Benzine
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Posts posted by Benzine
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17 hours ago, Pres said:
Yeah I miss having access to the big Bailey's that we had at school, but have a small electric rig to make handles. I think the idea is neat, but then I like the thrown idea also.
Years ago, I attended a John Glick workshop at ART, and he demonstrated a wood for for a vanity soap dish. The cheese hard slab was placed in the hinged wooden form, and two slabs were fitted to the top while in the form. The first slab was joined on, and using a sponge stretched to make water catch. The second slab was also done the same way not stretching as much. then drain holes were added to the bottom of the second slab carefully not to go through the bottom slab. Also added a drain hole at the inside edge of the second slab to be able to drain the water while cleaning. After all done a screen door hook was loosened on the wooden form and hinges on opposite side let you open it up tor trim everything to the side walls of the cheese hard slab placed in the beginning. very elegant and functional.
best,
Pres
You could make your own... What's another project right?
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Hmmmm, off the top of my head, I'm going to go with this one:
During my fifth year teaching, I had a Ceramics I class, in which I also had a couple "helpers". I forget what that District called them, but essentially they got a credit for helping a teacher, with whatever they needed. Generally I would only have one per class, but for some reason, I accepted both at the same time.
Anyway, the way we recycled clay, was by having the students hand mix the wet reclaim, with a dry clay powder. I realize now, this was it's own level of stupid, and it was just something I did, because that's how it had been done by the previous instructor. I had a couple students, who needed more clay, and the clay powder was out. So I sent my helpers to get another bag from storage. The students mixed it with the reclaim, and that was that... UNTIL, some of the projects made with that clay were fired. Said projects partially melted. Unlike several of the other stories, this was not a Low Fire/ Mid-High Fire issue, because we only used Low Fire. Instead, it was a label reading issue. The helper students grabbed a bag of dry GLAZE powder, without looking at what it was. Am I partially to blame? Absolutely! I should have double checked, and in their defense, the bags looked identical, minus the stamped label, which is partially abbreviated.
Luckily, there wasn't enough glaze mixed with the clay, to damage anything. The projects didn't even stick to the shelf. Basically they were large scale Egyptian Paste sculptures.
And fortunately, the contaminated clay was easy to find, and dispose of.
The worst part was that the students lost a project that they worked on. They still got a proper grade for it, they just had nothing to take home.
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15 hours ago, Callie Beller Diesel said:
A sugar jar from last fall, but playing with photo editing.
A sugar jar, that looks like it's coated in sugary glaze!
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On 5/19/2020 at 12:53 PM, Pres said:
I had a pair of cutters that work like vise grips, they cut very easily with my arthritic hands, but they were borrowed and not returned!
best,
Pres
Don't you love that!
As a longtime teacher, I'm surprised you let anyone borrow anything. Teachers, especially Art teachers get pretty jaded about loaning stuff out.
We usually get emails every month or two, about someone missing something that wasn't returned. In some cases it's a very specific piece of P.E. equipment, and I'm thinking, "Who would even take that?!"
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On 4/21/2020 at 6:42 PM, liambesaw said:
Yeah just thought of stoneware on stoneware grinding gets my jaws hurting. One of those questions "can it be done? Yes. Should it be done? Maybe not"
One of the worst sounds, I've ever heard, was when I tried to sharpen an underglaze stick, in a hand sharpener. Normally high pitched noises don't get me, but this one did...
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Love those @liambesaw !
My first thought was, that they looked industrial/ like something automotive related.
In regards to the topic question, I think it is best to err on the side of caution. Like many have pointed out, we don't know the actual numbers, due to the lack of testing.
I live in a relatively rural State, and in a very tiny town, yet we still have cases. My Father, initially thought this whole thing was overblown, and now the County he lives in, has one of the highest case numbers in the State.
As a teacher, the repercussions are just tragic, especially for the Seniors, the retiring teachers, those in activities and athletics, and worst of all, those "At Risk" students who depend on School for structure and a sense of normalcy.
My District is currently only doing "Voluntary Learning". We provide optional resources for students, and don't have to make up the days. We may yet go to "Required Learning", at least for High School, but that will obviously present even more obstacles. My Three-Dimensional class, was half way through a project, with at least two left. That class is mostly clay work, so obviously it will be difficult to give them the same experience, at home.
I don't think a lot of it has set in yet. I'm just kind of numb to it all, as this is indeed unprecedented.
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1 hour ago, neilestrick said:
I constantly stress to my students that they need to know what they're going to make before they get the clay out of the bag. That way they'll know how much clay to prep, and have a clear path to successfully making a certain pot. There are specific steps that must be taken to make any form, and if you're not following those steps and just letting the clay do what it wants, you'll always end up with a crappy bowl.
I require my students to have a sketch, that shows their general idea, for the form, and an approximate width and height. Just hopping on the wheel, and stating "I'm make a bowl, mug, etc" tells me little. How big of a bowl or mug? What do you plan to use if for? How are you going to finish the bottom?
It annoys them, that I ask these questions, but I tell them, I can't help them, unless I see their vision.
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I *generally* have a really good idea, of what I'm making well before I start. I champion sketching, to all my students, and I try to practice what I preach.
There was a time, at home, that I had a specific form that I wanted to make. I had done something like it before, and had it pictured in my head. Once I got past the initial stages, to the forming, it just wasn't working for me. So I got some new clay, and before I restarted, I grabbed some chalk, from my daughter's Art easel, and made a rough sketch on it. That's all it took, and I knocked it out, no problem.
The only time I kind of wing it, is when doing demos, where I don't have a final product, that I am trying to achieve, and when I'm making a lot of random forms, like for an "Empty Bowls" donation.
