I
am constantly at play and experimenting with both iron and copper in my glazes.
Though I use other oxides, carbonates and colorants, I keep coming back to
these two as the diversity and surfaces that are possible are nearly endless
including copper blues and iron yellows. Using copper, I am invariably
influenced and drawn into the realm of the varying Oribe glazes; though I have
over 20 Oribe glaze formulas, the old standard with lepidolite is by far my
favorite. Now in always exceedingly short supply and most presumably on the
official extinction list, lepidolite creates an Oribe of a wonderful quality
with depth, richness and an iridescent sheen that brings the surface to life. I
am at constant odds as to when to use the lepidolite Oribe, but certain pieces
just speak up louder than others. I wonder what I will do, when I run out of
lepdolite and there is none left to find?
Illustrated is a medium size hachi plate with an all over impressed design that I call TOBU and no, I am not referring to the Tobu Department chain in Japan, nor is it a Japanese word at all. The design originally sprung up while I was listening to the music of Cream, specifically, The Tales Of Brave Ulysses (TOBU); the imagery of the song, the allusions to the waves, distant beaches and the boiling sea made me think about creating an overall wave/sea pattern. The top, in the picture was actually on the area close to the shelf while the opposite side was resting on posts to elevate the piece and have the glaze run and pool as it did. The glaze is always greener with lepidolite.
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