Something Different

Looking to broaden my palette, a piece using cobalt and barium chloride giving strong blue and a wonderful dark blackish brown.

Decorated and Ready for the Kiln

Spent most of the afternoon decorating work with wax resist and soluble salts. This is one of the decorated pieces before being placed in the kiln and fired to 1260^oC. Always a tense time as so much can happen during the firing. Let's see what tomorrow brings!

New Explorations

I have been experimenting with mixing small amounts of oxide into my soluble salt solutions, producing results that I find to be very exciting. Below are 2 examples from a recent firing that I am particularly pleased with.

 

Testing Testing Testing

I love coming up with new ideas and testing and developing them into my work. I have been carrying out a number of new tests recently using the soluble salts in new combinations and I find this particular one quite exciting and it opens many new opportunities for development.

The Watercolor look

I am posting these images of what I call the watercolor look. I have had  positive feedback on my new work and yet there is something about the ethereal quality in these that I find really successful.

Exhibition Time Again

It's all happening.
'David Walters and Friends' at WHAG, which I was once again honored to be part of, opened in Kimberley 2 weeks ago.
I am looking forward to tomorrow night's opening of the C S A Gauteng regional exhibition at the University of Pretoria, always and exciting event.
This weekend in Johannesburg, together with painters Rudi Trap and Andre Naude I am  the third part of the exhibition '3 South African Artists'.
It is really wonderful to have all this happening at this time and for those of you that might not get to see the exhibitions here are 2 images of some of my new work for these shows.

A Time of Transition

I cannot believe that it is over 3 months since my last post. Although I may not have been blogging  I have been doing what I enjoy the most, and that is experimenting. Still using the soluble salts I have come up with a new method of applying them in combination with wax resist. I think the results are quite different to my previous work, and I really like them. I have included 3 images and I would really appreciate your opinion.

The Case of the Disappearing Colors



The colors as seen under normal conditions



Under strong light dark blue appears from below the surface

 I have recently come across something quite extraordinary in my work with soluble salts. This is the absorption of the color into the body which is only revealed when held over a strong light source. The example shown above has a weak solution of Cobalt Chloride painted on then resisted and painted with Potassium Dichromate and has all but disappeared except for a plae green on the surface. When held over a strong light (apologies for the poor image) the piece shows a definate blue trapped beneath the surface, and the resisted area a pale green. What is the cause of this? My theory is that the body was too absorbant after bisque firing. I have found that if the piece is warmed before painting on the salt solutions and fired almost immediately the decorating is completed this problem disappears. Anyone got any other ideas on what could cause this. I would really be interested to hear from you.

Stronger Colour

Here are a few images from my latest firing. I have been experiencing some colour fading recently which caused me some concern, but I think I have solved that problem and am pleased to say that I have produced wonderfully vibrant colours in this firing as shown by these images. I think that the challenge is what keeps me going and results like these make it all worthwhile!

Subtle

Two pieces from yesterday's firing. I like the broad white rim on the top piece. The bowl below it is very small. I have glazed it on the inside resulting in a different look and feel.

Back in my Studio

Today was my first day back in the studio after my overseas trip. As is usual for me I started off by carrying out a number of tests. New shapes, new materials and different combinations of the materials I have been working with over the past few years. The tests are firing tonight and I will post any that come up trumps for all to see in the near future. It's good to be back.

Days of Miracle and Wonder

So much time has passed since my last blog entry and so much has happened since then that I really need to think about where to begin!

The selection process in the Western Cape

Firstly I was privileged to be asked to be the traveling selector for the Ceramics Southern Africa's National Exhibition which was held in the magnificent setting of the Grande Provence in Franschoek.

The magnificent surroundings at Grande Provence

Some incredible work was submitted for selections in all regions and the process went well and resulted in what could only be called an exceptional exhibition.


An general view of the CSA National Exhibition



Part of my entry on the National Exhibition

On my return from the selections I was greeted with news of a parcel in the post. I have been working with soluble salts on bone china for some time now and ever since I first heard of it I have been trying to get hold of a copy of the book 'Water Colour on Porcelain' by Arne Ase, which has been out of print for a number of years, but miraculously thanks to Facebook and a friend to whom I will be forever indebted I have finally got a copy of the book. It is overwhelming and inspiring, with enough information to keep me going for quite a while.
The day after returning home from the selections I was off to England to attend a workshop with renowned ceramist Sasha Wardell in Bradford-on-Avon. I have been a longtime admirer of Sasha's work and through her book 'Slipcasting'  she had unknowingly been a major contributor to the development of my Bone China work. 

