Today I reserved for writing a blog and finishing a few ceramic owls. Of course not “finishing” as a butcher, but just the opposite of bringing them life. Not a blog about the design process, but the physical “making”. After all, if you are a maker 🙂 .
A while ago I shared a few photos of my making process on Insta . I received some nice responses. So I thought it would be a good idea to explain the physical process in this blog using photos and text.
In short I would like to show you how I work.
It starts on the wheel
The wheel is not quite the beginning. It starts with an idea, a story, an emotion, a shape, the (desired) appearance and how I think to be able to depict that in clay. But this part of the design process is for another time.
As mentioned, the physical part of a ceramic owl starts on the wheel. Depending on the shape and size, I weigh a certain amount of clay. A ball of clay, a wheel and I can start to work. Usually I throw a series of “pots”. Sometimes small, sometimes large. Mostly inspired by classical vase or bottle shapes (yes that’s why I like to go to ceramics museums).
Usually I throw closed forms. That is to say that I throw the neck and then “close” it at the top. The pots are then no longer “to be used” in a traditional sense. They have become ceramic sculptures, instead of a bottle, vase or jar. But recently I have left the neck open to a number of larger bottles. Are they still sculptures? Research never ceases… Certainly not when you are behind the wheel.
Shaping life under my hands
After the thrown shapes have dried a bit (that is called “leather hard” in pottery terms), I can continue. Despite being thrown in series, all forms are a little different. As I go on, I start looking at what I (can) see in the shape. I do have an idea where I want to go, but the design process does not stop for me at the drawing stage, I keep acting and reacting.
My favorite tools are round shapes, which I can use as a drawing template, and a nail. This allows me to sketch the figure on the pot. Then I can start to “cut out” the shape. With just a few lines, and two small lumps of clay for the eyes, ceramic owls come to life.
It is an illusion, but it is fascinating how to transform a pot, vase or bottle into a stoneware owl with minimal adjustment. Wonderful to experience how the human brain works.
Ceramic owls end up in the kiln
The road to ceramics inevitably runs through fire. To transform clay into ceramics, it must be fired. In the case of my ceramic owls even twice. The first time in “low heat” also called biscuit firing. After that a “high fire” to form stoneware.
For the second firing I glaze the owls. Only after this firing do they betray their real character. I would like to show you the finished ceramic owls that I am working on. But they are still drying. Those who make ceramics must obey to the laws of nature…. Otherwise everything explodes in the kiln.
Restock webshop
So unfortunately, I still have to wait and see how the ceramic owls will eventually become. There is nothing else to do than finish the last owls and wait until they are all dry. Only then can the making process go on again.
And that’s not nearly soon enough. My webshop is urgently in need of additions. Although still under construction, you can find the cups from my previous blog.
“A restock of the shop is what we need”. In other words: completing the stock on the webshop has my full attention. So I must stop typing now and roll up my sleeves to get started.
I’ll let you know when they’re in the shop!
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