Tom Wirt/Betsy Price on fri 22 dec 00
Mel, et al....
Have to agree with the Mel approach...mostly. The only thing I'd say,
is if you're going to aim for any repeatability, keep some notes.
But there is a great temptation to get hamstrung by the science, to
the point of not proceeding. I found, you can't really read a ceramic
text and "get it". You'll pick up those things you're ready for, and
have to go back and reread when you're at a further point.
I'm sure you'll also get the reaction.....what if there's something
poison in there. This approach assumes some basic level of
understanding of materials. And if you're unsure at all, just don't
make food utensils. Also, if you plan to make a living from this
"artistic" way of approaching the craft, I'd strongly suggest some
additional study.
And to all a good night.
Tom Wirt.
Waiting outside Mel's house with my digital camera.........
From: mel jacobson
>
> this is how i do science. some will shudder/ what, no gram scale,
> no charts, graphs.?
> no, there are other methods...with experience, i know this will
work.
> many folks spend more time with grids, books, samples etc. then
> the do with pots...the method becomes a great deal more important
> than being a potter. that is too bad in my sense of things.
> ( i have tremendous respect for people that study and do chemistry
> and engineering...it is just not me.)
>
> as i teach, i try to let many folks know that there are many ways
> of experimenting.....it does not all have to be done by just
> chemistry or engineer majors. we all have the ability to search
> and see.
>
mel jacobson on fri 22 dec 00
this is how i am doing my blue tests.
have almost 80 pots done..
all have blue slip on them...did a set of porcelain plates for me.
all have blue centers, then a design in white slip over the blue.
have about 30 small bowls all with blue slip..white patterns.
about 15 bottles...all with blue slip...some scratch patterns.
and a bunch of random pots....all sizes, all with blue slip.
the slip is applied as soon as the pot is cut from the wheel.
wonderful big sloppy horse hair brush i made. (just bought
two wonderful brushes from china...big, floppy...works of art.
not cheap...beautiful....holiday present from me, to me.)
three clay bodies. dark stoneware, mixed stoneware and porcelain.
and of course a batch of white slime.
all pots trimmed now, and re coated with blue slip.
blue slip is made of:
porcelain slip in a `big` peanut butter jar. (4x25 porc.) cushing
four tablespoons of cobalt
one tablespoon of iron ox.
as i use the slip i add more clean porcelain slip...half cup at a time
no oxide. three additions.
i will make a clear sung glaze and do one third of the pots.
i will make a dock six celedon and do a third of the pots.
i will make a rich blue glaze and do the remaining pots.
fire to cone 11 and see what happens.
this is how i do science. some will shudder/ what, no gram scale,
no charts, graphs.?
no, there are other methods...with experience, i know this will work.
many folks spend more time with grids, books, samples etc. then
the do with pots...the method becomes a great deal more important
than being a potter. that is too bad in my sense of things.
( i have tremendous respect for people that study and do chemistry
and engineering...it is just not me.)
as i teach, i try to let many folks know that there are many ways
of experimenting.....it does not all have to be done by just
chemistry or engineer majors. we all have the ability to search
and see.
when aids is finally cured, it will come from someone who is not
looking for it. the rest that are looking, are probably in the same
car, on the same road, going to the same place. someone will take
a back road, stop and see trees, and there will be the answer.
i am totally doing this project as a teaching lesson for a group
of you on clayart. this is about just getting on with it.
living big. no fear. if the pots turn to shit...well, into the midden
pile, and make 80 more. i have my hammer in its holster on my
belt. it is ready to strike.
i built my first ifb kiln in my garage with only an odd set of drawings
from mackinnel in iowa. just thought i would have a go at it.
worked like a champ. had a, by chance, 36 square inch flue opening
to the stack. i did not have bridge bricks, so just did it that way.
dug the gas line by hand from the house. cut the pipes in the basement
and made a T. has worked for 40 years. i have to take some of it
apart this spring...put in new ball valves for safety, get rid of the old
ones, tighten things up.
have built 5 kilns now, improving each time, on that sight.
just moved the kiln 10 feet and built a new building around it...
it has a vent fan that will suck your lips off, and a wind tunnel
fan in the ceiling. hate fumes.
so, it is still a matter of getting on with it. it is the way potters
have worked since the ages. they have been wonderful inventors
and changed the course of history. ceramics, it has always been
the most important research in all great societies. same today.
the most important. our clay is golden.
mel
FROM MINNETONKA, MINNESOTA, USA
http://www.pclink.com/melpots (website)
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