One of Sasha Wardell's beautiful pieces

When the opportunity arose to participate in this workshop there was no option for me but to attend. The workshop was absolutely incredible. Information and methods were shared freely, I got to work on a potter's lathe and also to work with real English Bone China and as a result I found myself looking at mouldmaking and slipcasting in a whole new light.

Turning a form on the lathe

It was so inspiring to be a part of this workshop which I am sure will impact my future work.

After the workshop it was off to London for two days. One of these was spent at the new ceramic wing at the Victoria & Albert Museum.

Part of the display at the V & A Ceramic wing

It seems ludicrous to call it a 'wing' as it comprises the entire sixth floor of the museum. This was truly an experience over which I will never get! Seeing works that I had hitherto only seen on the printed page or computer screen was phenomenal! So much work. Far to much to list, but to see Bodil Manz's magnificently proportioned cylinders, Edmund de Waal's incredible installation of over 400 pieces placed way above the viewer (about three floors) and also to see the work of legendary names like Ruth Duckworth, Colin Pearson and Walter Keeler was almost to much to take in. This was an experience that words can never justify and to say I was moved by the occasion seems trite, and yet I cannot ever remember being this effected by ceramic work.

A bird's eye view of Edmund de Waal's incredible installation

I shall be forever grateful for this experience and I can only hope that that which inspired and overwhelmed me will show in some way in the work I am yet to produce.

A New Addition

This piece has been resisted with wax and then painted with various soluble salt solutions. After firing the salts, gold lustre has been applied in areas the work re-fired. This new work can be seen at the Ceramics Southern Africa Regional Exhibition opening at Museum Africa in Newtown Johannesburg on Sunday 11th September at 11.30 am.

David Walters and Friends

The exhibition, David Walters and Friends opens tonight at the William Humphreys Art Gallery in Kimberley. I am pleased to be one of the exhibitors this year. Here are images of 3 of my pieces on the exhibition.

New Work - At Long Last!

Narrow Flute

Subtle Colors

Undulating Form

Finally I have some new images to post. These 3 pieces, the first from my new kiln, will be part of my submission for the exhibition 'African Landscapes in Clay' to be held at the Association of Arts Gallery in Pretoria from 11th - 28th July. How wonderful to be producing work again!

Bound for Shanghai

I have been asked to participate in an exhibition of South African craft at the World Expo in Shanghai. This image shows 4 of the pieces that I am sending. The exhibition will run from 1^st May to 31^st October.

The New Body (Part 2)

Continuing on the earlier post of the new body I am working on, here is an image of soluble salts decorated on the surface of a piece. What is particularly exciting for me is that the body is as translucent as the bone china body I have worked with, but this one is fired at 1060 deg. C instead of 1250 which my bone china body requires. I will continue to use the high fired bone china for my one off pieces, but am looking at what applications this new 'eco' china could have!

New Year - New Work

I have been busy with new body tests, I am exploring alternatives with the bone china I developed for my work. I find testing and research one of the most satisfying and rewarding aspects of my work. Also have got hold of additional soluble salts I am experimenting with. No results as yet but will post images of some new work as soon as I have. For now, here is an image of work made towards the end of last year.

I have recently started a Facebook group called 'Ceramic Solutions' which is a forum for the discussion of faults and remedies and all things technical related to ceramics. If you haven't already done so let me invite you to join. 

And so it Begins

With the festivities behind us it is time to face 2010. So begins a new period in my life; I will be lecturing only on a part-time basis at the university. I am busy re-designing my website to include the courses that I am putting together to present this year, as well as more information on my work and where it can be seen. I am also currently developing a new clay body , but more on that when it is done.

The year ahead is rich with promise and I look forward to its unfolding.

May it be filled with the realisation of many dreams and exciting new realities for all.

I try to include an image in all my posts, but as I have not produced any new work yet this year as I am still looking for studio space, I therefor include an image from my last firing of 2009.

Turbulent Indigo

A new colour test. Dark dramatic blues reminiscent of stormy summer skies created from stronger solutions of cobalt chloride with touches of ferric and barium sulphate.