Ceramic Knobs

Well, I have been busy ! It all started when a furniture designer The Shabby Chiffonier asked me to create some draw knobs for some furniture she was designing. She was inspired by Alice in Wonderland and Mackenzie Childs designs. So off I went collecting and pinning designs in this theme until I came up with some unique designs.


I then researched the different techniques in making ceramic draw/cupboard knobs and decided the best technique to use would be wheel thrown in high fired white earthenware grogged clay ( K112 ).

 Each thrown knob was then hand sculpted. I made the small fairytale mushrooms separately and joined them onto the main body of the knob.

The hats were totally hand sculpted, no wheel work necessary. 

 The swirly pattern was created by using a hand held sculpting tool when the clay was leather hard.

The faces and hair were carved out of the wheel thrown knobs. One male and one female face because they will be used for 2 bedside cabinets, his and hers.

I inserted a deep hole in the underside center. Taking care not to distort the ball shape. The apertures were made 14 % larger to allow for shrinkage during firing. This allowed the bolt inners to sit comfortably after firings. I used my white pencil measuring 715mm. inners measured        .

I measured the bolt inner with some digital callipers for precision measurements.

Once thoroughly dried they were bisque fired to 1004c. Plugs out for the first 5 hrs. No soak

Fish Can !

  I've just completed a new piece of ceramic to be entered in an art exhibition. The theme is WATER and the environmental impact that we have on polluting our oceans, the theme raises political and ecological concerns. My design depicts our precious fish transforming into hazardous waste. We are what we swim in ! 

Earthenware pinch pot fired to 1000c, glazed using mayco with no transparent dip. Fired to 1004c and soak for 15 mins.

Oiled

 I've just completed a new piece of ceramic to be entered in an art exhibition. The theme is WATER and the environmental impact that we have on polluting our oceans, the theme raises political and ecological concerns. My design depicts an oil platform with spill contaminating the seas. 

Earthenware pinch pot fired to 1000c, glazed using mayco with no transparent dip. Fired to 1004c and soak for 15 mins. The waves were created by 3 coats of cotton tail and 2 mins later 2 coats of blue. Using a cocktail stick scraffito design for the curly waves.

rosette brooches

After doing much research on rosettes, I decided to create some porcelain brooches inspired by the equine rosettes, I used JAB porcelain, porcelain under glaze and a transparent high fire glaze. Once the basic shapes were created I scored and joined the pieces together and biscuit fired to 1004c. I  applied the coloured underglaze and coated them in the clear glaze. Once dried I fired to 1220c with a 15 min soak.

The luster detail was applied onto the solvent cleaned brooches. I used Duncan Bright Gold and fired to 700c with no soak. So here they are !

Masked Up

 I've just completed a new piece of ceramic to be entered in an art exhibition. The theme is WATER and the environmental impact that we have on polluting our oceans, the theme raises political and ecological concerns. My design depicts the most powerful and largest marine mammal, the Killer Whale, but even this mammal succumbs to wearing a filter mask to filter out the many toxins being released into our environment and water. The idea of it is preposterous, even comical, or is it !

John Wayne

Completed a repair for a customer on John Wayne's bust from the USA, cast in plaster of paris. I pinned and glued the exposed plaster all along the break and secured them in with glue. I then hand formed the missing brim of his hat using air drying clay and pressed it onto the broken edge, securely fixing it around the pins.I sculpted the Das a little larger to allow for shrinkage. When the Das was completely dry, I sanded and finished it.

Tree Nymphs

I've been sooo busy recently. I've just completed a couple of sculptures for ' Go Figure ' exhibition at an Altrincham art gallery. Art With a Heart Regeants rd. They are being exhibited until the beginning of March and can be purchashed and collected at the end of the exhibition.

Here is my artist statement to go with the sculptures:

I am a ceramic artist. I use various types of clays and use a wide range of methods to create one off individual pieces of art. The inspiration for these two sculptures derive from the organic nature of the materials combined with the love of the natural world. My passion for organic forms and the cycles of nature and life have inspired me to create these metamorphic sculptures. I hope to depict how the cycles of life and nature are entwined, compatible and in love with one another. I chose the female form to signify fertility and rebirth as in the natural world.


Tree nymph 1 is created using JAB porcelain with a high fire clear craze glaze. Fired to 1010c biscuit and then 1240c with a 20 min soak.

 Tee Nymph 2 was created using a grogged earhenware clay with velvet underglaze to depict the mossy colours of nature. Fired to 1060c soak 15 mins.