Thank you so much for sharing your artistry! I'm inspired by the simplicity and timelessness of your pieces. I'm just getting started with ceramics and look forward to working with clay in many ways giving voice to my own style of artistry! Brava!!!
Your process is amazing. I have been taking pottery classes & just love the wheel, but too expensive for me to get for home. This just shows that you can make stunning pieces without all the expensive equipment. I will have to be on the lookout for a used kiln. Thank you for sharing your amazing work!
I use Lizella clay which is an earthenware clay. When I do the firing, if I want to make it black, I remove it from the kiln when it is at 900 degrees. I put it into a can with sawdust, add more sawdust, cover, and the smoke oxidized the surface making it black. It is call reduction firing. Hope this helps!
@@nicoleberger5735 I have gloves good to about 1000 degrees. But this is not advisable. I have created some relief pieces and removed the entire shelf at this temp. to place horsehair on the pieces. Just remember to get the kiln lid closed asap. You can see these pieces on my website, sjlaneart.com
WOW! I am so very impressed with your technique. It seems so simplistic, although I am not fooled and realize the immense talent it takes to complete such a beautiful work of art. It gives me the courage to try, knowing it really doesn't take 1000s of dollars in equipment to begin. Thank you
Thanks so much Aileen! I use the coiling method of hand-building. Each coil is attached and thinned, then another is added. Longer and shorter coils are used to make it larger of smaller. Each is smoothed and scraped with a metal rib. Hope this helps:)
Thank you so much and I wish I could have narrated it, probably would have made more sense. But I videoed the segments and had to speed them up because of time constraints. I will narrate the firing next time and thank you for the idea!
Shaw Lane I too love your work. I’d love to hear narration though from raising the walls to shaping, them how thick it is to carve and not go through the walls. I love the idea of mink oil and would like to learn more about how to use it. What cone ? Which clay body?
I use a red Lizella clay from Georgia, US. It is an earthenware body and is very strong. What makes the pots dark is the sawdust reduction I use when firing. I take the hot pot and place it in a fireproof container filled with sawdust and let it smoke. The hotter and longer it smokes, the blacker it becomes.
One other quick question. Do you prefer to perform your reduction firing this way, over the use of a gas kiln? Or is it the outcome (appearance), space, coding, time... issue for you?
The electric kiln was the easiest for me. A front loading kiln would make more sense but cost and space were a consideration for me. I don't think gas vs electric would matter. What is important that the reduction firing happens once the piece cools to @ 900 degrees. At this temp. things can get tricky especially with a large piece. I have kevlar gloves that are great but I am 5'3" so leaning into the hot kiln needs to be done quickly and precisely. So far, so good. Wish I had the space to do some pit firing and I do know that you can try this with smaller pieces in an old Weber grill. Hope this helps.
I don't understand how it 's possible to open the kiln before the end of program. I can't open mine (Nabertherm top80) before 100°C. Can you explain it please ?
Thank you for the answer. Mine has no locking system too but if I open it before 100°C the notice mentions explains it's dangerous for kiln (resistances don't like it at all because of the large different temperatures). That's why I'm surprise of your experience. What temperature when you open your kiln in the video please ?
Well, you are right about opening the kiln before it cools, but that is just what I do. The usual temp. I take them out is between 780-900 degrees. Dangerous and not for the faint hearted, but that is what I need for them to be at that temp. to get the reduction fired results I use. Pit firing is an alternative or using an old Weber grill is another choice.
Burnishing is done with something like a smooth stone. As the stone is rubbed over the surface, the clay particles become compressed and the surface takes on a sheen. Timing is the tricky part, so it needs to be done before the clay dries completely. Once fired, I apply a thin layer of mink oil, then polish with a cloth.
My pieces are hand built so the tools I use are simple. The blue banding wheel is probably the most important because it holds the pot and helps to keep it round. I use a needle tool for scoring, a metal rib for smoothing, a sponge, and a stone for burnishing. I think that the appeal of these simple tools is what I find attractive about this process. Super simple, and thank you!
My God Lady Shaw, Get a wheel! Turn your own pottery. The time you take to make one pot, you could turn 10. Also please next time. Put the camera where your hands are. You also did too much time on some things, but not enough on others. For example: You went from one course of "rope" on your base then jumped to a 12 inch tall vase. When you were smoothing them and blending together. We could not see your hands. You can also roll out your clay and cut a cone if you know how. 2 angles and 2 radius. Very simple. Join the straight lines and you have a angled bowl. You could then work it from there. Or several layers of rolled out 4 inch or so pieces to stack instead of rolled "snakes". Geesh, you're beating yourself to death!
Thanks Tony, but I prefer hand-building to wheel throwing. And I am really an amateur with the filming but I appreciate your comments. I understand about using multiple coils but the pots are large and it is too much clay at one time, way too moist. Thank you again!
