Samantha Stankiewicz on sat 19 aug 06
Ron---Thank you for your suggestion---You're right, I wrote lime, when I meant TALC!!
Yes, I do know the difference, just a funny word switch. I can only imagine what my hands would
look like coated in lime---cold and blue!!!
I do like stoneware better and I believe that a slightly rougher clay is better for kids to handbuild
so I'm looking for something with more clay, but also more grog(?). In a public school classroom
where I'll easily have 80-120 kids a day go through my room, I just can't wedge a little for each
kid as it is hard enough to keep up with recycling scraps. I love working with clay but I dread
doing claywork in the classroom. This is not the concept of working with clay that I dread, but
the system that I've worked out. I just need to refine what I'm doing to make an easier process.
This includes finding a clay body that I can rely on with kids. Unfortunately I have house guests
for the next 3 weeks and don't have a ton of time to do tests before school starts so that is why
I'm asking for advice from people here.
Samantha
On Fri, 18 Aug 2006 00:06:11 -0500, Ron Roy wrote:
>Hi Samantha,
>
>The reason you found the stoneware easier to work with is because it
>probably has a high percentage of clay - as opposed to non plastic
>materials. That is one of the reasons that stoneware clays usually have
>such desirable working properties.
>
>I suggest you ask your suppliers what percent of clay is in their bodies
>and concentrate on the those with the higher amounts of plastic clays in
>them.
>
>That clay does not have 50% lime in it by the way - or any lime for that mater.
>
>RR.
>
>>Has anyone found a commercial cone 6 clay that is good for kids? I'd been
>>using Ceramic Supply's
>>schoolhouse white, however it is about 50% lime and it not only kills my
>>hands, but the surface
>>dries out so quickly that even simple pinch pots have surface cracks in
>>about 5 minutes. I've
>>decided to use a cone 6 stoneware and for primary kids, I'll just bisque
>>fire it with glaze. I am also
>>moving to cone 6 from Earthenware in my studio. The problem is that the
>>clay in my studio---it's
>>13AZ from Ceramic Supply-- is very sticky and I need to wedge it a bit
>>before handbuilding with
>>it. This is not a problem for me in the studio, but I have 463 students
>>and I'd like to be able to
>>"cut and go". The best clay I've used with kids is a cone 10 stoneware
>>that is Mikhail Zakin's house
>>clay at Old Church Cultural Center. It has a fairly rough consistency
>>which makes me think that it
>>has a high grog content. I've worked with that clay with kids for 2 hours
>>at a time and they can
>>form and join so easily that the projects seem so effortless. I'd like to
>>use a white clay because it's
>>easier clean up in the classroom. All suggestions are welcome.
>
>Ron Roy
>RR#4
>15084 Little Lake Road
>Brighton, Ontario
>Canada
>K0K 1H0
>
>______________________________________________________________________________
>Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
>You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
>settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
>Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.
m.mshelomi on sun 20 aug 06
Samantha...
From my experience with kids and clay, they mush/bang/torture it enough so
wedging should not need to be a concern. What is more important is that
they should learn to put pieces of clay together so they stay stuck.
So many of the children's pieces fall apart spontaniously while drying,
putting in the kiln or fall apart while removing them after the bisque. (I
am not teaching children at this time but load, fire & unload for the
teacher who does).
Thankfully the kids do not seem to be as attached to their work as adults
are. Once they have 'made' something, they can walk away without seeing
their work again.
pottermim
----- Original Message -----
From: "Samantha Stankiewicz"
To:
Sent: Saturday, August 19, 2006 3:21 PM
Subject: Re: cone 6 commercial classroom clay?/oops!
> Ron---Thank you for your suggestion---You're right, I wrote lime, when I
> meant TALC!!
> Yes, I do know the difference, just a funny word switch. I can only
> imagine what my hands would
> look like coated in lime---cold and blue!!!
>
> I do like stoneware better and I believe that a slightly rougher clay is
> better for kids to handbuild
> so I'm looking for something with more clay, but also more grog(?). In a
> public school classroom
> where I'll easily have 80-120 kids a day go through my room, I just can't
> wedge a little for each
> kid as it is hard enough to keep up with recycling scraps. I love working
> with clay but I dread
> doing claywork in the classroom. This is not the concept of working with
> clay that I dread, but
> the system that I've worked out. I just need to refine what I'm doing to
> make an easier process.
> This includes finding a clay body that I can rely on with kids.
> Unfortunately I have house guests
> for the next 3 weeks and don't have a ton of time to do tests before
> school starts so that is why
> I'm asking for advice from people here.
>
> Samantha
>
>
> On Fri, 18 Aug 2006 00:06:11 -0500, Ron Roy wrote:
>
>>Hi Samantha,
>>
>>The reason you found the stoneware easier to work with is because it
>>probably has a high percentage of clay - as opposed to non plastic
>>materials. That is one of the reasons that stoneware clays usually have
>>such desirable working properties.
>>
>>I suggest you ask your suppliers what percent of clay is in their bodies
>>and concentrate on the those with the higher amounts of plastic clays in
>>them.
>>
>>That clay does not have 50% lime in it by the way - or any lime for that
>>mater.
>>
>>RR.
>>
>>>Has anyone found a commercial cone 6 clay that is good for kids? I'd
>>>been
>>>using Ceramic Supply's
>>>schoolhouse white, however it is about 50% lime and it not only kills my
>>>hands, but the surface
>>>dries out so quickly that even simple pinch pots have surface cracks in
>>>about 5 minutes. I've
>>>decided to use a cone 6 stoneware and for primary kids, I'll just bisque
>>>fire it with glaze. I am also
>>>moving to cone 6 from Earthenware in my studio. The problem is that the
>>>clay in my studio---it's
>>>13AZ from Ceramic Supply-- is very sticky and I need to wedge it a bit
>>>before handbuilding with
>>>it. This is not a problem for me in the studio, but I have 463 students
>>>and I'd like to be able to
>>>"cut and go". The best clay I've used with kids is a cone 10 stoneware
>>>that is Mikhail Zakin's house
>>>clay at Old Church Cultural Center. It has a fairly rough consistency
>>>which makes me think that it
>>>has a high grog content. I've worked with that clay with kids for 2
>>>hours
>>>at a time and they can
>>>form and join so easily that the projects seem so effortless. I'd like
>>>to
>>>use a white clay because it's
>>>easier clean up in the classroom. All suggestions are welcome.
>>
>>Ron Roy
>>RR#4
>>15084 Little Lake Road
>>Brighton, Ontario
>>Canada
>>K0K 1H0
>>
>>______________________________________________________________________________
>>Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>>
>>You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
>>settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>>
>>Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
>>melpots@pclink.com.
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
> melpots@pclink.com.
>
>
Cindy Gatto on sun 20 aug 06
Samantha,
Get the S553 from ceramic supply in Lodi It is a good clay for throwing and
handbuilding/tilemaking fires buff is a ^6 body and will work well with kids
Cindy Gatto & Mark Petrin
The Mudpit
228 Manhattan Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11206
718-218-9424
_www.mudpitnyc.com_ (http://www.mudpitnyc.com/)
mudpitnyc@aol.com
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