Studio practice

 Final outcome plan and progress 

For my final piece in this project I am creating a ceramic vase that explores natural texture. I’m creating a vase to show how we have brought this natural world into our homes and lives, the connection between us. This piece does have huge elements of design but i class it as purely art as through its a vase it isn’t a functional piece, it cannot hold water due to choices I’ve made in the making of it so it’s just the idea of a vase. I’m creating this piece by hand building it with the technique of coiling, the process of wrapping long strands of clay in a coil shape to create structure. I’ve decided to use a different type of firing technique, an aluminium saggar instead of traditional glazing, this will leave me with beautiful markings and natural textures on my pot. For this piece I’m using white earthenware clay as it gives the best effects with the firing technique, because of this technique I’m using I’ve had to create a nice smooth surface on my vase for the best firing results but I have decided to bring elements of the shell texture through manually with the clay in one corner and also creating the scalloped rim to bring in more elements of these textures.  

-coiling process 

-Texture 

-vase drying 

So everything was going to plan with my piece and I’ve just been waiting on the kiln. My piece went in for Bisque firing on Monday and the kiln misfired, my pot has been damaged but it’s all fixable, I’m just not sure on the time scale for completing this piece now. This is a huge disappointment but these things happen so now I just have to figure out the way forward with this.