Sacrificial brick

Friday, 8th April

I had a tutorial with Dave and he agreed with me about the bricks I made yesterday - he described them as a 'bit static' which I thought was a good description. He also said he felt they were a little 'too perfect' and as a result had lost something of their 'clayness'....  I do know what he means about this.  I need to spend some time thinking about this though. I'm not the kind of potter who works 'loosely' and leaves the rough edges of the clay exposed. I'm not sure I ever will be. But it would be good to get some undulations and waves and curves into my work - and some flowing movements that will enhance the changing light-reflective qualities of the work.... That's part of the point after all.

Anyway... I decided, stuff it, that I'd sacrifice one of my static bricks to the spirit of experimentation... I need to do more of this: experimentation that is!  

This photo doesn't really show it so well because...  well, it had all gone a bit too far by the point I took this picture, but I rested a wet sponge on one of the edges and waited for the clay to sink downwards.  It made a very pleasant curve in the surface (until it collapsed in on itself!).... and gave the form a different feel altogether. It made me think again about the spacetime  images that mathematicians use to describe the curvature of the universe....  I also experimented with pouring glazes over the sides - very enjoyable because the glaze followed the pattern of the holes running around each one before getting to the next....  Fun!

I also did some 'serious' glazing of one of the bricks... dipping it in a bucket of slip and then painting a different coloured engobe on the outside.  Painting the engobe was a bit of a pain because engobes dry so quickly.  I had to do a lot of smoothing and tidying up of the painted surface after I'd finished.  Will need to practice a bit if I'm going to use painted on engobe for my work.  Anyway, not sure when that one will be out of the kiln so might have a wait a bit for results.  As for the above pictured brick - it's gone back to the earth from where it came...