It may come as no surprise
that I am a bit restless when it comes to making pottery. Though I work in
disciplined cycles and often use pre-existing designs, forms and glazes, I find
that I like to try to make something new happen with each firing. This is the
ongoing challenge that pushes me, hence the on going testing and working out of
new forms, surfaces and decoration that ultimately keeps me from getting bored.
I have been making plates and tray forms off of hump molds since all the way
back to Cleveland State, the original genesis had a lot to do with the molded
wares of Hamada Shoji but truth be told, I owe quite a bit to the Schneiders at
CSU, the Mashiko/Ohio connection. Though the perspective is a bit skewed, this
plate form is mostly square with a new-ish plant design in the center and in
each of the four borders which I am referring to as the scimitar grass. I first
used this design last fall carving through black slip on white porcelain to
good effect and have now added the design to terra cotta as well as on
stoneware and porcelain using wax resist, etched and inlaid designs. As you can
see, I rough sketch the design out using ink prior to carving and then wait
until the pot is just right to carve and this is the result, now waiting to
dry, bique and glaze fire.
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