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Re: The Official "Ask the Artisan" Community Topic

by JBaymore » Jun 22nd, '11, 17:05

Actually......... please read here....... a publication article I wrote a long time ago that explains the chemistry and physical science that causes carbon trap:

http://www.johnbaymore.com/moreglaz.html

Also note... that the japanese consider carbon trap a defect in shino. Carbon trap is an "American" pursuit.

The real Japanese shinos are white with hi iro (reddish fire color).

best,

................john

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Re: The Official "Ask the Artisan" Community Topic

by debunix » Jun 22nd, '11, 22:41

JBaymore wrote:Also note... that the japanese consider carbon trap a defect in shino. Carbon trap is an "American" pursuit.
The article is quite technical but also quite clear, thanks! The pot that inspired the question by a not-on-TC friend was actually my little Korean shino (by Seong-il), a pot 'adopted' by an American but otherwise of Asian tradition....

Image

Glazes are endlessly fascinating. I've been having a lovely afternoon admiring the delicate glaze on my new Hagi, wondering just how the glaze and clay interact to give this amazing simulacra of granite (the pretty Korean pot above is at home, presently out of sight), and your article makes me want to go take some low-power microscopes and visit some potter's workshops to study the glazes--there must be plenty of pieces that broke in the kiln, exposing edges for us to view the different layers of glazes.

But until then, I'll have to settle for getting out the macro and extension tubes and viewing the magic through the lens.

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Re: The Official "Ask the Artisan" Community Topic

by JBaymore » Jun 23rd, '11, 08:43

Yeah... the article was written for potters :wink: .

You can also get more "accidental" carbon trapping by a similar mechanic in a wood fired kiln and also in a soda/salt kiln. The teapot in question seems to likely be a candidate for this. I'm guessing that soda compounds in the volatiles in the wood fire deposited on the outer surface of the not-quite-yet melting glaze layer sealed in some carbon compounds.

And any glaze that has a source of sodium oxide (or potassium oxide for that matter) that is in a source (ground rock or frit) that is slightly soluble can have this happen also.

The picture is not all theat clear and detailed..... making it definitive "carbon trap"......... so it is ALSO possible that the dark coloration there is coming from some other source. As an example burning wood with nails in it can cause tiny bits of iron scale to get pulled into the draft... and depositing very dark spoting onto a glazed or unglazed surface.

Yet another technique to get carbon trap is to spray or splatter a saturated solution of (fully soluble) soda ash on top of an already glazed piece. The soluble soda migrates back to the surface (as in the article information) as the water evaporates...and causes localized carbon trapping (if the firing conditions are correct).

The American penchant for "carbon trap" effects is spreading around the globe. I have seen some younger Japanese artists working with it lately. Interesting statement on the "global village"; Japanese shino really gets to America ceramists in the 1960's and then goes back to Japan as "American Shino" in the 2000's. :)

best,

.................john

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Re: The Official "Ask the Artisan" Community Topic

by Elle » Sep 29th, '11, 14:12

Paging upstate New York and surrounding areas: I'm trying to locate an artisan who was both selling and demoing pottery at the 2009 Sterling Renaissance Festival in upstate NY (though they might have come from anywhere in the Northeast). I want to replace the blue mug from this picture and all attempts to find contact info (or even their name) online have so far failed me. Hopeful thanks.

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Re: The Official "Ask the Artisan" Community Topic

by JBaymore » Oct 6th, '11, 13:10

Ellie,

If you are talking about the blue yunomi form at the bottom of the page that you linked to........ he is in the Teaware Artisan's section here: http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f=40&t=9745

best,

................john

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Re: The Official "Ask the Artisan" Community Topic

by GreenwoodStudio » Jan 19th, '12, 15:06

Hi Ellie,

I'm in Upstate, NY and for many years worked for our local distributor of clay and ceramic materials. The maker of that Mug was/is a customer there. I believe her name to be Mary Schoonmaker, I'm pretty sure I have the name right, but not 100 percent. She's an unusual potter I think in that she only (or primarily) makes and sells her work through that festival in Sterling. It's a large seasonal festival that draws big crowds and she probably can do enough volume of sales to keep her busy the entire year making that line of production work. I'm kind of guessing that it might be hard to replace that mug without going to the festival again, or somehow finding her contact info online. Good luck :D

Shawn

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Re: The Official "Ask the Artisan" Community Topic

by GreenwoodStudio » Apr 17th, '12, 00:27

I wasn't really sure where to put this question out there, so what the heck, here I am. This topic could use a boost anyway.

I was throwing today, off the hump. Mostly cups and bowl forms. My usual method is I bring up the amount of clay I'm using for the pot, open, pull the wall, shape, refine, blahblahblah. Now here's what I'm wondering. When I go to remove the pot from the mound I normally give a bit of a squeeze to the clay where the kodai will end up to compress the clay define where I'm going to cut it off the mound. In doing that action, I often end up naturally forming a chadamari.

So my question is really a sort of a, what came first the chicken or the egg question. Did chadamari become an element of matcha wan by potters throwing methods or was it a originally a deliberate design element that just happens to occur naturally while throwing off the hump?

