Monday, August 31, 2015

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?

Friday, August 14, 2015

Naked rim detail.






Yes, I am quite liking this result.

Thursday, August 13, 2015

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.

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

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.

Saturday, August 8, 2015

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.