Sharing The Clay Love

My sister-in-law, Heike (pronounced Hi-kah) is one of my favorite people to collaborate with, on art projects.  She and her husband are visiting us from Germany and will be here through Friday.

Heike, sketching designs for stoneware pendants.

Over the years, we've taught each other a wide variety of crafts. For example, one year Heike taught me silk painting (dyeing) and we made this wall hanging together.

And when I was in Germany 2 years ago, I taught Heike how to make a simple right angle weave bracelet.

I've been looking forward to sharing some clay play with her during her visit this year.  She has made jewelry with silver PMC before, but not with stoneware. So I thought you might enjoy seeing the process Heike went through, as she created stoneware pendants for the first time.

First I got out my buff stoneware and showed Hieke how to prepare it and roll it out evenly.

I spread out a large collection of cutters, stamps and texture plates.

And then we went out in the garden to collect some flora.

I showed Heike that if you cut your shape through a plastic sheet, the piece will come out with nice rounded edges.

 Then she got to work; bringing her drawings to life.

 The center of this pendant will be accented by a bead after it is glazed and fired.

Heike used a texture plate (below) on part of a pendant and plans to glaze it in an ombré effect.

The first pendant, on the left, will have a bead added in the center hole, as part of Heike's necklace design. The  2nd pendant from the left, will be glazed in an ombré effect.  The sets of 2 and 3 pendants will be connected together with beads or jump rings.

We let the pendants dry overnight and then we accelerated the drying process a bit by putting them in the oven at 190F for a few hours.  It is important that they are thoroughly dry before being placed in the kiln, or they could possibly explode.  We did a bit of last minute tweaking and the pendants were in the kiln by about 11:30 a.m.  Creating ceramic jewelry components takes several days, and we're a bit under pressure to get our project completed by Friday, when Heike and my brother in law head back to Germany. 

In my next blog post, I'll share the glazing process and the end products!  Till then-

Linda Landig  
Linda Landig Jewelry

Enshrined: Musings on the Shrine

Survey of my sculptural ceramic shrines; old and new. 

Enshrined:
1: to enclose in or as if in a shrine
2: to preserve or cherish as sacred

Shrine:
1. a : a case, box, or receptacle; especially : one in which sacred relics (as the bones of a saint) are deposited
b : a place in which devotion is paid to a saint or deity : sanctuary
c : a niche containing a religious image
2: a receptacle (as a tomb) for the dead
3: a place or object hallowed by its associations

Sculptural ceramic shrines in progress for an upcoming firing/workshop. 

I build shrines. I want to create a special space, apart, and elevated in importance to house objects. I often enshrine natural objects, and things that have symbolic meaning to me personally or in a larger mythic/cultural context. Last week and this week I have designed and constructed more ceramic shrine forms than in the entirety of last year. (Thats a guess, but I'm 75% sure its accurate.) Why the "creative frenzy"? I have signed up to do a workshop at month's end, where I will be wood firing and salt glaze/firing 20-30 pieces. That's quite a lot for me... 

But it has had me reflecting on the shrine idea... its an idea I return to again and again in sculpture and in jewelry. This first piece was a reversible mixed media locket of sorts. It was themed around research I had done into my German heritage and the town of Stade, where my maternal ancestors originated. ( Done for Tesori Trovati's "Challenge of Travel" it is on my blog in detail.)

My heritage/history piece: copper, mica, paper, resin, map, key, micro beads, tube rivets, micro bolts. 

Since I have been working in polymer these last few years I have tried my hand using that medium in a similar fashion. I have recently been experimenting with a few new ways of fabricating shrines in polymer - Ill share those soon.

Polymer shrine pendants showcasing Italian Tarot images from the late 1800's.

There are many artists that conceptually share the "Shrine" concept that appeals to me  - from metal clay, traditional metals/fabrication to mixed media/found objects. Let me take you on a brief tour of inspiration.

