mel jacobson on sun 30 oct 11
i have this strong aversion to ready made most anything.
it just seems like giving up a big part of being a solo
crafts person.
as a teacher i was able to have tons of clay on hand because
i spent nothing on glaze.
we had a 60/40 mix of gertsley and volcanic ash.
cheap...make it by 50 gallon drum at a time.
kids made their own from the base.
it made the program work.
jars of glaze? god, it sounds awful.
and then think of kids and jars of glaze.
`mel, do you have flesh colored glaze`/ i would
say....yes, dark brown. african. `oh`.
i love my own glazes..could not live with
slobbering someone else's glaze on my pots.
i know we live in a time when everything comes
`ready made`. auto kilns, auto clay, auto glaze.
most love it.
but, it is the slippery slope to having a `trained monkey`
do your work. just hit the button.
i know it is not `just mel again`. it means more than
that. it is like cutting trees and air drying wood.
make a table. god almighty, the good feeling of
accomplishment is amazing...and the excuses i hear
all the time...`but mel, i do the drawing, i can't afford,
i am too old...and stop hurting my feelings`...well..
bullshit. then take up knitting.
anyone that works in pottery, clay and craft is going
to have to do hard work. it is part of the process. some
days it hurts. rarely is it play...not for me. it is hard work.
but, built in satisfaction of the first order.
on friday i made 15 teapots, 8 big platters and a bunch
of small pots. those twenty pound balls of clay really
kick me in the butt...but, i do it. i will not give in to
`sit in front of the tv with a beer in my underwear.`
resting.
when the body gives out totally i may think of `ready made`.
but i bet i will just make smaller and keep on with what i do.
simplify.
mel
from: minnetonka, mn
website: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/
clayart link: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/clayart.html
John Hesselberth on sun 30 oct 11
On Oct 30, 2011, at 12:43 PM, mel jacobson wrote:
> i know we live in a time when everything comes
> `ready made`. auto kilns, auto clay, auto glaze.
> most love it.
> but, it is the slippery slope to having a `trained monkey`
> do your work. just hit the button.
>=3D20
> i know it is not `just mel again`. it means more than
> that. it is like cutting trees and air drying wood.
> make a table. god almighty, the good feeling of
> accomplishment is amazing...and the excuses i hear
> all the time...`but mel, i do the drawing, i can't afford,
> i am too old...and stop hurting my feelings`...well..
> bullshit. then take up knitting.
There is another reason to take charge of your own glaze compositions, =3D
particularly if you are a functional potter. When I was doing the =3D
research for MC6Gs, I tested a large number of commercial glazes. I =3D
found quite a few that were labeled as food safe that were, in my =3D
opinion, garbage. I have a photo of some of them in Figure 3-1 of the =3D
book. I could draw the color right out of them with vinegar in short =3D
order. They had apparently never been tested for stability. When I asked =
=3D
the developer of the glazes about this, I was told I didn't know what I =3D
was talking about--that it must have been my poor technique. Well, I =3D
don't think so.
Hopefully that situation has changed over the last few years and I do =3D
know there are some excellent and conscientious producers of commercial =3D
glazes out there. But if you choose to use commercial glazes on your =3D
functional work or on your outdoor sculptures that will see acid rain, =3D
please test, test, test. And do it again every time to get a new batch.
Regards,
John
John Hesselberth
john@frogpondpottery.com
"I love everything that's old: old friends, old times, old manners, old =3D
books, old wines." Oliver Goldsmith, "She Stoops to Conquer" (1773)
KATHI LESUEUR on sun 30 oct 11
I think a major factor in whether to make one's own glazes or buy them =3D
has to do with the volume of pots made in the studio. For a high =3D
production, functional potter like myself, buying glazes would be cost =3D
prohibitive. I make glazes in 10,000 gram batches. It takes a minimum of =
=3D
five batches to fill the three glaze bins that I use most. I can't =3D
imagine buying glazes to fill that quantity. I make glaze at least three =
=3D
times a year to fill those bins. I don't have a lot of miscellaneous =3D
chemicals around. If I'm testing a small batch and need a chemical that =3D
I don't have, I buy a small quantity. But, most chemicals are bought in =3D
fifty pound bags and several of those at a time. I buy what I use all =3D
of the time.
If your work is detailed with lots of different glazes applied to each =3D
piece it might make sense to buy glazes. But, for someone like me it =3D
just doesn't make any sense.
KATHI LESUEUR
http://www.lesueurclaywork.com
Bonnie Staffel on mon 31 oct 11
Mel wrote: when the body gives out totally i may think of `ready made`. =3D
but
i bet i will just make smaller and keep on with what i do. simplify. =3D
Mel"
When one has a passion for something, it is the last thing one wants out =
=3D
of
life to not do it any more. I am at a point where I need to shift gears.
