Phyllis Tilton on sat 8 oct 05
I read some of the messages about smoke firing and thought someone might mention Jerry Caplan. If I remember correctly, he had retired from teaching somewhere in Pennsylvania. In addition to the smoked raku, he did workshops at the Logan Clay Factory, Logan, Ohio and, I think, in California, too. I loved the work those folk did--those big extrusions of clay could be whacked with ball bats or other to manipulate the clay. One of Jerry's sculptures is in the Schmacher Gallery at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio. I think I read that Jerry had left this world for a better place but he definitely left his mark on the clay world.
I did get to attend one of his workshops on what he called, smoked raku-about 10 years ago. I did get to see Jerry at the 1999 NCECA. The process as I remember it, involved using raku clay, making the pieces. We could use underglazes or oxides-whatever for color or they could be without color. These were made and bisqued before the workshop. Jerry gave an informative lecture before and explained the procedure.
We started with pouring slip on to the pieces--manipulatiing the piece to get a thin coat and had a window of time(I don't remember how long--something like 5 minutes) to carve thru the drying slip making a design--floral, a horse, cat face,etc. He had a kiln heated and shelves built up to the top most level. and controlled with a pyrometer. We wore covering apparel--long sleeves and he had the very well insulated gloves--metal mesh in them. He would control the firing of the pieces--and again, I don't remember the time frame or the temperature. Then, we would reach in the top of the kiln and carry that piece to another area--putting the piece on folded newspaper, surrounded with sand and a cardboard box was placed over the whole thing. Jerry was pleased when some one brought Wall Street Journals--thought the denser use of ink gave better smoking. When the smoking stopped, the box was lifted and again with gloves-the slip, dried and no longer clinging to the piece, was dumped off.
The carving thru the slip gave the smoked contrast. When cooled, we did some scrubbing. Different finishes could be used---I used the white wax and polished with a piece of plastic bag. Nice patina. There were some really nice pieces.
In retrospect, I wish there had been the opportunity to do that again. After learning the method, I could have tried some other things and had fun with them. Is there anyone else that attended one of Jerry's workshops that remembers some of this?
Phyllis Tilton
daisypet1@yahoo.com
www.artinview.com
Charter Member Potter's Council
Jeremy/Bonnie Hellman on sat 8 oct 05
Hi Phyllis and others who knew Jerry Caplan and his work,
Jerry Caplan lived in Pittsburgh and taught here at Carlow College. He died
in mid January, 2004 at the age of 81. His obituary in the Post Gazette is
found at: http://www.post-gazette.com/obituaries/20040116caplan0116ap2.asp
Jerry leaves behind a legacy of people who were positively influenced by him
and by his work.
Bonnie Hellman
----- Original Message -----
From: "Phyllis Tilton"
To:
Sent: Saturday, October 08, 2005 9:50 AM
Subject: Re: Smoked Firing----and Jerry Caplan's Smoked Raku
>I read some of the messages about smoke firing and thought someone might
>mention Jerry Caplan. If I remember correctly, he had retired from teaching
>somewhere in Pennsylvania. In addition to the smoked raku, he did workshops
>at the Logan Clay Factory, Logan, Ohio and, I think, in California, too. I
>loved the work those folk did--those big extrusions of clay could be
>whacked with ball bats or other to manipulate the clay. One of Jerry's
>sculptures is in the Schmacher Gallery at Capital University in Columbus,
>Ohio. I think I read that Jerry had left this world for a better place but
>he definitely left his mark on the clay world.
>
> I did get to attend one of his workshops on what he called, smoked
> raku-about 10 years ago. I did get to see Jerry at the 1999 NCECA. The
> process as I remember it, involved using raku clay, making the pieces. We
> could use underglazes or oxides-whatever for color or they could be
> without color. These were made and bisqued before the workshop. Jerry gave
> an informative lecture before and explained the procedure.
>
> We started with pouring slip on to the pieces--manipulatiing the piece to
> get a thin coat and had a window of time(I don't remember how
> long--something like 5 minutes) to carve thru the drying slip making a
> design--floral, a horse, cat face,etc. He had a kiln heated and shelves
> built up to the top most level. and controlled with a pyrometer. We wore
> covering apparel--long sleeves and he had the very well insulated
> gloves--metal mesh in them. He would control the firing of the pieces--and
> again, I don't remember the time frame or the temperature. Then, we would
> reach in the top of the kiln and carry that piece to another area--putting
> the piece on folded newspaper, surrounded with sand and a cardboard box
> was placed over the whole thing. Jerry was pleased when some one brought
> Wall Street Journals--thought the denser use of ink gave better smoking.
> When the smoking stopped, the box was lifted and again with gloves-the
> slip, dried and no longer clinging to the piece, was dumped off.
> The carving thru the slip gave the smoked contrast. When cooled, we did
> some scrubbing. Different finishes could be used---I used the white wax
> and polished with a piece of plastic bag. Nice patina. There were some
> really nice pieces.
>
> In retrospect, I wish there had been the opportunity to do that again.
> After learning the method, I could have tried some other things and had
> fun with them. Is there anyone else that attended one of Jerry's workshops
> that remembers some of this?
>
> Phyllis Tilton
> daisypet1@yahoo.com
> www.artinview.com
> Charter Member Potter's Council
>
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> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
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> melpots@pclink.com.
Ingeborg Foco on sat 8 oct 05
Phyllis,
I took a workshop on "Smokeless Raku" with Jerry in Portland, Oregon. I
don't remember the year. However, he sent me a post card thanking me for my
participation. I still have it.
It was a lot of fun and I've never gone back to smoking the old way. One
piece of paper does the trick. I 've sold a quite a few of the slip poured
pieces and I am still doing them when I run low.
I think Jerry died a number of years ago and I was sorry to hear of his
death. He was a nice human being.
Ingeborg
the Potter's Workshop & Gallery
P.O. Box 510
3058 Stringfellow Road
St. James City, Florida 33956
239-283-2775
> We started with pouring slip on to the pieces--manipulating the piece to
get a thin coat and had a window of time(I don't remember how
long--something like 5 minutes) to carve thru the drying slip making a
design--floral, a horse, cat face,etc. He had a kiln heated and shelves
built up to the top most level. and controlled with a pyrometer. We wore
covering apparel--long sleeves and he had the very well insulated
gloves--metal mesh in them.
Diane Palmquist on sat 8 oct 05
Bonnie,
thanks for posting the obit on Jerry Caplan.It was good to read it. I
also did a workshop with him on his "smokeless" Raku. It was a great
workshop. All of us got great results with our drawings, especially him!
Jerry was very spontaneous and creative. He also demonstrated construction
of animals with nails and slabs of clay. I have one of the horses he made
and enjoy it all the time. He was a very informative, kind and wonderful
man. That is how much he radiated in a short workshop. I was very saddened
to hear of his death last year.
Diane Palmquist
-----
> Hi Phyllis and others who knew Jerry Caplan and his work,
>
> Jerry Caplan lived in Pittsburgh and taught here at Carlow College. He
> died
> in mid January, 2004 at the age of 81. His obituary in the Post Gazette is
> found at: http://www.post-gazette.com/obituaries/20040116caplan0116ap2.asp
>
> Jerry leaves behind a legacy of people who were positively influenced by
> him
> and by his work.
>
> Bonnie Hellman
>
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