Green Issues

A topic that is red hot in the media at the moment is the environment. We hear about global warming, energy conservation, depleting resources and recycling on a daily basis. As a child I learnt at school about gasses emitted by aerosol cans are causing a hole in the ozone layer, which can result in illnesses like skin cancer. At home that afternoon I neurotically begged my mother not to use deodorants as I feared for my life. Laughing it off because she came from a generation that was consumed by the conveniences of the post –war period, she merrily sprayed away. Besides, it would take such a long time to happen, there was no urgency in stopping then. Many years later we are facing the dilemma and all of a sudden we have switched to panic mode.
 

Green actually became a trend colour, in interiors, products, packaging and fashion. It became a visual way of reminding us to live more green. Even a large petroleum company increased its turnover, not because their product was more environmentally friendly, but because of making the public aware of its corporate colours. We now go into a supermarket buying organic products at a prime price just to ease our conscience.
 

Organic – the word also comes to mind when we talk about pottery – organic, wholesome, from the
earth – but is it really? We present our vessels to prospective buyers with a smile on our faces – ‘I
made this by hand, from the earth’ – should it then necessarily be good?
 

We work with raw materials that is actually quite hazardous. Often the fumes emitted during firing
drives us from our studios coughing and gasping for fresh air. How many of us actually wear respirators when working with glazes often containing deadly materials such as lead bisilicate or barium carbonate? In ancient times potters always outlived a few wives, who always had to decorate the pots, and the toxins from the lead used often killed them.
 

What could we do to make our craft more green? This could end up in a never ending debate, but a
few solutions come to mind. Pottery, once fired, lasts for a very long time. Archaeologists can tell the level of sophistication of a civilization merely by looking at the pottery they used, purely because it outlasts any other material. Once you made your piece, be very critical about it. If it is not your best and you are not proud of it, reclaim it before you fire it. After all, the joy is in the making. Nobody had any use for a clumsy, badly made pot that lies somewhere in a landfill.
 

Be more aware of the glazes we use. So often retail suppliers have glazes on their shelves that originates from the sixties. As long as it still sells, they will keep on producing it. A lot of these
glazes will leach toxins into food, and over the years a new generation of potters are not aware of these hazards. Be especially aware of low firing glazes that runs easily during firing, these are almost certain to contain lead and should not be used on domestic wares. Metallic glazes are often not food safe either.
 

Water is used in large quantities by potters, Disposing of waste water is often inconsiderate and it
just get dumped down the drain. Find a suitable material that will aid in settling the solids . The clear
water can then be decanted and used for watering your garden or flushing your toilet while the solid residue can be dried on plaster of paris or unusable bisque containers and disposed of in a suitable manner.
 

Raw materials always come in plastic bags or containers, which should be reused or recycled.
 

Cracked and broken pots once glaze fired can be donated to charity organisations that train handicapped or unemployed people to do mosaics. Cracked bisque ware can be used to aid drainage in container planting.
 

Electric firing is most convenient for potters and definitely cleaner burning than fossil fuels, but we need to relook our medium. A worldwide trend is to work in the mid-fire range rather than traditional high fired stoneware. A lot of industries have developed clay bodies that vitrify at lower temperatures, but studio potters are often unaware of these developments. There are some spectacular glazes available for lower temperatures, and a lot of colours, that would normally fire away at the higher temperatures, can now assure us of a brighter palette of glazes. We are still very ignorant about this in South Africa, but hopefully we will eventually see the benefit of it. We will conserve a lot of energy by firing at a lower temperature, and we could reinvent our work. If you are doing reduction firing or live in rural areas where you don’t have access to suitable electricity, consider using biofeuls to fire your kilns. It is a byproduct made from recycled cooking oil and is much cleaner burning and more sustainable than fossil fuels.
 

It would also not harm to include a green glaze in our palette, if we can not make our craft more environmentally friendly, we can at least remind ourselves to do our bit to reduce our carbon footprint.

The next test results

Since my last disaster I decided to do a more extensive test this time. The first firing was to 1025*C and I used the basic principle of 50% clay and 50% glassformers, with 6%body stain mixed in to firstly see the reaction of colour in the body and secondly to distinguish the tests from one another. Here are the results:

• A - Same body as my first test. I found the surface satisfactory, colour development was good and so the vitrification. On the downside the bead slumped in the firing and the hole was closed totally. Bead stuck slightly to test tile.

• B - Standard glaze flux(1) . Body still very porous and colour underdeveloped. Will retest at higher temperature.

