News and an apology

I have been gone from this blog since April. I am full of legit excuses, but I will save them for another day. Instead, please accept my apology for being lax. If you are a fan of this blog I will be sharing new photos and thoughts very soon. I appreciate your patience. For now I have two quick pieces of news to share.

A sample of a new ceramics book that features my work in just arrived in my mailbox. I was invited to be part of the photo gallery of "Ceramics for Beginners: Surfaces, Glazes & Firing" by Angelica Pozo. It is for sale on August 3rd. I have two pieces in the book. I can't tell you how cool it feels to have photos of my work on the same spreads as Silvie Granatelli, Sandi Pierantozzi, Ruchika Madan and friend Kate Biderbost among others.



News item #2: It's Northwoods Art Tour time. If you are in the area this coming weekend please stop by my studio on Fri, July 23, Sat, July 24 or Sun, July 25 from 10am to 5pm. I'll have lots of new pieces in both glaze series I work in. Guest artist Katlyn Koester is also showing her pots and we'll be doing demos and acting silly all weekend (promise!). Plus,... I am giving a piece away as a door prize. For more information visit the tour website at Northwoodsarttour.com

Thanks for being here. Check back soon for photos of my summer shows, new work and news from Pigeon Road.

Thanks,
Amy

What I did today

This afternoon I decorated a platter. It is the first brown & black scraffito piece I have done in over a year. It was really fun to get back into it.


I started by cutting out stencils of a bird and 2 butterflies. When I've made stencils in the past I used clear plastic. Old clay bags work great for stencils because they are a heavy weight plastic. This time I tried tracing paper for the bird on a branch. Both materials worked fine. The benefit to the plastic stencils is they can be reused. I wet the stencils (this helps them stick and stay put) and placed them in position on the leather hard platter. Then I centered the platter on my potter's wheel.


Next as I slowly spun my wheel, I used a soft wide brush to apply the brown and black underglazes over the whole surface of the platter. I used Amaco LUG1 black underglaze and Mayco UG031 Chocolate underglaze. The stencils blocked out the areas I wanted to remain white. Clay slips work just as well with this process.


After the underglazes dried to the point of loosing their sheen, I peeled the stencils off.


I used my spinning wheel and a fine wire loop tool to cut some white lines into the black rim of the platter. My next step was to add more black plants on top of the brown background. I did this freehand with small brushes.


I let the piece dry for about 1 hour. Then I used my fine wire loop to carve through the layers of underglaze and reveal the white clay underneath. This technique is called scraffito. After this piece is bisque fired I will apply a clear glaze and fire it again to cone 6. When it is completed, the brown underglaze will turn a honey color and the black and white areas will be glossy. You can see examples of finished pieces using this technique in many of my earlier posts.





On Saturday I have two more platters to decorate. I haven't decided what I am going to do to them yet. Stay tuned...

New casserole

This post previews another new piece that I documented step by step as I worked on it.


Someone commented on my last post that they wanted to see my tools. This is a shot of the 5 tools I used to carve and stamp on this pot. From left to right: a metal stylus with small ball tips on each end; a Kemper wire loop cutting tool; a fine wire tool I use for drawing lines; a broken off TV antenna I use to "pebble" a surface; and an old burnisher from my "pre-computer" graphic design days.


Here is the piece pre carving.


This time I broke the bottom into 5 sections and carved or pressed a texture into each.


I worked on the piece upside down on the banding wheel and my lap. The lid is safe under plastic.




I decided to draw pods & plants around the entire upper half of the piece. I used the fine wire tool to draw the plants. It is the same tool I use when I do scrafitto decoration.


I made the handles by rolling small clay coils over a corrugated cardboard to pick up a lined pattern. Then I flattened the underside of the coils on the table.


After tracing the outline of the handle in position I scored each surface with a knife before attaching them.


I used my finger to mold the underside of the handles into a graceful curve. The lid is still not carved.


A top view of the lid with carving, sprigs and the knob in place.


I also added sprigs to the sides of the handles.


A detail shot.


The finished piece.

Evolution of a form

The pieces I am working on right now are very time consuming. At the rate I am working it is going to take me a long time to fill my kiln. So for now I am posting photos of pots in the leather hard and greenware stages. It has been really helpful for me to document the stages these pieces go through. I like looking at them without color.

Most of the time I don't know how I am going to alter a piece until I do it. I look at the form, turn on some loud music and just dig in. For me the process is very improvisational. I make it up as I go.


Here is a "blank" covered jar. It has been trimmed and is at a firm leather hard state.


I decided to start carving at the bottom of the piece. I work on pots upside down all the time.


I was able to carve the continuous spiral by using my banding wheel and a small wire loop tool. I used the corner of a square wooden drawer knob to pierce the bottom foot in 5 places.


Next I moved to the lid. I used two wire loop tools to carve the outer pattern. Then I used the round end of a broken off TV antenna to hammer the pebble pattern. It seemed like a good idea to pierce the rim of the lid in 5 places too.


I liked the 5 cuts in the rim and the foot. That lead me to divide the jar's middle section into 5 sections too. After that I decided to create vines. The cuts echo the pattern on the lid.


I used a fine wire loop tool to refine the edges of the leaves. Next I decided to pick up the pebble pattern over the surface. The vines popped out as a result.


