Unpredictable Fun by Andrea Zimon

My adventures in clay continue. Ceramic glazing is new to me and hence unpredictable and fun.

Usually.

Unless I am chiseling something from a kiln shelf then glaze on a doughnut has more appeal.

Clay work 'Sky'. The colors were a happy accident as I did not know what would happen. Weak technique requires my gluing the ear back on but I am happy with it.  The piece itself is the result of two pinch pots, two miniature pinch pots for the ears, and carving out the rest. 

Clay work, 'Machine Coil 1'.  Machine coil is produced by a very large extruder - think spaghetti maker.  I am happy with the shape even though it is simple but I would like to learn how to better control the glaze. I definitely painted outside the lines!

 When my second machine coil piece was brought to me and I thought it so bad that I flinched because it was so ugly compared to the intended vision of blue, green, and dark red composition that I had in my head.

  In our class, we all want our work to survive the kiln which can be a crap shoot. This piece was a bucket dipped as opposed to hand painted. I thought I mixed the paint well. I thought I dipped the piece well. I guess I was too enthusiastic with the dipping. My instructor made it look so easy. 

After inspecting it with a sigh, I then set to chiseling it off the shelf. The piece suffered a little. The shelf suffered a lot. As a result, I have a date with the grinder to remove the sharp points of the bottom of the piece.  

Despite uneven glazing, air bubbles, and bare spots, there are interesting parts in the mixing of the blue and green glazes. Even the yellow I thought was going to be red works. I have a lot to learn but you don't learn until you take the first step. 

My wrapped slab creation of weirdness which needs to dry and then be fired.  Lace gives it texture.

My canopic jar of Duametef. An assignment I dreaded but actually resulted pretty well.  I have fired the base successfully and crossing my fingers for the head's firing. I reinforced the ears this time which should prevent breakage.  It is supposed to be a jackal but it looks like a greyhound. 

I continue to love clay and determined to master glazing. 

Although the term 'master' might be loosely defined.