That Time Again

So what I have been up to is a bit of alchemy. Mixing some old standards along with some new glazes. What is different this time is that I will be doing glaze layering tests. For real. Not broken pieces and random double dips. I am charting it all out so I can document it. For fellow potters out there this is nothing special. I have just never had (or made the time) to do this correctly. As you can see in the simple chart below I am testing 8 glazes and how they interact with each other. Nothing too fancy with the chart. Just helps me make sure that all glazes layer all the others, and then the reverse of that happens. Hobbit blue over Bone, and then Bone over Hobbit blue. I excluded double dips of the same glaze although there can be some changes when that is done as well.


Here are some of the test tiles I made. Simply made from a double walled ring I threw and then cut into small sections Bit of a hack job here but will work Also there are textures stamped into the face which also will encourage glaze "breaks" . This type of test tile works well because it does a fair job representing the wall of an upright vessel. You can make a more standard flat tile, but you will not see as much "movement" or "breaks" in the glaze where the changes in color often happen. Also I want to know if the glaze is going to run right down the pot onto my shelves. I would rather this happens with a small tile than a large pot. No one likes grinding shelves.


I have been trying to keep the studio open to the public as much as I can. After all the chaos of 2011, I totally missed the holiday selling season and opened my doors during the great vacuum of sales post Christmas. I am really doing trying to get on peoples radar. Here are some signs my talented sister made http://ramblingsofanartschooldropout.blogspot.com/ . The other set was turned into a sandwich board sign at the street. Doing this for now until I get the official Hateful Hill Studio/Gallery Signs up.
So I am going to post a bit more on the glaze layering tests after I get them set up on there own chart, glazed, and then fired. You all can help me choose the best combinations. This will be a great before and after. The Studio is open most if not all days during daytime hours. If you are in the neighborhood, stick your head in and say hi. If I am home, I am in the studio all are welcome.

Thanks,~TPS