Ceramics week 5

This is what went into the kiln, in a sand tray

... and this is what came out

The black is due to the oxidation of the metallic threads in metallic organza during firing. I'm excited to see these experiments in using multiple thickness of fabric and in texture.

A better view -

The thin lines, 2nd left, are couched threads that ravelled out of the metallic organza and were twisted together. Which goes to show a grey shade is possible too.

About 15 years ago I made a lot of "leaves" out of metallic organza - this one had a longer stem, but a very delicate one -

An accidental breakage helps you figure out what needs to be done next.

This little object, about 8cm high, has a panel of metallic organza and is propped up by wires woven into the fabric and affected by firing. The delicate edge is a nice thing -

This object (a sea anenome?) is the largest I've made so far, about 12cm diameter. The basis is cotton lawn, hand stitched in rows of overcast tucks. To give it strength, the fabric was painted with glaze (Dora Billington) and left to dry with a ball of newspaper supporting it; the next week it was dipped in slip and fired as usual.

I'm pleased with the texture and how the floppiness has been transformed - and with how the unevenness of the painting or dipping, or both, has left some little holes here and there.

As the supply of porcelain casting slip had (temporarily, I hope!) run out, instead of doing any casting this week I was thinking about how to make a box for each piece ... the prospect of which will focus my attention on making fewer but much better pieces ... and doing some more painting with glaze on ever-larger gatherings of fabric -

Those are drying in preparation for dipping next week. In the meantime I'll be thinking about how to use the metallic threads/fabric - and how to make nice boxes; I'm remembering japanese boxes seen at Collect craft fair a few years ago.

As the course is about "surface design", you might want to see some of that ... what the rest of the class has been up to -