studio

Over the past two weeks I've been working on throwing bowls of different shapes and sizes.  The trick for me is to try not to get stuck in a sort of production mode where i mindlessly throw bowls "the right way" over and over again.  Not that I'm trying to make shoddy work, but i do tend to settle into certain patterns of throwing which limit the variety of form that i could achieve.  So the goal is to work with a conscious eye and think about the features of pieces before throwing.  For instance, I'm thinking "should the bottom be flat or rounded? Is this a high walled or low bowl? Does the lip curve in or flare and with what type of angle on the edge?" etc... I've started the the project with some brown stoneware and then started using a very dark stoneware body formulated by Val Cushing.  I'm also starting to play with some subtle line work on the bare clay or through white slip.  Hopefully I'll start firing soon and get an idea how the different stonewares are receiving glaze.