No Plate Tuesday

     Having thrown 10 plates on Monday, I was not left with much space on my table to throw plates yesterday. Have no fear, I plan to make more today! Rather than try and talk about plates everyday, I thought it would be interesting to talk about a different aspect of my process each day for the next week or so.

My best buddy

     A major part of the ceramic process is mixing my own clay. While saying I mix my own clay may be a stretch for the standard definition, I do make it all by hand. Although boxed clay is quick and avoids making a major mess, making my own clay provides me the ability to make it however I want it and tweak small elements from one batch to the next. For example, if I plan on throwing 30 lb. bowls in the coming weeks, I'll mix the clay much softer than if I am making a lot of plates. Nothing is more frustrating than opening a box of pre-mixed clay that you payed a pretty penny for, only to find out that you got the product of a bad batch. Rather than scientifically calculating each ingredient down to the tenth of a percent, I make a rather rough mix that falls in line with Brad Schewiger's "fireclay and water" mix. Starting with reclaim from our studio

I sure love trimming lines

stoneware ( 70% Hawthorn Bond Fireclay, 15% Kentucky OM4, 15% Custer Feldspar, and 5% Silica) in a Soldner Mixer, I mix in additional Hawthorn Bond until the consistency is right. While it is not the most plastic clay I've ever used, I am particularly attracted to the properties of a fireclay heavy clay body. I may not win the tallest cylinder with 1 lb. of clay contest, but this clay body allows me to manipulate forms in ways that most clays would not.
     Another huge plus for this clay is the physical surface it creates. When done correctly, I am a huge fan of marks on pots that reveal elements of the process. For me personally, I try to record part of the process through trimming marks. Like with the throwing slip, these "magical marks" cannot be forced. Rather than setting out trying to create interesting trimming lines, I simply trim and allow the marks to create themselves. Forcing process marks onto pots is always distinguishable from marks that came naturally.
     Lucky for you all, I'll be shutting up for the next few days, as I will be firing a soda kiln down at The Meadows Pottery. However, when I get back, be ready to hear all about mixing throwing slip and see all kinds of soda fired pots.
      Rather than posting a random picture today, I want to spread the word about another blog that I enjoy very much. Brody Leven is a dude, and a very cool one at that. His blog is even more random than mine; however it's incredibly well written and extremely entertaining. It's the kind of stuff you couldn't make up if you
tried, and I catch myself laughing out loud constantly. On that note, if I could ever ask you to do anything, go check out homie Brody's blog (brodyleven.com) and if nothing else, be sure to read the series about the Craigslist creep (http://brodyleven.com/2011/04/05/craigslist creep-part-1-the-saga-of-getting-around/). You have to do it now... I gave you the link! Do it!

Doing it right!

       I lied about not posting a random picture. Do you really think I could pass up the opportunity? For all you know, I've already scrolled for hours, picking a long line of random photos-to-be.

From one of my first firings at UofL..Taken by the one and only Ali Greenwell