Shawn McGuire (GREENWOODSTUDIO)

[TIM]

Thanks a lot Tim. I think you are right, this would require careful use. This feedback is really important to me, so thanks again I'm preparing to break out the porcelain for next months wood-firing, so the more I learn on here the better my work will evolve, I hope

I'm almost thinking I should put together a sort of survey or list of all my questions, post it here, and whoever fills it out, I'll give them a hefty discount code to my shop........hmmmm

Great that I could be at your service. Its very hard to find an artist which has an open mind and heart to reach new heights. Thats a true artist to me Your works have a growing spirit in them, which true passion and love is required... Many times, lots of products out there its only cosmatics with no hearts. Keep nurtuering this passion, and inject little by little on every steps forward! Good luck

Notes on tall gaiwans. Could be helpful to research late Ming and Qing qaiwans. Most scholars use tall gaiwan to drink directly from. So the flair of the rim and the balance of the weight is important. Top heavy might not be ideal? And light color inside to judge the liquor?

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid= ... 1799353092

[brandon]

Do you have some examples of past porcelain works?
Wood fired porcelain is very exciting indeed.

[David R.]

Received the Cosmic Cup yesterday. Even if it is not for me, I had to check if it was in one piece. So I took it out for a spin.

[GreenwoodStudio]

Thanks for posting David, it looks good in french light I hope your friend enjoys it!

Brandon, David's cup above is an example of wood-fired grolleg porcelain, with a crazy American-type Shino. I have other examples which I'll try to find pictures of. I'm doing some work with this porcelain which I intend to glaze for the most part. This body can tend to look rather dead without some glaze because it is so clean (pure). The majority of the work I'm going to be wood-firing will be made with "dirty porcelain" or porcelainous/stoneware if you prefer. It basically has a different kaolin in it that has trace amounts of iron which will cause more flashing and visual interest on the unglazed surfaces. Here's an example of the claybody with no glaze applied -

Also going to wood-fire some iron-bearing clay with these high alumina crawling white shino glazes I've come to admire so much in in the Hagi discussions.
So in other words, I'm all over the place

[brandon]

All over the place indeed. I love more 'bare' wood firing like Bizen, Yohen 'glaze,' antique blue and white porcelain, pure white glazes on simple but elegant forms - I really do not care for "American" glazes but your potting is showing through nicely anyway
Won't be surprised if your next firing really grabs me. "Super thin and elegant" is exciting.

[Chip]

Your wood firings are ... progressing very nicely! Cannot wait to see what is next.

[GreenwoodStudio]

I feel ya there Brandon, you have no idea how I am longing to stoke the wood-kiln, and have some work with naturally glazed surfaces. In fact, for any of you who would like to see a video of our kiln being fired you can check it out here. http://www.youtube.com/user/timseepots# ... VVupIeOr2Q This doesn't have any pictures of actual pottery, but it gives you an idea of what the 3-day process is like. LOTS OF FIRE My kiln partner and great friend Tim See (who's woefully absent from TC these days , but I'm working on changing that ) makes some really nice videos, and pots for that matter!

Chip, that example above is actually an old piece. Just a pic I found on my puter that showed the clay I was talking about

[Chip]

Where is that Tim See???

Chip, that example above is actually an old piece. Just a pic I found on my puter that showed the clay I was talking about

Yes, I saw this old style in your sold items, etc. and was reminded right away of the one from page 1 of this topic I think.

I was actually referring to the newer ones that have been turning heads!

[chamomileteaguy]

Shawn, your work is amazing. I'm sorry if I missed this in this thread, but do you have a website with your creations?

[GreenwoodStudio]

Shawn, your work is amazing. I'm sorry if I missed this in this thread, but do you have a website with your creations?

Hey Chamo-

If you click the little planet under my avatar, it will take you to my Etsy. It's a little bare at the moment. I need to restock, but I've just been so darn busy. Thanks for the interest!

[tingjunkie]

Hi Shawn,
I just wanted to echo everyone else's enthusiasm for your work! As promised in our Etsy conversation, I'm just checking in on TeaChat with a couple ideas/questions.

I have to say, I like the shape of some of the teapots I've seen on your site. For example: http://www.etsy.com/listing/68952268/te ... -w-mottled I am also very intrigued by the fact that you use "iron rich" clay and have built your own wood fired anagama-style kiln. What are the chances I could talk you into experimenting with some unglazed small Yixing-style teapots in your next firing? Somewhere in the 100ml range perhaps?

In the same line of interest, what temperatures are involved in the wood fired kiln? Have you experimented with making unglazed wares for tea in the past? If so, did you notice any change in the tea's flavor or other qualities? Just know that you have a whole club of tea enthusiasts here in NYC that would be happy to do some focused product testing for you!

Cheers, Mike

[Abracadaver!]

Just know that you have a whole club of tea enthusiasts here in NYC that would be happy to do some focused product testing for you!

+1

[Herb_Master]

What are the chances I could talk you into experimenting with some unglazed small Yixing-style teapots in your next firing? Somewhere in the 100ml range perhaps?

+1

I have to say, I like the shape of some of the teapots I've seen on your site. For example: http://www.etsy.com/listing/68952268/te ... -w-mottled

+1
But possibly modified slightly in line with
[quote http://houdeblog.com/?p=11] the concept that “three points on one line”. Which three? The top of spout, the top opening of the body, and the top of handle.[/quote]

[GreenwoodStudio]

Thanks Mike- We fire the wood kiln very hot, hotter than most folks I think. We often shoot for cone 14, but realistically we are happy with cone 12-13 down throughout the kiln. So in terms of temp. that's probably between 2500 F (1390 C) - 2400 F (1300 C) Some areas of the kiln are known to be cooler, others hotter We've actually started melted high-alumina fire brick, so we try to be careful not to let our pyro-urges take over for fear of beating up on the kiln too much.

I'm going to be making all kinds of teaware for this next firing, so I'll definitely be adding your request to the list As far as what I've fired in the past. My approach to teaware has simply been all wrong. More based on aesthetic then function, and too heavily influenced by university ceramics academia, that all too often puts concept before utility when it comes to teaware.

My new approach is to forget everything I thought I knew, check my ego at the door, and try to learn this from the very beginning based on information I can gather from all you smart folks. I'll get creative after I've gotten the basics down.

Thanks Herb- I bookmarked that, much appreciated. I always resist this design element slightly as I always worry that an aggressive pour and a full pot would force tea out from between the lid and opening of the body. But perhaps I shouldn't think about that too much, it's already been thought about

I was playing around a bit today and made a few changes to this houjin design, added a gallery to the place where the inset lid rests and changed from a thrown spout to a beak like spout (old design in the backround)

[debunix]

Just coming back to note how quickly my little gaiwan is becoming my favorite brewing vessel. I've recently been using a couple of larger gaiwans at work, and just finished 3 days at a satellite office with only a kamjove cup for brewing. It was very nice to come home to one that fits my hand better than the larger ones, and that doesn't require higher volume infusions always (because the kamjove is designed such that there is a 'dead space' below the tea that fills up with water before the water is high enough to reach the tea).

I've been mostly brewing in my cheap porcelain koi gaiwans, and it's wonderful to use one that is as practical but also aesthetically more pleasing, right down to the base