Marcie McConville on tue 7 may 96
Dear Fellow Clayartists,
Hi, I am a new subscriber and relatively new to the whole email
process but find the prospect of conversing with a group of like-minded
people in this way very exciting! At present I am engaged in research
involving clay and glass combined in a single firing. I would be delighted
to hear from anyone who has dabbled in this area or anyone who may have
tips that they would be willing to share.
I bisque fire the clay first and then fire them together after that.
I have had some interesting results with a local casting slip but have not
been successful in achieving an interface layer. There has been varying
degrees of success with other clays but all result in crazing or cracking
of the glass to some extent. I also dabble in the slumping and fusing of
glass.
If anyone has any advice I would love to hear from them
regards
Marcie McConville (Sydney, Australia)
Lisa Skeen on wed 8 may 96
In a message dated 96-05-07 22:37:51 EDT, you write:
>clay and glass combined in a single firing
Marcie: I have not done anything of this sort, however, I have been
interested in the possibility of say, throwing a bowl in clay, and placing
pennies around the rim in the kiln to see what would happen. Another idea I
have had is to put semi-precious cut stones, such as amethyst, quartz, or
crystals in a pot. A jeweler friend of mine tells me the cut stones will
change color, but he's not sure what color they'll change to.
Let me know how things come out for you.
Lisa
Don Goodrich on wed 8 may 96
Hi Marcie,
I've been making things using stoneware and glass for about three years
now. I make saucer-shaped reflectors attached to candle-holders, and trays
to hold incense sticks, with a layer of crushed colored glass in them fired
to ^6 in an electric kiln. Normally, I inscribe a design in the clay while
plastic, bisque, and apply glazes to surfaces that will not be horizontal
when fired. On the horizontal surfaces, I sprinkle powdered glass (usually
blue) into the inscribed design, using a soft brush to sweep it into the
depressions in the clay. Then, I cover this with a thicker layer of crushed
green glass. With any luck, the blue will show through the green after it's
fired, accentuating the design. Sometimes the blues and greens mix and swirl
in pleasing unexpected patterns; other times they obscure each other if too
thick.
Yes, the glass tends to form cracks. Lots of them. In candle reflectors,
this is evidently a pleasing effect since customers snap them right up. They
sparkle with a depth ordinary glazes don't achieve. For awhile, I worried
about breakage due to heating/cooling, but after many days of testing, none
broke nor did any glass detach itself. Still I would avoid using this
technique to decorate a dish for food. However, I've noticed that Mark
Skudlarek has been making some beer mugs with colored glass inside, woodfired
to ^12.
Around here, there's a plentiful supply of green from discarded beer
bottles. A small network of friends has been trained to save blue wine
bottles and hand them over. Other colors of glass turn up at garage sales in
various forms, usually aborted stained glass projects.
I'm looking forward to whatever other clayarters contribute on this topic.
Any glaze formulas incorporating glass?
--Don Goodrich in Zion, Illinois where the sky is gray, but at least it's
warm and some flowers are blooming.
"Ronald Galyen - Teacher - Mt. Carmel Elem RGALYEN" on thu 9 may 96
On Wed, 8 May 1996, Lisa Skeen wrote:
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> In a message dated 96-05-07 22:37:51 EDT, you write:
> Marcie: I have not done anything of this sort, however, I have been
> interested in the possibility of say, throwing a bowl in clay, and placing
> pennies around the rim in the kiln to see what would happen.
Watch that you don't try new pennys. I have done some experimenting with
copper enameling, including on pennies. One time I looked in the kiln
and found the penny glowing with a brilliant white "flame?" and there was
nothing left but the enamel in a glop and this yellowish white powder.
Later I found out that pennys are no longer copper. What happened in the
kiln did not look good. And I doubt that the vapor given off was likely
to be healthy.
Ron
In a part of southern Indiana that did not get blown away yesterday.
===================================
= Ronald W.Galyen =
= rgalyen@mars.esc.k12.in.us =
= Brookville, Indiana, U.S.A. =
===================================
"Ronald Galyen - Teacher - Mt. Carmel Elem RGALYEN" on thu 9 may 96
On Wed, 8 May 1996, Don Goodrich wrote:
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Hi Marcie,
> I've been making things using stoneware and glass for about three years
> now.
.. . .
> I'm looking forward to whatever other clayarters contribute on this topic.
> Any glaze formulas incorporating glass?
> --Don Goodrich in Zion, Illinois where the sky is gray, but at least it's
> warm and some flowers are blooming.
It seems some time ago I saw something about pieces of colored glass with
dry powdered frit of some sort in the bottom of saucers or trays etc.
It might be something to try.
===================================
= Ronald W.Galyen =
= rgalyen@mars.esc.k12.in.us =
= Brookville, Indiana, U.S.A. =
===================================
Marcie McConville on sat 11 may 96
Dear Don,
Thank you for sharing your tips on firing glass and clay together. I
was pleased to find that I was not the only one working in this area but as
yet I have not worked with crushed glass or glass powder. I have been
attacking the process from a different angle (using sheet glass) attempting
to find a clay body that will form a craze-free marriage with the glass but
Don you have inspired me to experiment.
Interesting to hear about the woodfired beer mugs with glass inside,
Mark must create SOME glass/clay interface layer!
Dear Lisa,
No I haven't combined any other materials with in the firing process.
Once in my undergrad days I did attempt to combine a brass frame (that I
made in a foundry course) with glass! I took the small electric kiln up to
680 degrees celsius and the result was a disaster...the brass turned black
and ugly and the glass splintered where it overlapped the brass. I know
that this was not a sensible thing to do but it did satisfy my curiosity!
Dear Ronald,
Are you using sheet glass, crushed glass or glass pieces? I have been
screen printing on both clay and glass using oxides, body/glaze stains and
borax in a honey medium. I overlap, distort, collage and sometimes
partially sandblast the images and I'm very fond of using text. But as yet
I haven't used glass in glazes but its food for thought...I love a
challenge!
Many thanks Don, Lisa and Ronald for sharing your tips and thoughts
regards
Marcie McConville (in sunny Sydney)
PS. I emailed Alama & Prisma in Kenya re ceramic molds for glass and I
thought that perhaps I should share my small amount of knowledge on the
subject with the group.....I have thrown doughnut shaped rings for slumping
glass. I believe stoneware clay is best for this purpose and I fired mine
to 980-1,000 degrees celsius, some say it can be lower but mine have been
fired several times and come through the crash cooling process intact. I
wash the molds with :
Alumina Hydrate..........1 cup
China Clay(powder).......1 cup
Water....................6 cups
This wash settles to the bottom quickly and must be stirred constantly
during application. I apply 2-3 coats allowing each one to dry before the
next one is applied. I also use this wash for my shelves when slumping
glass.
Note: If using a bowl or plate with the bottom intact holes must be drilled
into the bottom to allow the air to escape as the glass slumps.
Marcie
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