NEW POTTERY!!! makes me happy :)

I had made these bowls back in February but had been agonizing for MONTHS over exactly how to glaze them... when I got back into the studio Monday for the first time after all my travel, I finally decided. And I couldnt be happier. I have a bit of a crush on this set of bowls, I have to say.

Set of 4 Squared Bowls
Black ebony clay; mint creme glaze with randy's red accents on rim; each bowl 5.25" diameter and 2.5" tall. Wheel thrown and altered.

These used a new type of clay that I had bought on my own because it has this amazing dark ebony color. When it is wet, it looks like a deep rust red, and it had a great smooth texture while still holding body VERY well.

I made this set on the wheel just like normal bowls, but then when they were still pretty wet I used wooden paddles to square off the sides a bit. This was a new technique for me but I had seen some of the advanced studio people doing it.

Glazing was a HUGE challenge because glazes react differently to different types of clay - I did a set of 12 test tiles of various glazes and glaze combos, and most of them came through very dark (as to be expected on black clay.) However, the mint creme glaze seemed to form a beautiful texture. I love how it made the brown and green speckling and then shows the downward drips in a more pure green.

Far and away, these are my favorite pieces so far in my pottery study.