I have been working on a group of hand-built bowls and plates for some time. I’ve fired them with their colors and I’ll spend the next few posts going over the results. Here are earlier posts in the series, if you want to take a look back. They are listed in reverse order; read from the bottom up if you want to go in order.
Kiln Time for the Bowls and Plates
Update on the Hand-Built Bowl Project
Now I’ll show you the small bowls I made. All of them involved the use of wax resist.
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- small bowl #1, before firing, resist in place
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- small bowl #1
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- small bowl #1, side view
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- small bowl #2, before firing, with stripes of wax resist.
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- small bowl #2.
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- small bowl #2, side view.
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- small bowl #3 before firing, wax resist in place.
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- small bowl #3.
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- small bowl #3, side view.
And then there was the one bowl that didn’t please me. I had the feeling even before the firing that I wasn’t going to be happy. And I haven’t changed my mind. Once again, I think the white spots look too unfinished. And I don’t like that messy jumble at the bottom. So, I’ll do a little fixing-up and then fire the bowl again later on.
Last, here is the tray. Simple and easy. You may remember I taped off sections and applied the underglaze, then removed the tape. This is just another resist method, with the tape keeping the color back. The tape did not adhere tightly to the clay and so that is why the edges are feathery and blobby. I liked the effect.
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- Tray, before firing.
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- Tray.
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- Tray, side view.
OK, that is enough for today.
Claudia McGill and Her Art World 
It’s great to see the process, before and after. Controlled surprise! (K)
That’s a perfect definition. I have some idea of what might come out, but…the clay has its own mind. And with so many steps involved in each piece, there is room for things to veer off on a tangent, and how.
I love all of your experimentation and your balance between planning and spontaneity. From this collection, my favourite is the first bowl.
That’s interesting to think about, the balance between planning and letting it happen. I think with clay, there are exacting qualities to it as to how it must be treated to put some boundaries, and yet a lot of room to work within them. Clay can really disappoint you if you ignore what it basically needs to succeed, such as drying time or firing temps and so on – but it is also a challenge to figure it out.
Magical! The bowl with the white stripes is so striking and I love the tray. I would love to see a whole table set with such fun dishes. It would look like a party, I think
Thank you. I’ve made dishes in the past but nothing like this group. I like the way all of these look together, too.
More creative loveliness Claudia – I love your designer plates and bowls. I could see them all selling in a posh gallery for a lot of money….
Thank you. And how nice of you to say that about a gallery! And I like that you call them designer. A lot of clay is production work, but I’ve always liked to make one of a kind, I’m not good at repeating!
I called them designer because that is exactly what they are !! And each one being one of a kind makes them even more exclusive… ! They are really very lovely…
Thank you. !