Jen Crossley - "A Mark in Time" blog

I haven't had the good fortune to meet Jen in her teaching travels when she is in the States from her native Australia, but I hope to some day. I love the sense of age and mystery that comes form integrating found objects into new pieces. I also find the book form a very meaningful and potent symbol. 

Jen Crossley: Found Object Compositions.

Christi Anderson: "Elemental Adornments"

Thank you Pinterest for taking me here. I am in awe. What else is there to say?! I an fascinated with enclosures, and the revel/conceal contrast. The wearer holds the secrets, the knowledge, and can choose to share that with the viewer. Or not... 

Christi Anderson: "Garden of Good and Evil"

Michael Thee: Michael Thee Studio

A more modern industrial look, and some tongue in cheek humor. Again the reverse reveals a hidden message...

Michael Thee: "Start Something"

Dana Stenson: "Dreams in Metal" blog

From Dana's site: "...that this necklace will be included in Showcase 500 Art Necklaces, being released this summer by Lark Publishing!  I am so happy to be included in this wonderful collection.  The locket was created as a portrait of my great-grandmother, Georgia Helen Griffith.  She was was an independent, college-educated woman who traveled to Jamaica in 1890 as a Quaker missionary.  The materials in the locket include etched copper, sterling, sapphire, garnet, and found objects; elements are hand fabricated and lost wax cast.  Above the antique map on the back of the locket is the Quaker star. "

Dana Stenson: "Portrait of my Grandmother"

Wanaree Tanner: Tanner/Teiken  Again - this piece is a locket and a shrine. I can't find the words. So stunning. 

Wanaree Tanner: "Year of the Dragon"

Thanks for taking that tour with me. I am always striving to present a cohesive body of work from shrines to decorative tiles to jewelry. I see a series of shrine pendants in my future, echoing motifs in my tiles... And I have wanted to do shrine structures with removable/wearable pieces for years!

I look forward to what ever future inspiration brings!

Moving Forwards, Glazing Backwards?

Glazing. So much glazing to do... 

I do like to get all things organized first... 

I have been doing so much of it lately... my first large festival of the year is in a week and there's a new Ceramic Art Bead Market (auction site) on Fb that is taking off. I have new work to glaze and get out there, and i have old favorites to restock and replenish. My pieces are very detailed, a bit narrative, and completely mythic/nature inspired. Let me give you a glimpse into the glazing routine that draws on my painting background. (Back in the art school days before clay found me...)

Highlights and lowlights, Fins and ombre shading. 

I work most often with a combination of "low-fire" glazes and underglazes. I like the way I can mix and paint with the underglazes, layering, blending and the like. In the mermaids above you can see three tones in each hair color, and the type of color variations I use on the tails. But then that is all covered by 2-3 coats of a transparent turquoise glaze (below) This does allow the color variations painted in underglazes to show through, and gives an underwater appearance. Many layers? Yes. An investment in time? Yes. But I think its worth it. Tiny paintbrushes? Yes! 

Some of these tiny dears are looking a little worse for wear.

With a new crow design I am working on this year - I had to drastically change my approach. I did a series of these at a fellow artists request. I wanted to capture the iridescence of the crow's feathers, and so painted them in black underglaze, thin like a watercolor wash, and then applied blue and purple highlights. No good. I have approached these now in a backwards fashion... Here's what I mean: 

Backgrounds glazed, then first payers of underglaze. 

Three colors on each berry. 

adding one more color, then the black. 

I begin by glazing the background and the pendants reverse side in low fire glazes, three coats of course. Then I begin the details. First a bright cobalt, then a purple. The berry has shadow and highlight, each in a simple brushstroke accent. Then one more color, a teal and I add the black. They are each a bit different, but consistent. Of course now - after I finish writing this, all the areas so painstakingly painted in underglaze have to be glazed over with 2-3 layers of clear gloss! 

seals, crows, hares awaiting clear glaze... 

The kiln is loaded from yesterday's marathon glazing session, just waiting for these beauties on the top later. Let me refill the coffee and go crack open that jar of clear! I'd love to hear what you think of these new demanding colorful corvids...

