Wednesday, July 8, 2015

CLAY IMPROV

I find that as I throw  teabowls, the majority of them are what I refer to as high sided bowls, that is to say, most are taller than they are wide. Over the years I have had this pointed out to me and so I decided that for the upcoming firing, I would make as many lower/wider bowls as of the taller variety. As I have been working on throwing teabowls in a looser and more altered state, most of this investment in time has been made on taller bowls with virtually none having gone in to lower/wider bowls so I find myself improvising as I go along and honestly, this is where interesting stuff can happen. Illustrated is one of the recent bowls that was thrown almost exactly as you see it, pulling the wall creates the uneven lip and undulating line and then once thrown, I push out here and pull out elsewhere to arrive at the shape that is then finished off with a hand cut foot. To finish the bowl, I apply thick slurry slip over the exterior and then comb it to create the texture; once bisque my plan is to glaze it in one of my new Oribe glazes and we will se how it turns our. I'll keep you posted.

"My whole life has been one big improvisation."  Clint Eastwood