Pushing the boundaries or just plain silly

this week I have been remaking teapots to replace the ones that blistered/bloated in their glaze firing. Now I am using Porcelain Paperclay.  I wasn't that happy with the first body so put it aside.  Then I threw the other two, lids, spouts. When I came back I thought that first one isn't so bad and you are supposed to be able to join wet to dry with paperclay, I'll give it a go.

I wrapped it up in plastic and it was looking good - next day it looks like this :^(
I looked up a couple of sites and they still reckon you can repair cracks with more paperclay so I'm giving it one more try.
So what have you been up to this week?  Checked out Mud Colony yet?  See you over there or look for me on Facebook - Anna's Ceramics

Contemplating teapots and wattle

I'm not game to post any images of my current teapots in case I jinx myself again - the last lot were made with Cool Ice Porcelain and they bloated, mostly on the handles even though I had turned them away from the elements in the electric kiln.  They were on the top shelf as I was using a kiln at college that was almost full.  So anyway, I'm remaking them.  This time with Blackwattle Porcelain Paperclay.  The Sydney Teapot Show is held each year at the Inner City Clayworkers gallery in Glebe NSW.  The show has various suggested themes and this year Blackwattle are sponsoring one called "Wattle they think of next" for teapots made using paperclay.  I've thrown some (I hope) functional teapots and now I'm looking at how to decorate them....

This one was made using TMK a porcelanious white stoneware clay

and was made as a commission for Jade, a friends grandaughter. 

I'm thinking the green and gold theme could be appropriate

A bit like our Floral Emblem :^)

A bit of research

I am currently organizing a wood firing 'workshop' at the local TAFE college for the members of the Port Hacking Potters Group.
Those who have elected to take the plunge have a range of experience from none to quite experienced.

This morning I went along to see the students at the college unpack their first wood firing in the same kiln we will be using.

As you can see there were some beautiful results and I am looking forward to the opportunity to do some different work myself....

Students work fired in 'throat' of wood firing kiln

close up

peering into the 'throat' after pots have been removed

don't forget to check out Mud Colony this week to see what has been happening in fellow potters studios.

worth keeping

These lids were made a couple of years ago and didn't fit properly.  Rather than discard them I have kept them as examples of the use of ceramic pencil and Chinese tissue print decoration.

I am now looking at them to decide on how to go about decorating one of my teapots...
so I'm quite happy that I kept them :^)

 I'm off to Mud Colony now to see what has been happening in your studio this week, or maybe I'll see you on Facebook :^)