Sea Urchin Cabochons: How They're Made!

I've created so many stoneware sea urchin cabochons lately because they were in high demand when I returned from the bead cruise.  They had been featured in Beverly Herman's "Star of the Sea" workshop and the ladies had asked for more.  So I thought I'd share an inside peek at how these pieces are made...

Fresh Block of Stoneware

All urchin cabochons start their life from a block of brown stoneware.

Wedged Stoneware

I cut a piece of clay from the block and wedge it for proper consistency and to remove air pockets.

Slab

The clay is then rolled into a slab.  I use a simple wooden rolling pin for this.

Greenware 

I cut the cabochons from the slab and then smooth the edges.  They are then set aside for awhile.

Mold Made from Antique Button

Another piece of clay is cut and wedged then I remove a small piece and roll it into a ball.  The small decorative urchin element is created from a mold I made of an antique button.

Molded Stoneware

The little ball of clay is pressed into the mold, removed and then set aside.

Scored Stoneware

I then score the decorative urchin and the cabochon, apply a bit of slip and join the two pieces together.

Greenware Cabochons

The cabochons are then left to dry for a couple of days.

Bisque Cabochons with Oxide Applied

Once the cabochons are completely dry, they are put into my small kiln and bisque fired.  I unload them the next day and apply an oxide to the decorative urchin element.  The oxide is applied by brushing it on and then wiping the excess with a wet sponge.

Glazed Cabochons

After the oxide is applied, each piece is glazed.  I typically apply 2-3 layers of glaze.

Finished Sea Urchin Cabochons

Once I have enough work to fill the kiln, I load all the pieces and fire to Cone 6.  The pieces are unloaded the next day and then inspected for any flaws.  I then spend a day photographing, editing and writing drafts for my shop.

And there you have it!  That's what it takes to make a sea urchin cabochon!

Happy Beading!

From the Ceramic Bead Maker's Studio, Part I: Clay & Clay Bodies

I love making ceramic beads. And while most ceramic artists will tell you that glazes are their favorite obsession, and though I like them too, I like clay just about as much. I am a clay hoarder collector. While on road trips, anytime I happen to be near a clay supplier, I am sure to stop in and check out the clay they have in stock, and will usually leave with 3 or 4 bags.

A variety of fired clay body samples; from clay obtained in the southeast US. (Stone Mountain Clay). 

What is Clay vs. Clay Body?

First it's important to understand to distinguish (raw) "Clay" from "Clay Body"...

"Clay is a natural product dug from the earth, which has decomposed from rock within the earth's crust for millions of years. Decomposition occurs when water erodes the rock, breaks it down, and deposits them. It is important to note that a clay body is not the same thing as clay. Clay bodies are clay mixed with additives that give the clay different properties when worked and fired; thus pottery is not made from raw clay but a mixture of clay and other materials."    
~ Encyclopedia.com / Pottery.

Ingredients are added to raw clay to stabilize workability and firing properties. This changes the clay from simple raw "clay" to a "clay body":

"The term 'clay body' will be used to indicate a mixture of clay like materials with other inclusions for a specific ceramic technique. In other words, a 'clay body' may have several different kinds of clay, fluxes, silica, grog, and other ingredients for color,plasticity, warping, cracking, shrinkage, porosity, firing temperature,texture and etc. A single clay from the natural world will seldom have all of the characteristics which the potter will need for a particular ceramic technique. The principles of forming a body are the same regardless of whether it is earthenware, stoneware, or porcelain. 
~ Basic Notes on Clays and Clay Bodies by Robert Fromme.

