Gradation Blue Disks Piece

This was just a little tester piece that I wanted to see if I could achieve a colour gradation. I have used porcelain and cobalt oxide. I should have sieved the oxide into the clay as it has gone speckley which is not what I wanted but it was an experiment. I would next use lesser quantities of the oxide or go to a stain instead to solve the speckley problem.

close up

the tester disks

Repeat Forms

Here's some more of my work which I am going to take forward to my final show hopefully!

5 thrown cylinders the same diameter so they can fit on top of each other to make one tall cylinder which measures approx 48cm (the tallest one I've made so far.)

on top of each other

Attaching the disks to the cylinder. Smaller ones at the bottom then getting bigger towards the middle then smaller again. There's going to be two of this construction so it will make the pot look curvy even though it's straight.

Starting the next section. You can already see it going in out in out which is what I wanted.

From above

The joining method

The finished piece. I am very pleased with it was it has worked how I wanted it to. I now just need to glaze it somehow because I don't like glazing my work as I feel like it a glaze can ruin the piece.

It took about 20 hours and just over 400 different sized disks. I would like to experiment with coloured clay next to get a gradation so that way I would only need to lightly spray glaze it transparent.

Pop-Up Plymouth

My work can now be purchased from Pop-Up Plymouth at 109 Cornwall Street, Plymouth. There is an array of beautiful work that you can buy from glass and ceramics to cards, badges and prints.

Current College Work

I am now in my final year at Plymouth College of Art studying BA in Ceramics. For this first project I'm focusing on my repeat forms developing them further and taking them to a new level.

test pieces- attaching half disks to a thrown vessel.

colour gradient tests using blue and green stains mixing with stoneware and porcelain

paper maquette

thrown vessel before the disks and below after. Because the vessel was wider at the top than the bottom I've attached the larger disks at the bottom getting smaller towards the rim making the finished vessel look wider and straight edged even though it isn't

Porcelain test piece using cobalt oxide gradiating in tone.



Clarks Farm Greyhound Show 2012

Another opportunity to purchase my ceramic work at the Clarks Farm Greyhound Show in Little Totham on Sunday 16th September. I will not be there as I am in Plymouth but my Mum and Sister (and possibly my dogs too) will be there filling my shoes! The address is The Street, Little Totham, Maldon, Essex, CM9 8JQ. Please pop down and see the other stalls too and support the wonderful Clarks Farm Greyhound Rescue in rehoming retired greyhounds! While you are in the area you might as well go down to The Barn in Chigborough as it is a 15 minute drive from the show grounds where my work is also being sold in the shop.

Links:
Clarks Farm Greyhound Rescue http://clarksfarmgreyhounds.btck.co.uk/
Clarks Farm Greyhound Show and Fun Day 2012 http://clarksfarmshow.org.uk/
The Barn in Chigborough http://www.thebarnatchigboro.co.uk/index.html

Lidded Pot with Spoon

Handbuilt pot with a double semi-circle handle detail and top and bottom bands. Also with a spoon.

My next idea is to experiment with lid types and to use either agateware clay for the body or coloured slip for decoration. Also experiment with scraffitto or pattern techniques on the body of the pot.

Pair of Lidded Pots

Freshly made today they can be sauce pots for family gatherings, hold coffee and sugar or anything really!

Audience

I'm very pleased to find out that my blog has been viewed in Germany, Alaska, Singapore, Australia, USA and obviously the UK.

New Work...

Thought I'd treat you all to a sneaky preview of the work that I have been currently making in my spare time.

First image is of a small vertical loopy vase with black slip on the edges of all the loops and the rim of the cylinder. It took a very long time to make so I'm going to make these as a limited edition and with other coloured slips too.

Small Vertical Loopy Vase with Black Slip Edges.

Vase Detail

The other image of a hand made lidded jar with a double semi circle handle on the lid. I'm very proud of this and thought I'd be impatient but it is still standing and I like the lid detail.

The Jar

The Barn at Chigborough

You can now buy my ceramic work from The Barn at Chigbrough in Heybridge, Maldon, Essex. The Barn is a branch off of Chigborough Fisheries which is on the same road. Have a look at their website http://www.thebarnatchigboro.co.uk/index.html for more information about them. Here's the postcode for the Fisheries CM9 4RE The Barn is just a little bit down the road on the left.

My work at The Barn. (sorry about the poor quality, it was taken on my phone)

Plymouth College of Art Summer Show

So the long and awaited Summer Show at Plymouth College of Art is nearly here. We have all been stressing and worrying about everything and anything but it has been worth it! On display will be Ceramics, Metals, Glass, Jewellery, Textiles, Wood and other materials. The Degree work will be out aswell as the Foundation students works. It could be a chance to buy some work from fresh and budding new talent before we get famous!!

