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Qotw: Pottery Attributes In The Studio


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It is about form. Then surface. When these two compliment each other you have the wow factor. I have been drawn toward wood fired pottery for a while now. I have no experience with this firing process but look forward to some workshops in the future. I also am becoming more interested in the chemistry make up of glazes and what influences them. I am impressed with the fantastic drawings and artwork on pieces but am more inclined to study and look at work that I myself could possibly make. I am a craftsman no artist.

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Giselle, often what we admire is not what we make. I look at many pieces in galleries that are so well done like beautiful round crystalline glazed bottles or raku pieces that have fabulous natural cracking surfaces or Wood fired pots with the flow of the flame eternally etched in the surface. . .in awe and speechless to be able to describe how I feel. However, at this point in time they are not what I would do, or can do. I make some semi sculptural pieces that appeal to me, but mostly functional pieces for others and my family to use. 

 

I feel the same way. Wood-fired pieces as well as crystalline pottery leaves me in awe. I always think that perhaps sometime in the future I will move on to working with one or the other of those processes. You just never know and there are infinite little byways and detours to keep one busy with ceramics. :) 

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i just realized that nobody has mentioned blowing up a bottle.  those of us with 30/40 years experience may remember the forms with the overblown balloon look and tiny neck.  pres and marcia's commemts make me remember that phase of working.

 

to make them, we threw a bottle shape and then used our breath to "blow up" the clay shape.  if the clay was evenly thrown, if we had enough air in our lungs, if there was no weak spot somewhere, then the bottle would expand evenly all the way around.  a quick wipe with a wet cloth and our lips were clean.  a quick touch-up to the neck straightened it.  you can imagine what happened if there was a weak spot or if the clay was too thickly thrown.

 

try it sometime.

 

 

I haven't done exactly that but I have saved a couple of pots that were starting to collapse by blowing them back up. :) 

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For me form is always primary, if the form is not there than function or surface doesn't really matter.

 

If there is a mug or a teapot with an unpleasing form, would you still want to purchase or use it even if the glaze (surface) is perfect? Of course pleasing or unpleasing is in the eye of the beholder.

 

Now if you have a beautiful form along with a beautiful surface you have a winner.

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Yet if that beautiful teapot form pours poorly, or the handle is uncomfortable, or the lid falls off unless held on, or the tea gets cold too quickly, of what use is the teapot except to sit on a shelf. Yes, form is important to me, as is surface. When looking in galleries those are the things that catch my eye, but when it comes down to really making a decision to buy. . . I'll ask for pitcher of water when buying a teapot! :P

 

 

best,

Pres

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Yet if that beautiful teapot form pours poorly, or the handle is uncomfortable, or the lid falls off unless held on, or the tea gets cold too quickly, of what use is the teapot except to sit on a shelf.

 

Isn't all that a part of form? No amount of surface decoration or pretty glaze is going to fix that.

 

So maybe a question might be,  'Is how a item operates a function or form?' I'm thinking it could be argued either way.

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Happened to remember, that i DID blow up pots to inflate them. However, it was when doing closed lidded one piece round boxes. I would close the form, notch for the lid, insert a straw about 1/3 of the way up the bottom of the pot and inflate the form slightly, giving more lift to the top, and a slight bulging to the sides. When leather hard, patch the straw hole and trim from there down to the base, finishing the form.

 

 

 

best,

Pres

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