ON THE TRAIL

When I first started in ceramics even though I didn't think it was a long term thing, my first group of pots were all just dip and dunk pieces even those with recipes culled from various sources as tests Chinese or Japanese glazes. After each firing Bill Klock could see the disappointment I had in my pieces and he suggested that I actually try my hand at some form of decoration. As I scanned around at what other students were doing from painted designs to heavily carved surfaces these just didn't seem right for me and then while looking for some new tools in the discarded tools bucket I found this magical little blue bulb, an ear syringe and off I went to "decorate" or more likely muck up my pieces. Since I loved the works of Arp and Miro, I tried my best to work out abstract, lyrical designs heavily influenced by those two and have stuck with the whole concept of slip and glaze trailing ever since. The illustrated stoneware teabowl was first white slipped and then had a dark, black slip trailed over in what may appear to be a random, abstract decoration which is based on designs I have used for a very long time. The small group of bowls that I decorated in this manner will be glazed in my saffron yellow which will temper the black a bit though it will show nicely through the surface and add not only design but a bit of texture as well.