As in a quick sketch or abstraction the outcome relies on experience, intuition and a confidence in technique. Often the result is uncertain and the work lost or discarded but the journey is an exciting one and constantly rewarding.
The work is porcelain fired in an electric kiln, fired to 1260oC. The clay is from Limoges and has suited my techniques up till now, which rely on a clay that can be thrown and altered with little chance of cracking while also responding to the mark making and grooving applied immediately after throwing, without tearing or resisting.
I look for glaze surfaces to enhance the form and lines by creating light and shade, adding dynamic energy to the piece. I often find glossy glazes to be too distracting so tend to select glazes that are more satin or matt. But I do also use some primary colours derived from glaze stains added to a high gloss transparent glaze. The glaze is usually applied by spraying, contrasting the interior with the exterior.
When combined with the sheer translucent qualities of Limoges porcelain, the purest and whitest of the traditional kaolin or porcelain bodies, light passes through the walls, further enhancing the subtle hues and depths of the blues and greens.
Bucchero
Bucchero is a distinctively Etruscan product that emerged around the 7th century BC in Southern Etruria (central Italy). It is a ceramic made from fine volcanic clay, mostly wheel-turned and polished, then smoke-fumed in a reduction atmoshere to permeate the black colour through the clay body. When polished and fired, the Etruscan black-fired bucchero has the appearance of metalware and some recovered examples show that they were covered with a very thin layer of gold or silver leaf with the intention of replicating metal vessels.
My first encounter with Etruscan artistry and the specialist techniques of bucchero firing was in Italy in 1999. It provides a beautiful and appealing contrast to the high-fired, pure white of the Limoges porcelain that make up the complement of my work.
More recently, with ceramics, I have been concentrating on the fine white porcelain surfaces to produce beautifully refined, marble-like finishes as a reflection of the sculptural works I see in Italy and contrast this with the velvety-smooth finish of the Etruscan, black-fired bucchero work. All of the ceramic works that I have completed over the past number of years have been directly inspired by exposure to the arts of the ancient Etruscans, the Romans and the Renaissance, as have the paintings.