Carved Jars and Cups...birds

Carved jars and cups for the upcoming group show at Clement Gallery...

Carving designs into cups using underglazes...

I am addicted to clay...especially carving and drawing designs onto the surface while the clay is almost leather hard..

I get into 'the zone' when I am carving..its a visual stream of consciousness, and I become one with the clay...

But it takes a long time to  complete any work...
So I am trying a variation on carving...an old technique that satisfies my need to carve designs but takes half the time...and its outcome is working for me.

My pieces are nearly bone dry, then I paint underglaze onto the surface..and carve...
Firing with interior glazes this weekend.

This is the first one ...if it turns out..I will use it in the upcoming group show: "for the birds"..at Clement Gallery in Troy, NY

Coyote Celadons over Carved Surfaces...shot glasses and tea cups

More Samples of Color Glazes

These cups are a part of my experiments with underglazes and celadons...all commercial glazes, used in combination with eachother to hopefully achieve some unique colors and textures. In the process of layering underglazes, I discovered that I could carve through the layers to reveal the colors that were underneath...much like the old style of scratchboards we made and drew on as kids...more experiments with layering, scraping away, incising, and sanding..are in the works.
The other cups here were made using ceramic underglaze pencil, and then layered with various colors of Coyote brand celadons...these colors are great to  work with and there are several colors to choose from..the pencil line ran, unexpectedly...so planning to continue to  explore this method as well.

Experimenting with Underglaze

Saratoga Big Shots

Finished and delivered the Shot Glasses

I've been working on a set of shot glasses with a tray for weeks, and finally finished it.  I am entering the piece into a small, local, juried show called "Saratoga Inside Out" at the Saratoga Arts Center. The art is supposed to be based on the icons, landscapes, events, or ideas about Saratoga, but done in a new and creative way. In my piece, each of the 16 shot glasses represents the bars of Caroline Street...which is the center of night life in this town. Funny, because I dont do shots and I dont drink...but this town does...it likes to advertise itself as a community deeply rooted in "health, history, and horses"..but there is another side.

Making the piece was great fun...each cup is thrown, some are altered...then the designs were incised into the surface...after bisquing, underglazes were painted in layers...and transparent  glaze was applied over everything...fired to cone 5/oxidation.

 Saratoga Big Shots