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I love these pieces by Tri Lukne. I've scoured the internet for a hint of what clay that might be but only found her comment that she uses a "lightly grogged (seriously?) buff clay".  I'll email her but she's not in the States and unless she makes her own hers is unlikely to be available here. Does anyone know of a commercial clay that yields that sort of surface, or have any idea re wedge-in additives to get that effect? Sheffield, Highwater, Standard or Laguna is available to me locally.  Wondering if she just sponges something heavily to rise the grain. Sand? Feldspar? That's magnesium speckle? I can fire oxidation, reduction, wood, any temp. I can't tell if that's bare clay or a matte glaze on the raw-looking surface either. Would really like to make myself a similar dinner set. Thanks! 

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Right - but this is large, irregular and multi-colored grog.  Just thought to look at some sculptural clays and some seem to resemble this. Never worked with  sculptural clay - these would be hand built so ease of throwing not at issue, but now wondering how that sort of stuff works for dinnerware. Hm. 

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Not well, heavy grog increases porosity so you may have dishes that weep.  Looks like she throws super thin too which doesn't help.  They sure look awesome though!  Not sure what you mean by multi colored, it looks like the grog is black, could be granular magnetite or manganese like from a speckled clay.  

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I'm OK with a little weep - I drink my tea from beloved Hagiware etc. that stains all through and I'm sure collects beneficial bacteria in unglazed nooks and crannies, cough.  More worried about plasticity?  But you're right, I was somehow seeing paler flecks - it's just that texture. I've got some Red Rock around, maybe I'll experiment with really trying to pull the grog up. But it's actually a pretty smooth clay. 

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Sawdust... will try that too. How about irregular big feldspar? I have a (purchased) yunomi with that treatment but the little 'lumps' are oddly very regular, roundish and discrete looking.  I've never altered a clay body before so this will be interesting.  I def know how to overwork and overwater a thing until it's very rough at the edges,  I'll try to turn that fault to an advantage.   Worried about the sculptural clay - I did try some Soldate somewhere along the line and it could barely be bent into a cylinder (slab building). Ended up making boxes.

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That artist looks like they're pinching, not throwing. I've thrown with really groggy clay and it's not fun, even if you're keeping your hand off the wheelhead.

At one of the NCECA talks this year, Rimas Visgardia gave examples of all kinds of folks adding interesting things to their clay bodies, and the results. He mentioned the use of things like chicken grit, chick grit (smaller mesh size for the babies of course), 60 mesh Custer feldspar (you can order from the mine), silica sand, playground sand, desert sand, decomposed granite, anything used in tiling or for setting patio stones, people making their own coloured porcelain grog, etc.

A look like this will take a bit of experimentation to fine tune. It could be a fun rabbit hole to go down though.

Added: they haven't posted this year's videos yet on the NCECA YouTube channel, but maybe keep an eye out for that one. 

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Right - I also think those aren't thrown and figured on hand building my version in any case.  I've made similar forms and that part shouldn't be hard.  I think it'll be fun, too. I've been hand building with Coleman's porcelain for the past year - I love it and have managed some pretty challenging-for-me figural and other delicate stuff,  but it'll be nice to have something staunch and gnarly and less like toothpaste in my hands for a change if I can make it work.  Just googled Rimas - he has some really interesting surfaces going there!  I'm away from home and planning the summer, making a divers list of grits and crumbs. Thanks!

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