Types of (Raw) Clay

There are 2 major groupings of raw clay from which clay bodies are created:

1. Primary Clay, or Residual Clay is clay is formed at the site of the parent rock. It is less common than Secondary (Transported or Sedimentary) clay, but generally whiter, free from impurities. Because this clay is broken down by ground water, etc. and not transported, particle size is mixed (no opportunity for sorting or grinding) and the clay is usually not very plastic, and are refractory. Most kaolins are primary clays. 
2. Secondary Clay has been transported from multiple sources by water (alluvial), or wind (aeolian), which sort particle sizes, or by glacier (glacial), which may grind but has uneven particle sizes. Many secondary clays contain organic (carbonaceous) and other impurities (iron, quartz, mica, etc.). Some of the more plastic kaolins are secondary clays. Other secondary clays: Ball Clay, Stoneware Clay, Fireclay, Earthenware Clay, Slip Clays, Volcanic Clays.   
~ Clays and Clay Bodies by Linda Arbuckle.

The rolling cart where I keep my most-used clay bodies upstairs in the main studio.

Types of Clay Bodies

There are 3 types of clay bodies used by most ceramic artists. They are typically commercially mixed. Each of these have distinct characteristics and firing routines:

1. Earthenware fires from about cone 08‐02 (1751°F‐2048°), and can be white, buff, orange, red, or brick. Usually not as vitrified as high‐fired clays. Tends to warp and melt before it vitrifies. Less shrinkage than more vitrified clays, often used for sculpture. General absorption range 5‐10 %. Addition of 0.5% barium carbonate will react with the soluble salts in earthenware bodies, esp. terra cottas, and prevent scumming on dried and bisqued wares by forming insoluble compounds of barium and soluble salts.
2. Stoneware can be from medium range (cone 4‐6, 2170‐2230°) to high temperature (cone 10, 2350°), white to dark in color, medium to coarse in texture. General absorption range for stoneware is 1‐5%.
3. Porcelain is a high‐temperature body (cone 10‐11), very dense and fine‐grained, vitrified, translucent when thin, white to pale blue‐grey in reduction, white to creamy in oxidation. General absorption range 0‐2%. If a texture is desired, molochite, a porcelain grog, is usually used to maintain white color. Very white porcelains are often short (low in plasticity.)
~ Clays and Clay Bodies by Linda Arbuckle.

I purchase and use clay bodies from all three groupings, however, my predominant choices are stoneware and porcelain. I currently have around 35-40 different clay bodies in my studio, but typically only use about 6-8 on an ongoing basis. When I have the urge to try something new I'll open up some of the others to give them a spin. I keep smaller samples of each clay body in small labeled tubs near my workbench so that I can quickly and easily access anything I want.

Some ceramic artists mix their own formulas, or even have a clay manufacturer mix it for them. My studio is not big enough to warrant me doing that, however, I have occasionally mixed a couple of bodies together to see what happens.

It is also possible to gather your own raw clay and mix your own clay bodies. Raw clay comes from a variety of places, but can be readily found near springs, creeks or riverbeds. As a young child living in rural Georgia in the early 60s, I  often played in and around mud puddles along the gullies and edges of the Georgia Red dirt roads. That dirt was very rich in clay. Making mud pies and even crude little pinch pots was possible, which provided endless hours of outdoor fun in the hot humid summers.

A few of my clay bodies, ready for use at the bench.

I don't know why I didn't do this before, but I am starting a project to fire all my clays to maturity, unglazed (raw), as a means of reference. Here are just a few I started:

Just a few of my clay body samples.

In Part II I will share with you the rest of my fired clay samples, and some samples showing how the same glaze will look differently on different clay bodies.

Meanwhile, here a few past samples of beads on a variety of clay bodies, each imparting it's influence on the glazes used with them.

Spiral Fossil Discs in a variety of clay bodies and glazes.

Bead strands with beads in a variety of clay bodies and glazes. 

Here's totally random picture of Casey in my studio in Ulla's house (her crate where she likes to hang out - Shhh! Don't tell Ulla, she doesn't like Casey in her house)...

Casey in Da House!

Stay tuned for Part 2 (in a couple of weeks) when I talk about how clay bodies affect glazes.

Karen Totten
Starry Road Studio