Itiko cups.

The glaze range.

Got a handle on it.

Thin porcelain handles; certainly adds a dynamic aspect.

Wishing you a very merry Xmas..

It's a rare thing to open the kiln and just react with "yes!".
Merry Xmas to you. I've just found mine.

experimenting with a foot.

The day before the day before Xmas. I've finally allowed myself to just sit at the wheel and experiment.
I've thrown this little bowl a little thicker than I usually would, and I quite like the relaxed feel that seems to give. I've attempted to destroy it with a vertical line gouged with a serrated plastic card.
Next is an experiment with a new foot. Whether I'm able to carry it of with a clay version is doubtful.

This is why you should look through antique shops.

This is why you should look through antique shops; Especially good country ones.
I found this stunning biscuit jar, glazed with a wonderful tenmoku glaze, while looking through the lovely Luxfords Antiques, in my favourite country town of Rosedale (Vic.). The personal service at this antiques shop is especially wonderful. http://discoverrosedale.com.au/directory/luxfords/
This biscuit jar has a lovely throw ring inside on the foot and wall. Just enough to give that wonderful sense of connection with the maker. It looks to be made of a local stoneware in an oxidation firing. When and by who is unknown to me.

#tenmoku #pottery #handmade #handthrown #stoneware

Okiti vase.

Introducing a new bud vase called Okiti.

Cups a plenty.

I love a mass of cups.

Okiti vase.

Well, after much work at the potter's wheel looking for a shape that excites me; I think this might be it.

Vorto cup.

An old favourite shape that I've just started making again.

It often takes an outside request for something to point your gaze backwards.

I love this simple form. It suits a range of uses; bowls, cups etc.

Itiko cups on mass.

My Itiko cups are generally the same, but always different. I tend to find a favourite that I use repeatedly for my ritual cup of tea. It's interesting how a particular handmade vessel can add another layer to the enjoyment of our daily life at the table. Dinner table, coffee table or side table. There's always a place for something crafted.

Itiko cup.

I love the silver blue swirl effect I get with this glaze. It's a result of thicker glaze gathering in the undulating surface.

"Vorto" bowl.

Not that I need an excuse to buy a punnet of blueberries, but it seems to remove the guilt of eating the remainder after the photo shoot, in one sitting.

Greenware vase.

I think I'm getting closer to a shape I like. Certainly enjoying the process.

My mug.

I have a serious coffee problem.
Standard mugs just 'aint big enough, luckily I can make my own bigger version.

A standard mug is roughly the hight of the top of this mugs handle. Obviously, this ones a little more generous.

Vase.

I'm really enjoying the vibrance of cobalt on white. Blue and white on ceramics never seems to loose its impact.

Footed bowl, blue brush mark.

Less dramatic, but perhaps more interesting is just inside the rim of this bowl; where the outside glaze meets the inside glaze.

Blue slip.

Blue and white slip on a footed bowl.

Vase.

Been a long time since I've made a vase. It was so much fun and the result so rewarding that you're going to see a lot more.

Blue above.

From above. The blue inside.

Blurry cobalt.

I took many photos of this bowl. Auto focus and manual. It looks blurry, but it couldn't be. All I can suggest is it's an effect of the cobalt (blue pigment).
I think it's one of my favourite little footed bowl to date. Hope you like it.

White bowl, small foot.

I'm surely funneling Lucie Rie with this one.

Flower bucket.

This, a large porcelain straight walled vessel for sticking things in.

Porcelain vase of mine.

Some of my favourite things.
A porcelain vase made some years ago, with just picked indigenous Victorian flora.

Footed bowls.

Love this technique of throwing a foot on a leather hard bowl.
New glaze is working well, subtly lets a cobalt under brushwork through.

Classical flared rim bowl.

No words yet.

Slipping.

Trying some slip, various applications. Hopefully it will stay on the bowl.

Inside and around the rim is a glossy slip. around the foot is a matt slip. The gloss is clear. Hopefully no crazing, but this is the first large test so we will see.

16th century footed bowl.

Work in progress.
Taking direction from a rimmed and footed 16th century S.E. Asian bowl.
Nearly ready for the bisque firing.

Bread board.

Today, I made a bread board.

Plane serving board.

With a new "block plane" I've been making some serving platters from a lovely hard Eucalyptus, blackbutt timber.
A very hard wood indeed, certainly tests one ability to stay calm. Though the outcome is quit rewardable. Next step to find a nice treatment for the wood. Beeswax or an oil?

Naked rim detail.

Yes, I am quite liking this result.

Naked rim.

Here are some new bowls just out of the kiln.
They are my experiment with glaze free rims. The one on the left has a rim of bare clay. The one on the right has a rim brushed with slip but no glaze as well.
They have been fired upside down, they have warped ever so slightly, just enough to give them a nice character. The advantage of all this is that the foot is completely glazed. Though the dilemma is how to put my name to them, I don't want to use a decal.

An empty bowl.

It's late Winter.
Not so cold, but still not so warm.
It felt like the coldest Winter for so so many reasons. looking forward to some warmer days.

Throwing feet.

I love the look of a small thrown foot.
I've done so many of these that I find it easier than trimming a foot now. Though I am still learning. I made a 40cm (rim diameter) bowl two days ago and threw a foot on it late yesterday. Just a little while ago I stamped my logo on the base and when I flipped it back over, it was too soft and I left a dent with my hands. I easily resolved this by spinning it on the wheel and gently pushed the impressions out. I sat it on its foot and it collapsed. I guess I had made it too soft with movement.
Oh such frustration. And a little bit of frustration. I should have left it overnight before stamping my logo into the base. Never rush clay.

Platter.

A rich glossy chocolate glaze on a walled platter. Dragged at four points with the side of a chopstick to slightly square it.

Favourite old beaker for tea.

Documenting some old pieces from my beginnings of pottery making.
This is still my favourite tea cup/beaker.
The glaze is a favourite.
Unfortunately due to the way materials change from being mined, I'm no longer able to get this glaze to work. Hence I am forever working on new glaze formulations. I'm sure a new favourite is in the next firing.

Mugs.

Mug.

Mugs with pulled rim.
Nothing quite as exciting as throwing a perfect form, and then going that little further and distorting it.