Down to the last few pots. Whew. Lots of little dots.
Michael and Carter both asked about my thoughts as I’m working on the current batch of pots. Here’s Part 1 of some answers to their questions.
I wish I could say that I was thinking about those birds migrating and how they moved across the pot (as Michael noticed) and how I included a bit of landscape or imagery or whatever as I thought about their long flight. Ha. Not the case at all. At this point I’m thinking, “how can I not screw this up!”
I am bringing to the pot various little bits and pieces of imagery that I have collected over the past couple years. The animals have been here since the beginning, we do live out in the county and are surrounded by birds, cows, the occasional stray goat etc. I really wanted to put animals on pots because I love Ron Meyers’ pots. He’s one of the reasons I tried earthenware. But as I drew the animals they became mine and I did start looking at the squirrels and crows and cows around me.
Same with the plant imagery. We have a big oak on our fence line that I love to look at. Sarah also has a weird house plant that I like. But the first deco. with leaves and trees was inspired by Pennsylvania Dutch slipware. And English slipware and Italian majolica.
So it seems that I look at pots first, see what others have done, and then sort of work backwards to what may have inspired them. Then I go out and see what’s around that is similar and I draw inspiration from that. Does that make sense? Ha. It’s a funny way to go around one’s elbow isn’t it. I’m also looking now at textiles and origami paper, and wood block prints for inspiration of imagery.
I do lots of drawing with a pen in my sketch book everyday. Then I take all that stuff and try to combine it on the pots in a way that works. I’ll write more about that in Part 2 and try to answer how I respond to the drawings in the moment and what the pots and the tool I’m using play into the process.
The Tale of the Nail
Two decades ago a young man came to Penland School to take some classes. He knew Penland would be a good place to learn more about painting and pottery.
After a few pottery classes he fell in love with clay and decided to learn the art of the potter. He was particularly taken with Medieval English pottery. He studied these pots in books and made many attempts at making the somewhat crude looking dishes and jugs. He found that he could use a nail to incise in the pots to get decoration similar to the centuries old pots. He took a string and made a loop and tied his tool of choice to it. He wore it around his neck and was never without the nail he used for making marks.
He went on to make thousands of pots and become a well known potter firing with wood making pots for everyday use. I’m sure he still has the necklace with the nail hanging in his workshop somewhere. Next time I visit I’m going to look for it.
(That is sort of my take on a story I was told about 10 years ago, probably not quite exactly as it was told to me, but close as I can remember.)
The image above shows a 16d nail next to my current tool of choice. It’s a steel rod sharped to a point. It’s sharpened on 4 sides just like a nail is and gives me several styles of line when I use it. I’ve begun drawing on bone dry pots. I need a strong tool like this to cut into the slip. A needle too is too flexible and weak. A tiny loop tool gives me too much of a consistent line. The nail like rod is now the tool I prefer.
Yesterday as I was scratching away on the pots I thought of how this line is much like the line of the Medieval sgraffito and how a potter in that day and age would have used a similar tool. This tool can be precise and also crude and rough. I think the lines it makes suit my pots and my personality.
I’ve got to go now and find myself a piece of string.
(click for larger images)
I’ve been crouched over drawing on these 6 bowls for quite a while. Time to take a stretch break. I’ve never put that much time into a cereal bowl. If I’m going to work w this much detail then the costs are probably going to increase. I do like these.
Warren Mackenzie had a birthday on the 16th of this month. I usually try to remember it and write a post about Warren. Well, I forgot this year again.
The small grayish bowl in the center of the picture was made by Warren. We have a couple of these and they are handy little prep. bowls, also good for condiments, or nuts. I think they are funny pots. Just look at those handles stuck on there!! Ha. Great.
So I had to make a few to pay homage to my pottery hero. Mine are a bit shallower but I stuck with the odd handles.
Happy late birthday Warren (not that you’d ever be found wasting time on the computer). It’s the thought that counts.
Tags: birthday, bowl, February 16th 1924, warren mackenzie
These two are waiting to be joined by lots of other pots, hopefully tomorrow.
As promised here is the knob and all being finished. It’s best to cut these when they are leather hard. The one in the video was still a bit soft. The lid will release from the body better if it’s leatherhard. Use a sharp fettling knife or Exacto knife to make the cut.
