Earthenware Glaze Tests (low fire)

I have been experimenting with different low fire glazes. These glazes are for earthenware with a low firing temperature to cone 04. (1060 degrees Centigrade, or 1940 Fahrenheight)

This is partly because I have been working with found objects from the clay recycling room and these  shapes are usually made from earthenware, the clay utilised by the Introduction to Ceramics students in the studio.

I am interested in both glazes that run or form a drip, and surface texture. 

thickly applied Majolica (left) & Willing White (right) 

My first experiments were with thickly applied majolica and willing white. The test pieces were dipped 6 times and the glaze was about 1/2 centimetre thick. Whilst interesting, the results weren't quite what I was looking for.

Vardis blue over Power Black (left)
Power Black over Vardis blue (right)

Next, I experimented with double dipping of glazes, combining gloss finishes (such as power black) with textured finishes (Vardis blue).

Turquoise and Power black

It was also interesting to see how different glazes responded to being dipped first or second. Depending on this the resulting texture changed.

copper wire (left) steel wire (right)
with Vardis Blue

I then became interested in experimenting with layering different glazes combined with wrapping either copper or steel wire. 

Turquoise and Power black over steel (left)
Turquoise and Power black over copper (right)

Copper wire on bare earthenware (left)
Vardis Blue over steel (right)

Recipes

Roxie Power Black - Cone 04

Frit 3134          25%
Frit 3195          15%
Frit 3249          35%
EPK                 25%
+
BIO                  8%
Mang. Diox     8%

Turquoise - Cone 04

Gherstly Borate  35%
Neph Sye            5%
EPK                    5%
Flint                  42%
Lithium Carb      8%
Super Copax       8%
Copper Carb       3%

Vardis Blue - Cone 04

Neph Sye          20%
EPK                  20%
Flint                  11%
Lithium Carb      5%
Barium Carb     43%
+
Copper Carb       7%

Willing White

Gerstley Borate   35%
Lithium Carb        8%
Neph Sye              5%
EPK                      5%
Flint                    42%
+
Zircopax              10%

Linda Arbuckle Maolica

Flint 3124          57.16%
EPK                     9.4%
Kona F4             14.9%
Bentonite             1.2%
Super Pax           13%
Neph Sye            5.42%
+
Rutile                 0.25%

Pioneer Landscape Ring

Our second major assignment for Advanced Techniques in jewellery was to create a sculptural ring that incorporated tube settings.

Continuing to explore my interest in pioneering Australia I chose to design a ring that referenced the landscape. I was also looking to incorporate other materials and so I wanted to work with plexiglass and also parts of an antique saw blade I had acquired.

Pioneer Landscape Sculptural Ring detail

Working with my fascination of light and transparency I used the plexiglass to create mountain landscapes, with sections of the saw blade to refer to the manual labour required to eek out an existence in the Australian bush. The silver casing was textured to also refer to the terrain.

I carved rough hewn nails in wax that were then cast in silver. These became the place to slide your fingers through and are in essence the 'ring' part of the sculpture.

Originally I was planning to set gems in the rivet holes that hold the plexiglass and saw blades within the sterling silver casing, however as the design progressed this was not possible. So I added the chain which connects to a cast silver nail at one end, and the end of the saw blade at the other. The chain can be wrapped around the wrist with the saw and nail dangling like charms from a charm bracelet. 

It was onto this piece of steel that I fused 24k gold spots, soldered the silver tubes and set Andalusite gems within them. Andalusite is a beautiful stone that looks green in some lights, and a light pink in others.  

It was incredibly exciting to be working with found objects, rusty steel and gold and it has led to many ideas that I wish to explore! 

Material Matters: Steel String + Wood

Continuing my exploration using wood as an alternative material to creating jewellery I found a stick covered with lichen. Its shape was delightful and I didn't want to cut it up like I had done with previous experiments. 

Wanting to keep the delicate lichen intact, I dipped the stick in resin which gave it a slightly shiny sheen. And looking to work with other metals, I chose to work with steel wire, string and slices of wood to assemble the necklace. 

Also continuing my work with sticks, at the eleventh hour I thought of this fun idea using sticks to create earrings. 

These earrings can be found on my online store.