Mon, Sep 26th, 2016 After returning from a trip to the Grand Canyon, where I spent 6 days white water rafting and then hiking to the south rim, I was inspired by so much of the texture in that ancient cavern. The stones and the score marks, the scrapes, gouges and chattering of rocks that occurred millennia ago are recorded permanently on the earth's surface. As the Colorado river carved the canyon, the tectonic plates shifted and the earth's innards were revealed as they rose to the sky. The Grand Canyon is a virtual still frame you-tube video of mother nature carving into her lands, creating spectacular patterns, colors and textures.
As I sat at the potter's wheel for the last 10 days, I found myself drawn to carving more and more. As much as I love the smooth surface of a burnished vessel, it was texture and repetition that I wanted this week. I have about 45 pieces complete and another 20 in process. Many of these are carved, so they'll take the kiln firing differently than my burnished pieces.
I made a handful of platters too... some small and some large... in anticipation of a twist on my saggar firing using terra sigillata. I'll share the process as I get closer to firing but I"m enjoying venturing down a new path within my vapor fume firing world. Below are just a few examples of a week's work mingled with recent inspirations.
