Karen Sullivan on sat 9 apr 05
I fire cone 11+...I love the quality
Of the clay, the translucence of porcelain,
The clarity and depth of my glazes....
Once I was asked to help in the production
Of low fired objects....seven months of
Struggle to figure out a different
Temperature range and it's affects on
Clay and glaze...I was presented with
Glazes and colors that were important
To the artist/painter I worked with....
A completely new set of problems
Were required to make the materials
Work .....
I took this knowledge and use it for
Advice to students...but have gratefully
Returned to my temp of choice....
To my eye...all lower fired work
Looks soft....pale....garish in color...
Harsh....chalky...
While higher temps look crisp, have
Depth and brilliance....
So I place the object I meet in categories
Of temp and in a specific place in history....
So the objects have a specific identity
That reflects aesthetic choices,
Technological advancements,
Material availability...I recently
Had a discussion about how mines of materials
Change...such as Kingman feldspar, which was
The standard for for many years....and disappeared
Requiring potters to develop the need to adapt.
Seems the process of working with clay
Requires continued adaptation to a changing
World of materials...
Thanks to the brilliance of our glaze gurus
It makes our ability to function more graceful....
Bamboo karen
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