I've moved into a new studio in Rappahannock County, Virginia, and it's time to get going on new work. I've poured some smooth slip of English porcelain into pillow cases to draw off the excess water and stiffen up the clay. Even when I buy clay in bags, I go through this process first to age and plasticize the clay. I've also taken the opportunity to add raw, chopped, flax fiber into the liquid porcelain. I hang the bags of slip up until the clay is almost ready to wedge; in this case, it took about two weeks.
Hanging Porcelain like a Side of Beef
Next the clay is removed from the pillow cases and set out on plaster and canvas to dry up the last excess water under constant supervision. Here is both porcelain and black clay. Porcelain is particularly likely to go from being too wet and sticky to suddenly hard without much warning. I drink a lot of tea and flip the clay over and over.
Airing Out the Last of the Extra Water
Hand-making clay like this is essential to get the perfect consistency and plasticity for it to be able to hold the variable materials I add to it without collapsing.
No comments:
Post a Comment