Centering clay is like trying to center a brick. However, I do still =3D
throw
off the hump or use my coil and slab method. But my new love is hand =3D
work in
the manner of press molds that I made a few years ago. I also was =3D
teaching a
long time friend an introduction to clay making so accumulated a number =3D
of
wooden forms that would allow me to become creative in that method.=3D20
My goals now are when I cannot get down to my studio two flights =3D
downstairs,
I will have clay brought to my kitchen so I can continue with the press
molds or pinch pots. Hope to pass on with clay on my hands. I am =3D
thankful
that the fingers still work so that I can type very fast as my =3D
connection
with the potters far from my home can be a connection to pursuing my =3D
passion
as well.=3D20
I believe that to be successful in one's life is to have goals. When I =3D
had
achieved all of my big goals back in the late 80s, had to figure out =3D
some
new ones. Keeps the bounce in one's head and step, although the step is
getting less bouncy lately =3D20
When I started out in clay there was little information on studio =3D
ceramics
outside of a university situation or a few books in the library. I was
working as a secretary and an artist in my spare time, who finally found =
=3D
the
answer to my main goal in life. Tried commercial glazes from the main
supplier of ceramic supplies at the time which was AMACO in =3D
Indianapolis.
However, as fascinating I found their use, it didn't satisfy my desire =3D
to be
in complete control. Our evening enjoyment was firing at night and sat =3D
in
front of the peep hole of my tiny hand made electric kiln watching the
glazes boil and bubble. Seemed like magic. Friends would come over =3D
bringing
some dessert and we would make it a party. I made my pots in the kitchen
then and coming full circle, may wind up doing the same in the next few
years!!!! My daughter knows how to load and fire the kiln for bisque =3D
and
will probably finalize the pot by smoke firing. Also easily taught to my
kids.=3D20
I don't plan on going into a nursing home yet May have to take up =3D
Fimo
there, gad!!!
Warm regards,
Bonnie
http://webpages.charter.net/bstaffel/
http://vasefinder.com/bstaffelgallery1.html
DVD Throwing with Coils and Slabs
DVD Introduction to Wheel Work
Charter Member Potters Council
Ann Brink on mon 31 oct 11
You're my hero, Bonnie
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bonnie Staffel"
> Mel wrote: when the body gives out totally i may think of `ready made`.
> but
> i bet i will just make smaller and keep on with what i do. simplify. Mel"
>
> When one has a passion for something, it is the last thing one wants out
> of
> life to not do it any more. I am at a point where I need to shift gears.
> Centering clay is like trying to center a brick. However, I do still thro=
w
> off the hump or use my coil and slab method. But my new love is hand work
> in
> the manner of press molds that I made a few years ago. I also was teachin=
g
> a
> long time friend an introduction to clay making so accumulated a number o=
f
> wooden forms that would allow me to become creative in that method.
>
> My goals now are when I cannot get down to my studio two flights
> downstairs,
> I will have clay brought to my kitchen so I can continue with the press
> molds or pinch pots. Hope to pass on with clay on my hands. I am thankful
> that the fingers still work so that I can type very fast as my connection
> with the potters far from my home can be a connection to pursuing my
> passion
> as well.
>
> I believe that to be successful in one's life is to have goals. When I ha=
d
> achieved all of my big goals back in the late 80s, had to figure out some
> new ones. Keeps the bounce in one's head and step, although the step is
> getting less bouncy lately
>
> When I started out in clay there was little information on studio ceramic=
s
> outside of a university situation or a few books in the library. I was
> working as a secretary and an artist in my spare time, who finally found
> the
> answer to my main goal in life. Tried commercial glazes from the main
> supplier of ceramic supplies at the time which was AMACO in Indianapolis.
> However, as fascinating I found their use, it didn't satisfy my desire to
> be
> in complete control. Our evening enjoyment was firing at night and sat in
> front of the peep hole of my tiny hand made electric kiln watching the
> glazes boil and bubble. Seemed like magic. Friends would come over
> bringing
> some dessert and we would make it a party. I made my pots in the kitchen
> then and coming full circle, may wind up doing the same in the next few
> years!!!! My daughter knows how to load and fire the kiln for bisque and
> will probably finalize the pot by smoke firing. Also easily taught to my
> kids.
>
> I don't plan on going into a nursing home yet May have to take up
> Fimo
> there, gad!!!
>
> Warm regards,
>
> Bonnie
>
> http://webpages.charter.net/bstaffel/
> http://vasefinder.com/bstaffelgallery1.html
> DVD Throwing with Coils and Slabs
> DVD Introduction to Wheel Work
> Charter Member Potters Council
>
>
> -----
> No virus found in this message.
> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
> Version: 10.0.1411 / Virus Database: 2092/3986 - Release Date: 10/31/11
>
Paul Lewing on tue 1 nov 11
On Oct 30, 2011, at 2:59 PM, KATHI LESUEUR wrote:
I think a major factor in whether to make one's own glazes or buy them
has to do with the volume of pots made in the studio.
I think whether you make your own glazes or not also depends on tow
other factors.
If something goes wrong with a commercial glaze, or it doesn't work
just right for you, you'll never know how to fix it, because you don't
know what's in it. You'll never learn anything about glazes using
commercial glazes. And your work will always look just like everyone
else's.
So if you don't mind being ignorant and unoriginal, go right ahead
with the commercial glazes. But they're easy and convenient, so if
that's what is important to you in your work, they're just the ticket
for you.
Paul Lewing
www.paullewingtile.com
www.paullewingart.com
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