Chefmom Posted August 19, 2016 Share Posted August 19, 2016 This is my third round of carved candle globe luminaries. The first set came out of the kiln fire and I knew I would be making more! I brought them home this week from the studio so I could take my time carving and monitor the clay for the perfect consistency. I had the perfect day this week, thunderstorms and heavy rain kept me inside...carving clay!! It is sometimes hard to imagine the size difference from moist clay to finished item...since I have been taking very careful measurements from the beginning I put a new one side by side with a fired one to show the difference. The first round!! I used a dark speckled clay because I love how the glazes have depth and that earthy speckle when they are finished. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest OldGlory Posted August 19, 2016 Share Posted August 19, 2016 Beautiful!!! The glazes really do add character to the globes. It looks like they shrink almost 25%. Is that right? I had no idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candybee Posted August 19, 2016 Share Posted August 19, 2016 Those are beautiful! I love them! The colors and textured look is awesome. Love how the speckles came out too. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TallTayl Posted August 19, 2016 Share Posted August 19, 2016 So much work! Beautiful. Imagining the patterned glow cast on the walls. is that the speckled manganese clay? Trying hard to stick with as few clays as possible because testing glazes is already challenging enough, lol. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldieMN Posted August 19, 2016 Share Posted August 19, 2016 WOW, just beautiful! Goldie 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonstar Posted August 19, 2016 Share Posted August 19, 2016 Wait ... you made these ? My goodness, they are beautiful ! I remember when my daughter took a pottery course in college, she just loved it ! Loads of talent on here .... again, Im super impressed by everyone here 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jcandleattic Posted August 19, 2016 Share Posted August 19, 2016 Drop. Dead. GORGEOUS!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trappeur Posted August 19, 2016 Share Posted August 19, 2016 Beautiful! You going to sell them? Trappeur 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Posted August 19, 2016 Share Posted August 19, 2016 Awesome! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faerywren Posted August 20, 2016 Share Posted August 20, 2016 Absolutely beautiful! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chefmom Posted August 20, 2016 Author Share Posted August 20, 2016 On 8/19/2016 at 11:50 AM, TallTayl said: So much work! Beautiful. Imagining the patterned glow cast on the walls. is that the speckled manganese clay? Trying hard to stick with as few clays as possible because testing glazes is already challenging enough, lol. I work with two speckled clay bodies, a light buff clay with speckle...I'm finishing my Standard #112 boxes and then will probably switch to the Laguna version (the studio owner switched from Standard to Laguna recently). This dark speckle clay is Laguna #70. It's a dream clay. Wonderful to throw and it takes the glazes like a very dark clay. I also work with a black clay, I'm testing the new version now, after it fires with my favorite glazes I'll decide to keep working with it or not. I don't work with white stoneware often, usually only when I want to do something in the cone10 gas kiln. Most of my work is Cone5 electric fired. Yes, the shrinkage is pretty substantial. It's hard to really plan because it shrinks differently in height and width. It's in the 15-+% range depending on the size and shape of the pieces. You so rarely have a visual of a wet clay body and a fired piece to get a real idea of the shrinkage. As usual I keep very detailed notes on clay weight and size so that I can recreate pieces, as well as lots of glaze tests etc. And...yes...they will be for sale. I'm gathering stock for my first really big street festival in a month, and then a month later is the County Potters Tour where all the pottery studios have a collective open house one weekend in October. They get a lot of traffic from as far as Pittsburgh and it's my first year participating as a Guest Potter in the studio I work in. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jcandleattic Posted August 20, 2016 Share Posted August 20, 2016 When they are for sale, I'd love to get a couple for Christmas presents this year. Please keep me(us) informed of when we can purchase! Thank you! (And good luck with your fairs/shows - I'm sure they will be a huge success!!) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kandlekrazy Posted August 20, 2016 Share Posted August 20, 2016 Yes beautiful work! Absolutely love them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puma52 Posted August 21, 2016 Share Posted August 21, 2016 Oh, my Heaven's ta' Betsy!!!! Those are gorgeous!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natasha2106 Posted August 22, 2016 Share Posted August 22, 2016 these look amazing. They will give lovely patterns around the room when lights in them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TallTayl Posted August 22, 2016 Share Posted August 22, 2016 Is your black clay, really black after firing? Amy Palatnick uses a gorgeous dark clay that is nearly black. Kind of like a deep dark chocolate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chefmom Posted August 22, 2016 Author Share Posted August 22, 2016 16 minutes ago, TallTayl said: Is your black clay, really black after firing? Amy Palatnick uses a gorgeous dark clay that is nearly black. Kind of like a deep dark chocolate. The black clay isn't as black as the black glaze...but it's pretty dark. The one on the left is the black clay, Standard #266. It's like a high maintenance girlfriend. It throws best at a very specific plasticity, if it isn't right it collapses and doesn't take water and then catches on your hands, no matter how much slop you have on them. It stains your fingers orange for days, it's no fun to clean up because you have to wash everything twice. It is fussy in glaze fire as well. Cone5, great...just a kiss higher in Cone6 and the clay body goes blistery and bloats. But...it takes glazes so lovely....so I have toughed it out. The Laguna version is called B3 and it throws better, but still stains your hands orange and is grumbly to clean up. The next glaze fire I will have my first B3 pieces out to make a final decision to stick with the clay body or not. The item on the right is the Laguna #70, and it takes glazes similar to the black clay, with the speckle coming through. It is a dream to work with and I have even dropped bowls on the wheel to be able to pick them back up and get a completed piece from this clay. I put the lid to my tea strainer in the center because it is black plastic to show contrast. I made these little pillar plates and glazed them to try to decide which clay I want to work with for my future dinnerware. I love the black clay, but for workability etc I'm leaning heavily on the dark speckle clay...I might change my mind after seeing the B3, but the #70 is very consistent. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TallTayl Posted August 22, 2016 Share Posted August 22, 2016 That is what I heard about the standard 266. Bloating is ugly being touchy to work with as well makes it a no-go IMO it it is finally cooling enough to think about running my kiln again. The heat and humidity we had this summer was tooooo much. Soooo looking forward to getting back to it. Too many ideas in my head to choose a first. Looking forward to seeing more of your work! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scented Posted October 6, 2016 Share Posted October 6, 2016 Way late for giving my praise. I love the look of the globes. Between you and Tall, I want to learn to do this and have no time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TallTayl Posted October 6, 2016 Share Posted October 6, 2016 Thanks for bumping this @scented! I am looking forward to seeing more gorgeous work from chefmom too... this is, after all, heading right into candle and luminary high season Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrazeKelly Posted October 6, 2016 Share Posted October 6, 2016 These are gorgeous!!! So talented!! ? Kelly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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