These are small clay spirals. I made them by pushing clay balls into a little bisque mold of a button.


I scored the surface of the pot with a knife before I applied the clay spiral. The underside of the spiral is scored too. They are joined together with distilled white vinegar (which I prefer to slip).


I threw 5 different knobs so I would have lots of options. I will use the extra knobs for other pieces.


After looking at the jar with all 5 knobs I choose this one. Here is the completed jar with the knob in place.


A top view.


The textures look gorgeous at this stage while the clay is still leather hard.

Freshly Carved Pouring Vessels

It's been a goal of mine this winter and early spring to spend time making complex pieces. It is very tempting to make simple pieces I know I can sell. I've put that aside for now, in favor of having fun and challenging myself. Here are three pouring vessels I finished carving yesterday. They are all bare clay at this point...slowly drying under plastic.



















More process photos are on the way in the next week. And more platters. Stay tuned...

Coming Attraction

I am working on a new series of decorative platters. Ideas have been swarming in my head for months. I have been looking at lots of historic and contemporary art work in books. My primary focus has been on Native American art, vessels from the Art & Crafts Movement and African & Asian sculpture, pottery & masks. I've been thinking about personal themes and stories I want to explore in symbolic ways. It's tricky, scary and exciting. The platters will explore very stylized animal, plant, & human imagery with an emphasis on carving, texture, sprig patterns and bas relief.

This is the first platter I've completed to the greenware stage. I am happy with it as a starting point. Three more are in the works. It's too early to tell where this series will take me, or if it will be any good, but I am excited to explore a new narrative non-functional direction for my work.

Don't worry. I'll still make cups. And bowls. And plates.


An early stage of the platter.

Blog-based Pottery Sale 2009

Welcome to my 2nd annual blog-based pottery sale. It's a very no-frills approach to internet shopping. There's no shopping cart or fancy buttons. You'll have to work with me via email or phone.

Here's the rules:

If you see an item you want to purchase, please email me the item number. My email address is amyhiggason@yahoo.com. I will email you back to confirm your purchase or to notify you that the piece has already sold. I will update the sales status on the blog as often as I can. My goal is to avoid disapointments. But, all items are one-of-a-kind and offered on a first-come first-served basis.

I accept checks or cash only. I will make payment arrangements with you by email when I confirm your purchase. Tax is included, but shipping (if necessary) is additional. Please respond quickly if you need your piece before Christmas.

Satisfaction is guaranteed. If you do not like a piece once you receive it you may return it for a full refund (minus shipping costs).

Here are some general details about my work. It is all white stoneware fired in an electric kiln to cone 6-7. It is wheelthrown, carved and decorated by hand. Each piece is one-of-a-kind. All pieces are food safe and may be put in the dishwasher, microwave and oven (when appropriate). I have included multiple views of some pieces. If you have any questions regarding the work or the rules please don't hesitate to email or call me at 715-277-5099.

Pottery:


Item 1: Baking/serving dish
9-1/2" wide x 2-3/4" tall
Price $90



SOLD
Item 2: Small faceted bowl
6" wide x 4-1/2" tall
Price $42



Item 3: Platter
13-1/2" wide
Price $80



Item 4: Platter
12" wide
Price $90



Item 5: Baking/serving dish
10" wide x 3" tall
Price $90



Item 6: Baking/serving dish
9-1/2" wide x 3-1/2" tall
Price $80



Item 7: Vase/Utensil Holder
5-1/2" wide x 4-3/4" tall
Price $65



Item 8: Baking/serving dish
10" wide x 3-1/2" tall
Price $85



SOLD
Item 9: Small faceted bowl
6" wide x 4" tall
Price $42



Item 10: Small baking/serving dish with lid
6" wide x 5-1/4" tall
Price $85



Item 11: Baking/serving dish
10-1/2" wide x 3-1/4" tall
Price $85



SOLD
Item 12: Baking/serving dish
7-3/4" wide x 3-3/4" tall
Price $70



Item 13: Baking/serving dish
9-1/4" wide x 3-1/4" tall
Price $85



Item 14: Lidded Jar
4-1/2" wide x 6" tall
Price $80



Item 15: Small pitcher
5-1/4" wide x 4-1/2" tall
Price $65



Item 16: Small pitcher
4-1/2" wide x 5-1/2" tall
Price $75



Item 17: Baking/serving dish
8-1/2" wide x 3-1/2" tall
Price $80



Item 18: Serving bowl
9-1/2" wide x 4-1/4" tall
Price $90



Item 19: Serving bowl
9" wide x 4" tall
Price $90


Ornaments
These ornaments are made from flat slabs of clay. I cut the shapes with cookie cutters and then use stamps and carving tools to create each individual ornament. They are finished with twisted copper wire hanger. Ornaments are $10 each and come in a variety of colors as listed below:


Earth Angel: available as shown


Butterfly: available in many colors and patterns, no two alike. I will pick one for you.


Cross: available in bronze, blue, green or light yellow


Moon: available in blue and pale green


Snowflake: available in blue, pale green and pale yellow


Bluebird of Peace: available as shown

Thanks for looking. Have a happy, healthy holiday season and fantastic new year!
Amy