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.

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.