Finding Your Voice by Jeffrey Nichols

Ceramic Arts Daily Assignment Finding Your Voice by Jeffrey Nichols

Goals As clay artists and potters, we’re always striving to express ourselves in our own voice. It often takes us years to find that voice because it usually devel- ops out of our experiences, our education, and our exposure to many different forming and decorating techniques. In addition, everything we read about ceramic art history and keeping up with current trends in the art world also helps to form what we do. Here I demonstrate making a teapot in my own voice, and you may find it inspiring for helping you to find your own way. Like many studio potters, I make work that’s technically involved, but while my approach is complex, it can be broken down into steps. You can view part of this process with online video clips on Ceramic Arts Daily(ceramicartsdaily.org). Sanding through the layers of different colored under- Search the features archive for my name. Hopefully, glazes reveals a beautiful effect like that of weathered you can take aspects of my approach and use it to wood. A respirator and good ventilation are required. further your own research. a plaster bat to dry to leather hard. Create facets by Teapot Body compressing the handle with a palette knife (figure Begin by throwing a simple boxy form with ³/8-inch 6), then attach the handle to the teapot body when thick walls and a slightly smaller top than base. The it is leather hard. simple shape I make reminds me of a Shaker form. To form the spout, roll out a tapered coil that’s Make a fairly shallow gallery in the rim for the lid. about ³/8-inch at one end and 1¼ inches at the base. Using a heat gun or hair dryer, dry the teapot You may want to roll out several spouts in the body to a soft leather hard then cut it off the beginning to get the one that works best for your wheel. A heat gun is an important tool for my teapot body. Form the tapered coil into an S shape process, but if you use one, remember to handle it and allow it to set up to leather hard. Use a palette safely and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. knife to form facets. Mark lines for the facets (figure 1). Using a Once the spout is shaped, cut it in half laterally, Surform tool, create the facets (figure 2). I use a then draw a line about ³/16-inch from the edge and Surform instead of a wire faceting tool or a fettling scoop out the interior of the spout. Re-attach the knife because it gives me more control over thick- halves and let the spout set up. Trace the spout open- ness and the development of line because you can ing onto the teapot. Create a series of holes in the tea- remove small amounts with each stroke. Next, use pot body where the spout will attach (figure ).7 Slip, a rounded Surform to bevel the bottom of the tea- score, and attach the spout when it is leather hard. pot (figure 3). This helps to visually lift the teapot Make the lid in three stages. First, throw the knob off the table surface (figure 4). on the wheel (figure ).8 With a heat gun, dry the knob to leather hard and cut it off the wheel. Use Handle, Spout and Lid a palette knife to make the spiral facets. Throw the To create the handle, roll out a coil that’s slightly lid right side up and attach the knob on the wheel thicker in the middle and tapered on the ends (fig- (figure 9). Throw a hollow stem and attach it to the ure 5). Form it into a C or ear shape and place it on bottom of the lid (figure 10). Use a ³/16-inch hole

www.ceramicartsdaily.org/education 1 2 When the form is leather hard, mark lines for the facets. Slowly remove clay with a Surform tool to facet the piece. Teapot Body Teapot

3 4

Use a rounded Surform tool to bevel the bottom. A faceted teapot3 body ready for additions.

5 6

Roll out a coil handle slightly tapered at each end. Form the coil into a C and make facets with a palette knife.

Handle, Spout and Lid 7 8 7 Attach the handle and spout. Throw a knob and dry it with a heat gun or hair dryer.

www.ceramicartsdaily.org/education 9 10

Throw the lid right side up, attach the knob and add facets. Add a flange to the bottom of the lid.

Safety with Spray Guns It is important to maintain a safe and clean working environment while do- ing this process. Always wear a respirator with a P-100 rating when using the spray gun and, if spraying the underglazes, use a spray booth with at least 11 1000 cfm.

The completed teapot is ready for glazing.

cutter to create the steam hole in the top of the lid. colors, as well as the earthenware clay body un- The teapot is now formed (figure 11). derneath. Again, remember to wear a respirator! I start with 320-grit sandpaper working to a 600-grit Developing the Surface surface. I then fire the piece to cone 04, holding it at Inspired by the concept of wabi-sabi, the Japanese maturation for ten minutes to create a strong bond aesthetic where beauty is found in things that are between the clay body and the underglazes. imperfect, I began looking for inspiration in non-ce- It is important to apply this surface only to the ramic surfaces. I found it in surfaces like weathered, outside of vessels or in areas that do not come in painted wood and brick, as well as in nature, within contact with food or drink. When fired, the Vel- fall leaves and spring flowers. I wanted to create vets and other underglazes have the durability of works that evoke the same kind of impact that a a matt glaze, but are not food safe. I then apply a Rothko painting does. food-safe liner glaze to the parts that will come in The following is the process I developed to repli- contact with food and fire the vessel again. After cate these kinds of surfaces. After making a teapot, this firing, I coat the underglaze surface with a bowl or vase from earthenware, I bisque it to cone food-safe oil sealant (like Salad Bowl Finish, avail- 02 and begin spraying the vessel with multiple lay- able from home centers) and wax used by wood- ers of Amaco Velvet underglazes. Essentially, I use workers. This seals the outside surface and makes the Velvets as a high-frit engobe. You can also layer it fairly durable, but check the instructions on the the underglazes by sponging them on if you do not containers for care and use of these products. n have access to a spray booth. I recommend wearing gloves if you take this approach. Jeffrey Nichols is a studio artist and educator working and living in After the underglazes have dried, I begin sand- Kentucky. He exhibits his studio pottery nationally and internation- ing through the different layers, exposing the other ally, and you can view more of his work at www.jeffreynichols.us.