During the second semester, I have enjoyed creating new preojects, branching out in my concepts. I've also been experimenting throwing larger pieces, but the most difficult part for me is centering such large amounts of clay. I enjoy trying to create projects that I have seen elsewhere, such as a large lidded project with a tree inversely carved into the top. Unfortunately, the handle came off in the bisque kiln so I will be making another.

This semester I am going to really try to challenge myself to make more difficult projects and come up with new ideas. I threw this ring and attached a handle, spout, and feet to make a teapot. I also cut out a lid and pulled a small handle for that. 

I threw the vase and lid yesterday. The vase has a split lip to support the lid. Today, I footed the vase, smoothed out the base of the bowl (lid) and threw a handle directly onto the lid. This was the first time I had used the technique of throwing directly onto a project. I also cut out the hole in the lid and 'inner' lip of the vase so the honey spoon can fit in it.

While this cylinder was still wet (right after I threw it), I used a brush to paint on blue stain. We'll see what happens!

This bowl actually has both sodium silicate and stain on it. The sodium silicate didn't work too well though because I forgot to remove the water with a blue rib before applying it.

Last Saturday, I met a man selling ceramic bowls and mugs at the Holiday Market in Fall City. I picked his brain for his techniques and I was most intrigued by his use of sodium silicate. He explained that if you brush sodium silicate on the outside of a cylinder that has just been thrown, wait 5-10 minutes, and then widen the cylinder into a bowl, the outside gets cracked. Excited to try it out for myself, I got some aqueous sodium silicate from Mr. Hagler. The sodium silicate crystalizes and, when the bowl is widened, the sodium silicate cracks . The inside of the bowl is still smooth but the outside isn't. Here are my first attempts.

Sorry about the finger in the picture. This is my very first attempt. I left the sodium silicate on too long before widening this so I couldn't widen it much. I learned that I should throw a bowl that is only barely narrower than my I want it to be post-sodium silicate.

Here is the squat little base for my lidded project. I threw a lid the same day and the next day pulled a small ribbon of clay, which I attached to the lid for a handle. This project is porcelain and quite light due to thin walls and an extremely thin base.

My new project will be learning how to slump. I have done research on the temperature required to melt the bottles (1200-1300*F) and we have ordered paper to line the kiln shelves. I am hoping to experiment also with polished rocks in the kiln. I will try to glaze the bottom of a project and put it on the kiln paper, but I don't know how that will turn out.

A porcelain apple I threw yesterday. I am very excited about this because the glaze will sit differently on it than when I use Vashon White clay.

I recently sludged porcelain, so that's all I have been using to throw with recently. There is some Vashon White clay mixed in with the Dove Porcelain, creating this marbled look. I am looking forward to seeing how it dries and how it looks after it is fired.

The tall bowl also has a tall footring to further elongate it.