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Clay…a medium that has captured my attention in the last few years!
Coming from a painting background made the three dimensionality of this
medium daunting. After a course in hand-building/wheel throwing, I have
launched myself into the world of mud! My throwing skills are waiting to
blossom, but in the meantime, there's a whole world of fun to explore!
There are many different types of clay, each having a certain temperature
that is needed for kiln firing to harden it or turn it into what is called,
“bisque.” This, coupled with a glaze firing appropriate to the clay body,
will produce a finished piece. The clays that I work with currently are
earthenware and stoneware.
Earthenware is white clay that can be painted with underglaze and needs to
be overglazed with either clear or colored glaze to be food safe. These
glazes need to conform to government food
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safety standards if the piece is going to be used for food use. Stoneware clay can be obtained in white
shades but I prefer the redder colors. Stoneware clay is a bit gritty and
stirs a primal sense in me– –as if I'm making something from the earth
beneath my feet When bisque-fired, that is to say before being glazed,
stoneware is capable of holding water! It undergoes an amazing molecular
change during kiln firing!
I use many different tools with the clay. One of the most valuable is
called a “slab roller.” This is a machine like a giant pasta machine that
rolls out clay in a consistent thickness. I then use various tools to cut
and shape the pieces into what I desire. On a smaller scale, I use a
rolling pin. Sometimes I make a mold from a hand-built protoype and simply
hand press clay into the mold. I have so much fun that I forget to eat and
sleep!
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