The Three Muses - a glaze journey...

This is my newest tile design and it tells quite a tale. Pour yourself a cup and I'll tell you... 

And so it begins. 

Here is my new Three Muses tile - the original sketch and the first copy pressed from my mold. It was a long time getting to this state... designing, sculpting, casting in plaster, curing. I was thrilled to have it in my hands. Definitely my most complex tile to date - especially since I do not often do (human) figures. 

I have Lesley and Caroline to thank for the inspiration. In a truly "Scenius" way, a conversation we three had started all this. We were discussing felting, and wool, and curly locks, and gabbing a bit as you do. Someone, Lesley I think, names the thread Three Wise Women. A little cheeky, and a little accurate as we were each other's go-to for feedback and advice. 

I swear this image popped into my head fully formed. 

Please note: thumb for scale! All you are about to see takes place in a tile maybe 6 x 7". 

And then it went further. Three wise women. Three Graces of Classical myth, three Muses. Suddenly Burne-Jones and Rossetti and the Pre-Raphealite painters were there too clamoring for attention. Long Waterhouse style dresses to hide the body (not cheating; just simplifying) and evoke an era of art history? Done. Lets go all the way and inscribe the tile with the motto associated with the Pre-Raphaelite brotherhood! ( In for a penny... ) The motto is "Ars Longa, Vita brevis" which translates to "Art is long, life is short". 

Animal familiars? Three witches? My 2 dogs naturally and Lesley's cat Cleo. A hare for Caroline? Sure! The two of them had recently met up for a hare themed exhibit in the UK and I was desperately jealous. You KNOW how I feel about hares. Oh and should I mention that the hairstyles are loosely inspired by we three? I know - it seems over the top. But it felt right to me. They DO need hairstyles, after all. 

So I recently glazed the first two of these tiles. Why only 2? Well... They are very complex. I wanted to share the process here in a photo essay of sorts. This IS how I glaze all of my ceramic tiles - this one is just many more small parts.. 

1. Stain the entire tile with black (or dark) underglaze. Looks a wreck until you sponge it back. I like the added depth it gives the relief and it prevents any glaring white areas if a spot is accidentally left unglazed. 

Trust is needed here. 

2. Glaze the background ares. I like to work "back to front". This is either underglaze or glaze depending on my planned treatment of the frame. Three coats in and around. 

I think they look good already! SO excited. 

3. Three coats of peachy underglaze on faces and hands. 

Dark dark blue used to stain crevices on this version. 

4. Base color of hair - 3 coats. Sometimes 2 if my underglazes are thick. 

Even working 2 at once there are many variations. Truly one of a kind results. 

5. Accents in hair. Highlights and low lights. 

Aiming for auburn in the middle. We shall see. 

6. First dress: green glaze - 3 coats. 

7. Secong dress - dark blue glaze - 3 coats. 

8. Third dress - turquoise glaze - 3 coats. I selected this analogous palette for the first tile because I knew these glazes and colors worked together, chemically and visually. 

They look so "bleh" at this stage. These are glazes I have used and trusted for 20 years though!

9. Paint the hare and cat in underglazes, with details. ( Sorry Cleo - your marking will have to wait.)

Feeling a little disappointed with detail in these two animals. Then I remind myself they are like the size of a quarter! 

10. Paint the dogs in underglazes. Include shadowing and highlights. Yes, they look like my dogs. What else did you expect? 

OK that was fun! 

Doggy details. Oscar in black and white. Zoey in fawn and brown. 

11. Glaze the background - 3 coats! And edges of tile. In this case I used a transparent grey; since the center area had an underglaze color on it the tile will read ad having a 2 toned background. ( Different tile as can see. I did say I did 2 at a time) AND glaze the center figures sash! 

Yes - different dogs. Simplifying a little and mirroring the cat and rabbit's colors. 

12. Very carefully paint 3 coats of clear glaze to all areas that are underglaze only. This will seal them, give them a gloss finish matching the other glazes and make them durable. 

This is tedious and my least favorite part. 

13. Fire the tile in the kiln. These are low-fired glazes and fire to ^04 at app. 1850 degrees F. 

Ta-Da! And yes - this one already sold. My husband told a return customer this story and it was a done deal! 

I couldn't be happier! I wish I could accurately tell you how LONG it took to do the 2 tiles pictured here in this photo essay. I will keep track next time. I like this palette - I think a tile this "busy" needs harmonious colors to read well without dramatic contrast - so it doesn't compete with itself. I do look forward to trying other palettes on the next few.

Thanks for staying until the end... I am proud of and deeply invested in my work, the details, the layers of meaning that may never be evident to the casual viewer. This new design means quite a bit to me and I am happy to share the backstory with you!

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...