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16 hours ago, liambesaw said:
Yep, it's a pour over carafe ala chemex: https://www.chemexcoffeemaker.com/
That's some Gale Boetticher level coffee brewing, right there!
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@Marcia Selsor Nope, that's too early for that weather!...
@liambesaw Love the form and glazing. My Dad has a "birdbath" shape he made in college, where he sprayed some oxides, similar to that. He still has it, though it probably has some damage from the dang kids!...
What is the exact function and usage of that form? Is it like a pour over coffee carafe?
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21 hours ago, liambesaw said: I'm still trying to save up enough to make a big bottle of gold lustre, will let you know if I've got enough in 20 years hah. It's just for fun
You might be better off salvaging gold from circuit boards and other such electronics.
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22 hours ago, liambesaw said:
I'm going camping this weekend and plan to bring back a bunch of decomposing bedrock. I do some gold prospecting and so I always have granular magnetite but as I was washing a bunch of bedrock clay down the stream last time I thought hey I bet this would melt in a kiln!
Have you struck it rich yet?
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I've got a pile of rocks, that I am "decomposing", to create some new clay. I am a patient person...
- Callie Beller Diesel, Hulk, Chilly and 1 other
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That's a very tough question. It's a great question, just tough to answer.
I would say the thing, I am currently most proud of, is having myself and my Art Club make mugs for all the Staff, in our Building. It ended up being about 90 mugs. I did most the heavy lifting, in regards to throwing, as I wanted them to be consistent, but the kids added handles and a raised mascot head, that we press molded. They also glazed everything.
The Staff seemed very appreciative, especially the Associated, Kitchen Staff, and Custodians, who don't get a lot of credit and recognition. The Head Custodian, came up and gave me a hug!
We are still making them for new Staff as well, as a Welcome. The goal was only to do a few here and there, but we've had quite a bit of turnover, for various reasons, so we've been busy...
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As I noted, in my recent Status Update, my cat Mari, hangs out in the studio, sometimes more than I do. The past couple months, she was sleeping against my tool storage bag, and it was matted with her fur.
She used to get into my throwing water bucket, and steal my sponge. I'd have to follow the trail, to figure out what she did with it.
My daughter will occasionally come in, as she has an easel in there. When she was younger,she used to come in, when I was trimming, and collect all my scraps to throw in my reclaim container. She doesn't do that anymore...
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Right now, I've got ten, school mugs, for the new teaching/ support staff for the school year.
A couple years ago, my Art Club made over ninety mugs, for all the staff, in my building. We gave them to everyone, for National Teacher's Day, but it was actually just part of my larger plan. I have always wanted to give new teachers a gift, and what better for teachers, than a vessel to hold caffeinated beverages? Aaaaanyway, I figure if I just started giving them to new teachers, the rest of the staff would feel left out. So we had to front load it, and make one for everyone at first.
The plan works well in theory, as we wouldn't have to make many, after the initial batches, but we've had some steady turnover with retirements and transfers, the last couple years, so we are still making several each year.
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I've been using some leftover scraps from "Construction Plastic". It's what contractors and such put up, to protect against dust getting out of the work area, to catch paint drips, etc. It's thicker stuff, and keeps the moisture in quite well.
It's been so rainy here lately, that my basement stays pretty damp itself. If I just poured some plaster on the floor, it would be one big damp box.
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57 minutes ago, liambesaw said:
Yep, Costco tote with a couple inch o plaster in the bottom. If I put them in there for a day or two after attaching handles they even out a bit
Thought that was a foam cooler. That's a great idea for a damp box, since it's strong, yet light. I just lightly cover my mugs, after attaching handles, basically until the handles firm up. I used to have issues with the join developing hairline cracks, when used to use magic water *and* a joining slip. Since then, I switch to only magic water, and zero cracks.
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@liambesaw are those mugs in a damp box of sorts?
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21 hours ago, liambesaw said:
Yeah I doubt I'll be doing a juried show any time soon, don't think I'd be getting into a show with what I have. Instagram and Reddit sales is probably more my speed for now
People do sales on Reddit?!
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@GEP Always been a fan of your aesthetic Mea. Are those metal handles, on the teapots?
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On 4/5/2019 at 7:24 PM, LeeU said:
Thought it was a strawberry planter....or are you making a funny?
I'm generally just being funny...
I actually wasn't sure what it was. I had never heard of a strawberry planter.
@Hulk Those are very nice works. Far better, than my second batch of glazed wares...
I like the bottom of the bowls. They resemble those plastic speckled bowls, faded in popularity, but have now come back, partially due to Rachael Ray using them, on her show as "Garbage Bowls". My family had a large one growing up, but we called it a "Puke Bowl", partially due to it's coloring, partially due, to what it was used for, when someone was sick...
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On 3/30/2019 at 9:32 PM, liambesaw said:
Finally got the side bowls on, I'm pleased with myself.
Now to see if it survives drying and firing ha
I also made myself a new wedging table today, my old setup was a little too high for me and was making my back hurt.
A chip jar, with a place, for THREE different types of dip! Brilliant!
QotW: What is the silliest thing you have done or seen done dealing with Ceramics?
in Int'l Ceramic Artists Network (ICAN) Operations and Benefits
Posted
And sometimes that concern, doesn't even involve us.
I was talking to a teacher, at a nearby District, during our Conference Art Show. Her students had some nice Raku pieces and I asked about the set up they used. She informed me that she used their normal electric classroom kiln, and had a nearby exterior door, where they carried the wares for reduction. I asked, "So you turn the kiln *OFF* before reaching in with the *METAL* tongs right?!" She kind of chuckled and said, that she hadn't thought about that. Now she could have been using sarcasm. However, know that I've known her for several years, I'm honestly not sure she was...