Preparing for My New Kiln and Testing

 I tried to match the lines and the texture of the plaster plates in every figure. The movement of the dancing figures is more clear because of the small bumps on the surface. The girl’s portrait is simple and calm, but it shows expression with the natural roughness of the material. Some details were tests to see the limits of the material.

These works are not just drawings; they are also important steps for me to understand how the plaster and glazes work together on the ceramic surface. When I fire them in my new kiln, I will learn more about the relationship between the material and the form.

Recently I have been making tests on different plaster plates to make molds. They are not dry yet, so I can’t finish or use them. But I bought a new kiln! It is coming from a factory in Germany, so I need to wait a little. I don’t want to fire these tests in my old kiln because I want to wait for the new one to make the first adjustments and tests.

When my new kiln arrives I plan to work mostly at cone 9-10 temperatures. I will try new glazes and clays to find the best results. The part I like most is not making many products but spending time trying and testing. Now, I keep the works I like and that work well, but I don’t make many copies yet. That time will come with the new kiln.

Because of the warm weather, the small plates are almost dry, but I will wait to fire them until my kiln arrives. After the first settings and firings, I will start to fire these tests.

Testing Clay as Grog

 A few months ago I decided to make my own grog. I started by drying out some of my red and black clays then crushed and sieved them into different particle sizes. After bisque firing the crushed pieces I mixed them back into fresh clay and made a series of small tests.

Visually the grogs from both clays behaved quite similarly once mixed in. At first I thought the red grog had completely melted away but after the second firing I could still spot both the red and black particles—though only if I looked closely. Especially under a thin layer of transparent glaze, it was hard to distinguish them in the final pieces.

Texture-wise the grog size made a noticeable difference on the surface feel but in terms of color or contrast the results weren’t as striking as I had expected. I used fairly high grog ratios but I enjoy pushing materials a bit and seeing what happens when control gives way to play.

These kinds of small tests often start spontaneously in the studio, but end up leading to more serious thoughts. I’ll keep experimenting with different ratios and glazes to better understand how the material responds.