Mark Shapiro and I worked together in his pot shop for nine years (more history with Mark to come) and we had a lot of slang and jive that got sallied around and one of those sayings was "chasing plastic". Chasing plastic was what we did for the day or so after a big day of throwing to finish the pots before they got too dry for handles, trimming feet, etc. After making some pots last Friday I came down with whatever my daughters brought home from school last week and was pretty miserable until today. Well I finally made it back this evening to deal out feet to some plates. I guess I've been influenced by those "blokes" across the waters. I have this combing tool that I've made out of a shim and most often use it on flower pots. So I tried it out on some plates. The marks seem a little timid, not the same flair as Matt Grimmet gets from combing through white slip to red clay, but something worth pursuing. And after all those stoneware pots I've looked at this week in the Cushman book...well, I did thrown them last week. By the way, the combing happens on the wheel before the plate is cut off. Tomorrow more construction. Time for the floor.
Which one of these do you like better? Your comments are welcome!
Hey, I look forward to hearing more about your time with Shapiro. I didn't know you had worked with him.
ReplyDeleteI like both plates but the upper one the best. It's nice to see the irregular place where the lines meet up.
I like that place where the design meets itself, too.
ReplyDeleteHowdy Michael! Congrats on the new studio construction. Exciting! Are you currently working in a yurt?
ReplyDeleteDon't think either plate looks timid. The plate on the left looks like it had a bit more coffee, so I'm thinking the right plate...makes me less anxious. Be interesting to see a side by side once fired. What about marks made perpendicular to the rim instead of parallel. The termination and economy might be a little weird, but could be interesting. Or four wavy lines connected to make a square inside the circle.
Keep doin' it.
Hi Michael,
ReplyDeleteThanks very much for the kind words. I like both alot but the one with more comb moves is my favourite for sure.
Cheers
Matt
Variety is the spice of life/plates. I like them both - the join as described by Ron does it for me. Hope that wasn't man-flu you had, good to hear you're on the mend.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the commments, I've still under the influence and have been trying to catch up in the studio with some pots, while snorting, and sniffling. I'll try to get a side by side, aftyer the firing thing for you'all after the firing. Off I go to turn.
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