is square before it shrinks up all funny in the kiln. If it was installed I think you would not see any irregularitys,it would be perfect. I think my comments are more for future presentations you did a great job. Ain't clay fun Kabe

[GL60WT]

 

 

 

[Owl]

It is mounted on a plywood frame. Red Iron oxide wash and a clear glaze on stoneware.

[Owl]

Field tiles are 4 X 4 This was my first tile piece.

[Cattail fireplace]

This display disassembles and is not grouted.