Glaze test

This bowl is my latest test piece hot out of the kiln! (it was actually still tinging when I took these shots!) I lined the inside of the BC (black chunky) Clay with porcelain slip to get a better colour response from the glazes I have been using. This is a crystalline glaze that Kate Malone uses. No crystals have grown but I think the finish is great. Crackles in the glaze, pooling in the middle and I love the way the BC has bleed into the glaze and trickled down the outside. This is the effect I was trying to achieve with manganese on other pieces. I might just put this on a little bit thinner so it's not quite so dark in the middle next time.... more test!
Hooray for BC Clay!!

Black smooth clay

Latest experiment is black smooth clay with a crystalline laze on the inside. (fired to 1250)The black clay has given the glaze (turquoise on earthenware) a dramatic finish. Really pleased with this piece, one of my 'huggable' pieces! 

HOWEVER!!! On writing this blog... I re-fired it to a higher temperature (1280) to see if the glaze would flow a bit more and it BROKE!!! It's now in 4 pieces and no longer a birthday present for my friend!

Degree show promotional ideas

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