Ron Collins on mon 19 may 03
Here in Guatemala, the use of pure red lead oxide is still very =
prevalent. Sold as Mino en Polvo, as a paint pigment, no less, it is =
bright orange, not even labeled as containing lead, much less being pure =
red lead oxide, and as they mix their paint here for the 15th century =
adobe/plaster restored ruins, ----in 55 gal buckets, and often they use =
their arms to mix......we called the maker in Guatemala City to confirm, =
and yes, it's pure red lead oxide, and no , there is no label or =
information....we tell people, when we can....
To bun bun:
Formulas for low fire red lead oxide glazes:
Honey color: mix with water, fire to 7-800 C.
Pretty green: mix equal parts red clay and above lead. =20
I've done it out of curiousity. You can buy large pots every day in the =
market, made this way, and they will continue to do so, in spite of all =
efforts made by anyone....nothing else fires that smooth, that low..and =
they bonfire here.....it is awfully pretty, such nice irridescence, but =
pretty stupid too....
It might interest you to know that I have a comission from the =
ex-president's wife for her colonial authentic 15th century manse =
here...she wants exact as possible copies of pieces that she just bought =
in Spain....they are using it there making quantities to equal Bill =
Campbell, and glazing by wadding and stacking....totally authentic =
medevial/pre-colonial......our order, with a piece and photos to look =
at, are .nothing but cut out red earthenware with the above green lead =
glaze-it's easy to recognize it... We will try to make "our version", =
and if it was just one or two copies of a colonial piece, I wouldn't get =
all bent out of shape, about the lead, but lots and lots of dinnerware =
is a different story...may get the commission, may not, since it won't =
have that "look" that nothing else can give........she can afford to go =
back and get the real deal, and may have to...as badly as I need a large =
commission, and so nice that it is low fire, and cheaper to make, I'll =
pass, if it has to be lead.... if it has to be the beautiful green lead =
glaze, as I have enough copper and manganese in my bod already....there =
you have two traditional recipes, used for centuries, and still used =
with a gusto by the potters here....as Janet said, it builds up in the =
kiln, and it's a cumulative effect...since they don't use kilns here, , =
it just builds up in their and their children's bodies.....as if these =
poor folks here don't have enough health problems already.....from what =
I understand, Guatemala has the largest infant/mother/birth mortality =
rate in the western world.....I can't do anything about that, but I =
preach about lead every time I have someone here to listen.....but gee, =
when people are so desperately poor, with no social services, they don't =
think about the future, when they are trying to eat today...so use lead =
if you want, but don't try and justify it......we eat out of it every =
time we go to the nicest restaurant that makes typica food here.....but =
feel awful about the potters that we know that made the =
pieces.....Melinda Collins, Antigua, Guatemala
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