Double Walled German Jug

I was busy, wasn't I? And I am in a rush to get these posts done. This picture its hard to see what I've done, but it's not an illusion...there are HOLES in the jug. And you CAN drink out of it.

It's double walled. I just realized I should have taken an inside picture of the piece, but I didn't last night. Basically, there is a separate, thin "rosebud" vase that I threw, slid into the cup, attached permanently into it, and I incised the outside cup. Glazing the entire piece completed it. While this piece has a little more weight than a normal cup, TECHNICALLY it has TWO cups into it, so its not THAT heavy considering its about 8" in height, and its High fired stoneware.



I'm extremely happy with this piece. The engineering of it was incrediably elaborate. I had to figure out how it was done, throwing the pieces was interesting, measuring them out was yet another challenge (because the rosebud had to slide into the main jug tight) and then, I had to attach the pieces blind. The weather was very dry and I was afraid the piece would crack. Then I can to do the incising/craving without crushing all the work I had done before. I couldn't imagine how potters did this in production. They must have figured out a better way than I did it for sure.



Pretty impressive if I do say so m'self. :)

Romano-British Glazed Wares

That's a mouthful. 1st-2nd Century "flagons" or as close to a "goblet" in ceramic form that I have found. I've found etrustacan, but it wasn't your standard modern goblet, let me tell you. Anywho.



They are made with a black slip in period. I used a very thick black-red glaze instead (can we say FOOD SAFE and more durable). The decoration is APPLIED clay and its all done by hand, using NO extruders, no small clay devices and all worked by my own copying the period technique from thick to thin.



As you can see, I threw a very narrow base with a wider rim. The original piece was SLIGHTLY wider, but as this is California, I gave my piece a wider foot on purpose so it wouldn't TIP over when full of liquid or if an earthquake happened (a rule my professor instilled into me). It's a difference SO miniscule that most people wouldn't notice and the reality of it makes it MUCH easier to use. I actually have a wider more period one, and the thing tips over constantly. Believe me, people WILL thank me for it.



Decoration very close to period. Double swirl attachments, much more difficult than the German Bellermine attachments as these are closer and NOT molded. This piece is open form, so there isn't any structure to push against like a bottle would have when you are doing an attachment. It is much lighter with the same amount of clay.

The difficulty here was throwing from a narrow base to bloom out to a bulbous belly without warpage or any major twists.

I think it actually came out really good.

Triple Down...

Firing last night came out very interesting. I do need new elements, so the glaze was a little more matt and texturized than usual (which is what I wanted for a "fake salt peel" which is what I was trying to accomplish). It was very cool. The reduction/newspaper left a white ash residue on the top layer items (none of those are on this blog yet). Any pieces that the paper touched left a yellow-brown "plume" mark. Not much of a mark, but it was an interesting test.

Within the firing was my German "fuddling" Cup...my triple-partle puzzel cup.



As you can see, it is three separate drinking vessels...



Thrown with no base of their own (so they wouldn't stand if left to their own devices).



The device is designed from a German 17th century design modified with the Caidain cross, sprig molded in a period fashion.



These things are connected by hallow chambers to make people spill.



High-Fired Stoneware, my own glaze mixture LONG since altered. I mix all my own glazes, fire my own kiln. In period, these were fired lower, but I fire higher to promote durabilty of the pieces and virtification of my clay body.



In Los Angeles, I can not fire Salt in my kiln due to emission laws. Salt, when it hits certain tempuratures, turns to cholrine gas. Bad. In all reality, its as bad as a car exhaust, but with the newspaper burning, I'm starting to think its a good idea that we don't fire salt in my kiln.


This project took me three and a half hours roughly to attach. This doesn't count the throwing time, sclupting the mold, making the mold, or the glazing. Probably the entire project was five hours on one piece.

Which explains the amount of photos I took on this one piece and the amount of care I took with it. All in all, I am extremely proud of this piece for the light-weight feel, and over-all look to the piece. It is DEAD close to its original.

Welcome to my Pottery Blog!

As the summer months are here and I was commissioned as "An Tir's Royal Potter", I will be creating a slew of pots that probably will be one of a kind pieces. I wanted to share them someplace, so I thought I would start a blog here to see how that worked out.

I'll be sharing my hobby with you all... my pottery and my ceramic knowledge.



Hopefully my friends will get a kick out of seeing my work, as I think MANY have never seen it before. I talk a lot about it, but only a few of you really get a chance to see it up close. I do mostly "period historical pieces" so get ready to see some pretty wild stuff. I want to write some articles too if I have the time. We will have to see how this all goes, however. This is all a test.

Hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think! And if you have questions about it (how it was made, what it was used for, etc) don't be SHY! I enjoy teaching people about my work. :)

Cya later!