Studio Saturday

Nine small pots have emerged from the kiln - I was very excited to see them!

A before-and-after comparison would be useful, and I've resolved to keep better records. It's great fun to do different kinds of stitching, but at this point I need to get a grip on the technical stuff - especially the consistency of the slip.

The slip was to thick - no transparency!

These were dipped into the parian slip, which was much thinner - the pots seemed very fragile and the one is front just didn't work from the stitching point of view.

Parian gives a glossy, waxy finish - not sure I like it

The one with the fragile thread loops was a surprise - a few of the loops had fallen off, but the "blobs" worked out well. It has to be handled very carefully, and that will make a difference to where to put the loops on any future loopy pots  -

 Out in the sun, you can see the broken areas of the pot on the left, and the way the seam on the right could be made into a feature of the pot -

These were about the texture of the stitch and also whether various threads were actually metallic -

The bottom of the pot was wetted before dipping -
is that why some of the thread marks are so clear?
"Further research is needed"

I was also checking how the crack repair (paper clay plus gum arabic) worked - it worked well. But slower drying to avoid the cracks in the first place would be better.

Seventeen more pots are ready for dipping - but before they get covered in clay, I'll photograph each separately and write some notes.

These two are the start of a different series - using bias fabric. I went through the drawer containing silk fabrics and found different weights, and the plan is to make simple pots, not much more than a tube, and try different consistencies of dip along with the different weights and weaves of the fabric.

Once the bias tube is sewn up, a firm ring of thread is added to top and bottom, to help the pot stay round. The magazine that's put inside expands to the size of the tube, and the right amount of thread can easily be wound round and held in place for sewing -

 On Friday afternoon Jackie brought in a seasonal treat -

Though I've settled in a bit, what I haven't done much of is ... pottering about, like other people do (for example).

Along with my generally slower pace of life, the commitment to the studio, to making work, means that a few things have to fall off the life-menu, among them rushing around to exhibitions here and there - for instance, Cathie Pilkington at Dorich House Museum, Kingston University (till 28 July, open Thurs-Sat). I haven't been keeping up with exhibitions - ah well, "later"....