Maybe John will chime in?? :)

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Re: The Official "Ask the Artisan" Community Topic

by Lerxst2112 » Apr 17th, '12, 17:11

Very briefly skimmed all 10 pages to make sure this wasn't already asked...

When one sits down to create, do you have a definite plan in mind as to shape, glazing, colour, etc? Or do you just go with the flow, and "customise" a piece as it is being made?

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Re: The Official "Ask the Artisan" Community Topic

by shyrabbit » Apr 17th, '12, 21:24

A chadamari is an intentional design element for certain shaped chawan, primarily those that have flatter bottoms, the recessed chadamari "organizes" residual matcha. If you've developed a method to develop a good chadamari through your throwing method, that's great...I'm sure John will have much to add.

Michael

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Re: The Official "Ask the Artisan" Community Topic

by paul haigh » Apr 18th, '12, 16:09

Lerxst2112 wrote:Very briefly skimmed all 10 pages to make sure this wasn't already asked...

When one sits down to create, do you have a definite plan in mind as to shape, glazing, colour, etc? Or do you just go with the flow, and "customise" a piece as it is being made?
This is a good question, and could be the basis of a real treatise on art. In general, if you don't have the basic form in your mind before you touch the clay then there's a good chance that you will flounder.

Once you have a basic form thrown there can be a lot of playing, experimenting, and some organic stuff that happens. Here's the big trick- the hard part- maybe the hump for people that overthink stuff (like myself)- those loose, organic, wonderful accidental looking teabowls often have far more intent than they let on- right down to the "accidental" glaze drip that didn't stick to the seashell, that dent in the yunomi that fits your thumb, or that extra large piece of melted granite that falls right on your fingertip when you're holding the bowl.

I've spent too much time getting chemistry degrees and doing statistics for my own good- just ask John Baymore. Technical pottery skill comes first- but then you need to be able to use those skills in a more impressionist manner. Getting your idea across in a loose, organic flow. That does not mean taking a lump of clay and "seeing what it wants to be" without any direction.

I tend to think about a form, a texture, trimming, glaze, where the pot will go in the wood kiln. These all work together and if you take a piece that you've worked on and then start thinking "what glaze should I slap on this?", well then you may get a Mona Lisa with a mustache.

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Re: The Official "Ask the Artisan" Community Topic

by iannon » Apr 18th, '12, 17:20

it really is an artform isnt it? I have always thought so at least. Thanks! Nice insights!

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Re: The Official "Ask the Artisan" Community Topic

by debunix » Apr 24th, '12, 22:21

Another question: lately I'm fascinated by what happens where glazes get thick and drippy, including things identified by Cory Lum as 'bildoro'

Image

and while enjoying the drips on this offering by Michael Coffee (micro photo because I can't link the original posting on etsy--too large)

Image

and on my Kazuwa-ware cup

Image

I'm now wondering: what makes a drip a 'bildoro'? I tried googling bildoro and it wasn't very revealing.

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Re: The Official "Ask the Artisan" Community Topic

by JBaymore » Apr 24th, '12, 22:56

Wish I really had time to chime in here on a number of things coming up........ but I am madly packing pots into suitcases and getting ready to leave for Korea (and then Japan). I teach all day tomorrow... grade final papers and exams in the evening.... post my grades and get a couple hours sleep before heading to the airport. So no time then either.

It will have to wait til I get back to the States. I'm sorry.

best,

...................john

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Re: The Official "Ask the Artisan" Community Topic

by AdamMY » May 14th, '12, 23:59

Last week I registered for a Beginning Ceramics class at a local Institute of the Arts. So while thinking about that, I want to ask the artisans to reflect on their first Ceramics class. Also wondering if any of the artisans still have some of their first or very early pieces?

I know I shouldn't expect too much of my work, especially compared to quite a few of the excellent pieces I have acquired from some artisans on this board, or acquired from other well established artisans. Though it would be nice to know that I could potentially make some pieces I would enjoy.

I am considering some of my early pieces to be a Waste water bowl, and a teapot stand/ dish. Hopefully trying to work my way up to a few cups, or maybe even a Chawan.

I respect the artisans on this board, and am wondering if they have any thoughts on where I should start. ( I am making the assumption that this will hopefully be a more free reign class, where they teach techniques then we use the techniques to create pieces of our own design).

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Re: The Official "Ask the Artisan" Community Topic

by GreenwoodStudio » May 15th, '12, 00:35

I'm excited for you! Careful, you might just get hooked :lol:

When I've taught, I find the thing that so often holds people back, is kind of what your talking about. This need to come away with a finished piece. I'm not saying that you won't, I'm just saying that your time will be much better spent if you remember that your there to learn the skill. Use the time learn as much as you can, abandon the results. Make as much work as you can, even if you can't fire it, it's just clay, wedge it up, start over, repeat. I've had students who will spend all their time frustrated and resentful that they are not going to come away with that garlic jar or sumth'n they thought they could make when they walked in. If you come away with a waste water pot great, but if you come away with the knowledge to be able to make clay work for the rest of your life even better! Right?

Most of all have fun and keep us updated! Do you know what type of kilns you'll have access to?

Yes, I have kept some early pieces for comic releif or doorstops :wink:

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