See below for opening times and dates:

Plymouth College of Art, 23–29 June
Free entry
Opening hours: Saturday 23 June: 10 am–2 pm; Monday 25-Thursday 28 June: 9 am–6 pm; Friday 29 June: 9 am–4 pm

http://www.plymouthart.ac.uk/summershows

Tea Set Design

I've always wanted to try and make a tea set so I've been coming up with some designs which I like but now that college has finished and they are removing all the equipment out to make room for the summer show I can't go in an make them on the wheel. So I thought I'd share the drawings with you instead of the actual pieces. The teardrop pattern will be either transfer or painted coloured slip.

Tea/coffee pot

Milk pot

...to follow design for a sugar pot and mug...

Bovey Tracey Contemporary Craft Festival

I have got some of my Crystalline Glaze pieces for sale at The Contemporary Craft Festival in Bovey Tracey they will probably be on the Plymouth College of Art stand. http://craftsatboveytracey.co.uk/

New Designers

Third year students at Plymouth College of Art are raising money for them to go to New Designers in London in June. They are holding an auction at Ocean Studios and I have donated one of my loopy ceramic vases to be auctioned off. There are other pieces to bid for such as glass pieces by Lawrence West and jewellery by Maria Whetman. Please have a look on the link provided and bid for whatever pieces you like. All money raised goes to the New Designers Fund to get PCA thrid year students to London!

http://www.oceanstudios.org.uk/shop-auction

Final Pieces with Crystalline Glazes

So here they are the long awaited and beautiful final pieces for my Final Major Project.

 Glaze 11 and Copper Oxide

 Glaze 32 and Cobalt Oxide

 Glaze 11 and Black Iron Oxide

Glaze 11 and Cobalt Oxide 

Ceramic Pieces Ready To Sell

I thought I'd post a photo of all of my ceramic pieces that I have at home ready to sell so please don't be afraid to get in contact with me though e-mail if you would like to purchase any pieces.

Prices range from £6-£80.

Final Design for FMP

So after a bit of thinking and a few ideas popping into my head whilst trying to sleep I've come up with 2 shapes that I think will suit the crystalling glazes. The first shape is a shallow cylinder shape with walls that are slanted in slightly in 2 different sizes. The other shape is a dome but with a base and an opening at the top. This piece will be on a table and be crystalline glazed on the inside. Hopefully people will want to pick up the pieces, feel them and look inside to see the beautiful glaze. From a distance I am hoping for the viewers to think and wonder what is so special about that pot and then when they get closer they will then see that it has a beautiful and complicated glaze on the inside.

Crystalline Glazed Dishes

I made 15 dishes in some bisque moulds and wanted to do something with them using the 3 glazes that I want to use for my final design/piece. So I thought I'd try and create a wall piece using them. They came out of the kiln and 2 of them got stuck to the cookies that were under them because there were small cracks in them so the runny glaze seeped through. Then 1 broke so I was left with 3 of 1 colour, 4 of another colour and 5 of the other colour.

Black Iron Oxide

Copper Oxide

Cobalt and Manganese Dioxide

Crystalline Glazed Bottle Shapes

Here's some photos of my latest crystalline glazed pieces. They are stoneware bottles tallest one 31cm by 10cm in diameter I am really pleased with them as I thought that it wouldn't work as crystalline glazing best suits a porcelain body for its whiteness and pure body. They will be for sale after my assessment near the end of May so email me if you are interested any of them rharrison1991@hotmail.co.uk

Manganese Dioxide 

 Copper Oxide

Cobalt Oxide

PCA Easter Craft Fair

Don't forget the PCA Easter Craft Fair is on Saturday 24th March 10am-2pm at Plymouth College of Art. I will be selling my ceramic work starting at £2.50-£30 so come on down there will be other stalls there such as handmade gifts, crafts, ceramics, jewellery, cake, coffee, prints, clothes and much more. Come and support local artists and students selling their work!

Crystalline Ring and Pendant

One of my glaze test piecs fell on the floor and broke so instead of throwing it out I wanted to reuse it in some way either by making a mosaic or jewellery. Because of the inside was a black background with light blue crystals on top I decided to make some rings and pendants using the pieces. Although I am not the best jeweller in the world I did learn some techniques last year that I remembered and put to good use. Over the next few weeks I will try and improve the techniques and make it look more professional and everyday wareable looking.

I didn't make the chain

Porcelain Badges

Here's a little teaser of what will be for sale at the Easter Craft fair at Plymouth College of Art on Saturday 24th March 10am-2pm

Crystalline Glazing

So I loaded and programmed my first crystalline glaze firing and I was expecting to get no crystal growth or they'd fall over in the kiln and stick to the walls or the glaze bubble and bloat. But I opened up the kiln lid and was i was grinning like the cheshire cat; I was so pleased with the results I think they are all beautiful especially the green one. I now have to gently tap the join of the pedestal and pot without the piece breaking the bottom.