Plate making workshops – some final results
Published November 24, 2011We have been making ceramic plates for several weeks now in Dudley Road Studios, and here are some of the results.
Jill made this plate for a friend who lives on a narrow boat in Oxford.
I like the ferns – they come from my garden and were pressed into the clay using a rolling pin. I also like the irregular shape of the plate.
The blue and yellow come from Botz under glazes. There’s a transparent glaze on top.
Pretty pink flowers…again, we used Botz under glazes with transparent glaze on top.
A bird in the hand…plaster sprig moulds of birds were used to create the birds on this plate, and cobalt and copper oxide daubed on to add colour. Again, we used a transparent glaze to seal in the colour.
I will upload my website with new workshops soon, so please go here to find out what’s in store.
Studio sale started early…
Published July 9, 2011My studio sale was scheduled to start today, but a few people turned up last night already, which was really nice as we had a chance to chat – and I could sit down with a glass of wine and call it a day!
A few torsos sold during the impromptu preview;
I am really into bronze finishes at the moment. Instead of using a glaze, I mix bronze powder with matte varnish and paint it on to the bisque fired ceramic sculpture. I then follow with a layer of varnish mixed with graphite powder. When it’s dry, I use steel wool to rub back to expose the bronze. If you try this, be sure to wear a decent face mask…
Another couple bought these
Simona with Lizards is glazed with copper and manganese oxides and then smoke fired in a dustbin in my garden.
The theme of the evening was obviously lizards..
The real studio show starts tonight, and I hope to see you here!
Ceramic torso vase – the other side
Published June 10, 2011
I’ve been asked what the other side of my ceramic sculpture vase looks like ; so here it is!
The smoke firing brings out such different effects – both sides were treated the same way using manganese, iron and copper oxides and of course Botz red brush-on glaze for the heart. A gift to the one that has it all.
Smoke firing workshop in Hastings – the results!
Published June 7, 2011
Opening the smoke bins are always exciting; what have we here?
Andrew needs to use his handkerchief as the Rhino head is still hot!
The colours were achieved by using manganese and copper oxides…plus some ground up coffee and salt.
The main stain used here is red iron oxide along with coffee grounds, banana skins and salt.
Stephane used a ripped up copper scourer to enhance the copper effect on this ceramic sculpture of two joined heads; a homage to the Royal Couple Kate and William!
Ceramic torsos; Zechariah’s Angel
Published September 25, 2010
Zechariah was quite an old man when one day an angel appeared before him announcing that his wife – who was also pretty ancient – was going to give birth to a son. This is all in the new testament, and the son was John the Baptist.
I have made a pregnant angel – she is the angel of the future, really. 
She is made inside a press mold and glazed with oxides and then smoke fired.
At the moment she’s hanging at the Battle Contemporary art fair, http://www.battlefineartfair.co.uk
Autumn mist and ferns – part five; smoke firing
Published October 19, 2009
I decided to put two of my ceramic torso through the smoke firing process…
I like the way the fire interact with the oxides.
White Scorpio
Published July 27, 2009
I have finally got around to take a photograph of the ceramic torso you saw me smoke fire with Emilie and Guillaume in this previous post: http://annakeiller.wordpress.com/2009/07/14/smoke-firing-work-shops-2/
I also showed a bit about how it was made, destroyed and then re-made here : http://annakeiller.wordpress.com/2009/06/22/ceramic-torso-again/
I have not added any oxides, only a shiny white brush on glaze from Botz. The smoke provided a silvery black patina. I meant to continue working on it - I was thinking about giving the scorpio a red or orange glaze – but it is kind of nice in an understated way like this, I think.
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