Dorothee Golz - Modern twist on Old Masters

I love Dorothee Golz's modern take on the old classics. Durer is probably my favourite, but to be honest I love them all.
More to see on Dorothee Golz webpage »

Counting Blessings

Smile after tough day

Star Wars go pop and homey. You just have to smile, I know you want to :D Thank you Mike Stimpson.

Ceramic Voyages - Beth Cavener Stichter

For me Beth Cavener Stichter is a total revelation. The technique she uses is mindboggling and her pieces are technically exquisite. You just have to say WOW. This is made of clay? Nah... really? No way.

Husk, detail, 2009

Her pieces seems technically too noble for a clay. That kind of detail, that kind of elegance and expression deserve bronze or marble. But then you read up a bit on what she actually tries to say through her work and it kind of make sense.

Humiliation by Design, 2009

Beth Cavener Stichter's sculptures represent human emotions and consequences of our choices. I love that she uses animals as a subjects. There is something primal about it. Innocent, even though the subject itself can be quite sinister.

A Rush of Blood to the Head, 2009

And the cherry on the top... her sculptures are clever. Not in your face clever, but quietly and dignifiedly.

Olympia, 2006

It is really well worth it to visit Beth Cavener Stichter's website. You will also find there a slide show picturing technique she uses to create her sculptures.

In search of pink raspberry glaze

I am a total novice when it comes to glazes. I use what is in a studio, but tend to go for whites most often. This time however, I am in desperate need for pink. I want it to be nice and warm, kind of raspberry or raspberry and cream.

Of course there is no pink glaze in a studio. None, there is no nice red either for that matter. I am saying of course, because I noticed lately, that with me and my projects somehow things never go nice and easy.

Anyway, so I am on a mission to find pink glaze and so far I have found:

---

Pink Glaze Base #4
==================
WHITING.............   37.70  18.85%
FERRO FRIT 3134.....   55.80  27.90%
KAOLIN..............   35.50  17.75%
SILICA..............   50.70  25.35%
CORNWALL STONE......   20.30  10.15%
                 ========
                 200.00

 CaO  0.84* 18.29%
  MgO  0.00*  0.02%
  K2O  0.01*  0.49%
 Na2O  0.15*  3.63%
Fe2O3  0.00*  0.03%
 TiO2  0.00   0.01%
 B2O3  0.26   7.18%
Al2O3  0.24   9.70%
 SiO2  2.59  60.65%

Cost/kg  0.81
Si:Al 10.61
SiB:Al 11.69
Expan  7.23
source

35 Nepheline Syenite
15 Whiting
9 Ferro Frit 3134
10 Kentucky OM#4 Ball Clay
19 Silica
10 Tin Oxide
2 Bentonite
Total 100

ADD: Chrome oxide  0.15%
source

A: Jeannie Purple
B: Clay Times Jan/Feb. 05, based on John Hesselberth
and Ron Roy Tin/Chrome Raspberry
B: similar oxides to Rosenrot Red 1, Rosenrot Red 4,
Chrome Tin Base Raspberry Blue, Chrome Tin Base
Raspberry
B: similar oxides to Chrome Tin Base and Goodrich
Cranberry
C: 6
D: cool maximum rate to 800C hold 1 hour
E: 30 silica
E: 20 calcium carbonate
E: 18 nepheline syenite
E: 18 ball clay,OM-4
E: 14 frit,Ferro 3134
E: 3.75 tin dioxide
E: 0.60 cobalt carbonate
E: 0.20 chrome oxide
F: gloss
H: Alisa Clausen: gloss dark blue purple
source

A: Lewing Raspberry
B: Paul Lewing
C: 6
E: 27 feldspar,Custer
E: 9 kaolin,EPK
E: 21 calcium carbonate
E: 18 silica
E: 9 frit,Ferro 3134
E: 8 talc
E: 8 borate,Gerstley
F: gloss
H: Alisa Clausen: Clear, stable, shiny gloss. No
noticeable differences where double dipped. Some
crystals where especially thick under rim. Nice.
Same recipe tested with 8 Colemanite for
Gerstley Borate, no discernable difference, except
colemanite version had a very small bluish pool
in test bowl center. I think this sub. works.
source

A: Chrome Tin Base Raspberry
B: Clay Times Jan/Feb. 2005
B: similar oxides to Goodrich Cranberry, Jeannie
Purple, Rosenrot Red 4 and Rosenrot Red 1
C: 6
E: 100 Chrome Tin Base
E: 7.5 tin dioxide
E: 0.6 cobalt carbonate
E: 0.2 chrome oxide
F: gloss
source

A: Chrome Tin Base Raspberry Blue
B: similar oxides to Jeannie Purple
C: 6
E: 100 Chrome Tin Base
E: 1 cobalt carbonate
E: 0.25 iron oxide,red
F: gloss
H: Alisa Clausen: gloss blue with many variations
on a smooth lush covering with streaking and
movement. Thickened at bottom edge
but did not run.
source

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Li Xiaofeng

How amazing are those? Made from broken china by Li Xiaofeng. Just fantastic!

My ceramic pieces - green pumpkins

I just finished making my pumpkins. Quite chuffed with myself :D

Tea or coffee anyone?

Warm cuppas form sewingstars

The shorts stories...

An artist Nina Katchadourian has created superb stories with book titles. What a fantastic idea! The project is called The Sorted Books and now holds over 130 book clusters...

So what story does your bookshelf tell?

Ceramic voyages - Pam McFadyen

Aren't they just lovely? These pieces are by Ontario based artist - Pam McFadyen. I absolutely adore the colour scheme she uses. It is very sattle, organic like.

Curves

I love the lighting pieces by Jo Davies. What a superb use of curves. The vase and sculpture are also interesting, but I think lamps are just gorgeous.

My ceramics pieces

Inspired by the The Green Lotus Leaf Collection from Chintz & Company, here is my spin on the idea. Retro doilies.
I am very happy with initial effect. They look great after bisque firing. I am not sure about the colour scheme yet. I am thinking about greens or whites, or maybe a mixture of these two. I do not know. I have spent whole today session on glazing and colouring and used all of those doilies as the test pieces with different oxides, glazes and slips, hopefully I will be able to see some results next week!

Also need to think about the way of fixing them to the wall. I tried some Velcro thingy... but I do not trust the stuff... I fixed my daughter's memo board with it and it fell. I do not want to risk that!






The proces of doily making:

Bisque fired pieces, coloured prior to firing.