Starting bottle forms

These bottles were among the first bottle forms that I started to throw. I was concentrating on the form, which is why I chose a tenmoku glaze that would place emphasis on the bottle forms. I don't like the forms, but I do like how this piece works together as a set, and all the forms are related.

Crystallines

This blue bottle form was my first crystalline bottle. I like the crystals that showed on the bottle, but the form did not have the volume that I like in bottles.

I love this bottle because of its form. I want to make a set of these bottle forms, with this bottle in the center and then a set of smaller bottles around it. I used a white crystalline glaze on the bottle, but only a few crystals actually formed on the form.

Set of Three Coffee Mugs

After practicing throwing coffee mugs from the book "A Potter's Workbook" by Clary Ilian, I began to throw this form, which placed emphasis on volume, line, and height. This was one of my first sets of coffee mugs, so the handles on the mugs are not placed in the best area. The patterns are a translated form of kolam designs, which are a common pattern in South Indian culture. I was influenced by Steven Hill's glaze combinations, so I used oribe green and orange shino. The lines are created by trailing St. John's Black glaze on the forms. Overall, my main success was in throwing a form, which I have incorporated into the coffee mugs I am throwing now.

Set of Bottles with Black Terra Sig and Poured White Crackle Raku

With this set, I was successful in throwing forms that were related, and that belonged together as a set. The white crackle is a result of raku firing, where the pot is removed from the kiln, and the glaze cracks because of thermal shock. I don't like the pattern of the white crackle glaze, but I do love the contrast between the black and white. If the lines had been part of a regular pattern, perhaps the bottle set would have worked better as a combination of line and form.

Saggar Fired Bottle Forms

These saggar forms are my favorite bottles that I have thrown so far. I love the contrast between the white surface and the variety of colors that are results of the organic and inorganic materials that I load the saggars with. The steel wool application successfully created a pattern of lines on both bottles, and the contrast between the colors, combined with the bottle forms are the main successes of this piece.

Set of Copper Fumed Saggar Forms

This set of saggar forms was my first exploration into the saggar firing technique. These bottle forms are not my favorite, and I don't like the pink color that resulted because of copper fuming into the surface of the bottles. I experimented with a variety of materials when loading the saggars, including: steel wool, copper wire, seaweed, Miracle Gro, eggshells, banana peels, and orange peels.

Soft Slab Teapot Set with Texture

This teapot set is handbuilt, with press molded textures of henna patterns. I used the soft slab construction technique, and researched the teapots of Elizabeth Kendall. I was interested in how the forms interact with each other, and how line and form unify the set as a whole. The surface decoration involved cobalt stain, ice white celadon, and gold luster. This set is non-functional.