• C - Standard glaze flux(2) . Body still very porous and colour underdeveloped. Will retest at higher temperature.

• D - Flux used in glassmaking. Body set rockhard before drying. Surface rough and scum formed opaque layer on surface. Bead stuck to test tile. Colour development good.

• E - Flux used in glassmaking, as above but 20%. Body set rockhard before drying. Surface rough and scum formed opaque layer on surface. Bead stuck to test tile. Colour development good.

• F - Lucie Rie Bronze slip. Body very short, but otherwise interesting. Slightly vitrified  and nice surface. On the downside it can only be this one coolur. I will refire at a higher temperature to investigate results.

The tests were an interesting learning curve and have motivated me to take the experiments further, I will keep you posted.

Learning from my Mistakes

Every great artist will admit that somewhere in their search for perfection they did make mistakes. The secret is not to dwell on it, but to learn and conquer.

During a recent project teaching people skills, I decided to develop a new clay body that will simplify the process. I wanted something that can be once fired, with colour included in the body and that would eliminate the glaze process, but still give the necessary sheen. I tried researching Soft Paste Porcelain, but could not track down much information, let alone any recipes. 

The next option I thought about was Egyptian paste. Looking at the drawbacks of making, handling and firing, I quickly dismissed the idea. Working with unskilled people with not a very high level of education, the attempt would have been too frustrating for me and them to turn it into a viable option.

The next thing I came across was something used in the 19th century to simulate marble, mostly used for figurines. I came across a recipe in an old book I found at a flea market many years ago, and decided to give it a try.

Working with the first test batch was very interesting. Although the body was very short, it had great green strength, which was definitely a plus point. I need to add something to increase the plasticity. During the firing process it dawned on me that with the high amount of fluxes, the temperature of 1150*C would be too high. The photograph at the top is the result, everything melted down and bloated totally. I am doing more test firings at lower temperatures, but will also experiment with other fluxes to come up with the perfect solution.

The next mistake I encountered was using platinum luster on an unglazed surface fired to a high temperature. What I envisaged as a bright matt silver colour, turned out to be a rather muted grey. Although not totally wasted,  I will not go this route again. The colour would be much better obtained from slips and engobes, as the price of the luster is too expensive to make it commercially viable.

So its back to the drawing board for me, even the smallest mundane pieces can stimulate your creativity, and hopefully great things will come from this

Trash Chic

What to do with your clay trimmings when you make your masterpieces? Instead of dumping it in the reclaim bin, (which is in most cases just a politically correct name in many studios, as it is a lot more convenient to buy a new bag of clay than slogging over the bin trying to reclaim the scraps) unskilled people are shown how to form it into these simple organic shapes.

Decoration comes from a pile of unused decals that clutter up another part of the studio. Larger motifs are treated as pieces of fabric that is cut when making a garment instead of trying to feature a realistic image. The effect is quite abstract and whimsical. Words and letters are cut up and reassembled to represent typeface, but please don’t try to attempt constructing a logical sentence from it.

These ‘Pretty Pebbles’ find their way onto leather, suede and organza, accentuated with a decorative bead, as an adorable funky piece of jewellery made from discarded materials. Judging from a few that survived having been accidentally dropped onto a concrete floor, they are very durable too!

If you just have to have one for yourself or if you want to stock a few in your store, contact Deon on +27(0)72 134 9613

Have a Heart

When I was invited to exhibit at the ʻOut of the Boxʼ Art Fair Extraordinaire, I decided to make a few heart shaped items for the occasion. With the proceeds of the fair going to the ʻOut of the Boxʼ Skills Development Centre, I decided the shape would be appropriate. The centre provide training to unemployed people to acquire basic craft skills in order for them to make items to sell as a way of sustaining themselves.

Why red? Suitably it is the colour of blood which pump through our hearts without which life would be impossible. Please support the artists exhibiting, proceeds go to a very worthy cause.

Art Fair Extraordinaire
Friday 1 April to Sunday 3 April
10H00 to 14H00 daily
305 Long Avenue
Ferndale
Randburg
Enquiries: Nina 083 583 5383

Under the Hammer

A porcelain tile with gold luster detail 580 x 580mm by Esias Bosch(1923 - 2010) recently sold on auction for ZAR 18 000

We will remember them

Sometimes we have to face reality, however hard it may be. For World Aids Day on 1 December 2010 I would like to pay tribute to people that somehow or another touched my life. Some I have known personally, others were an inspiration to me, and your legacy will always remain with me.

Sadly the ceramic world have lost many great talented people to HIV and AIDS.  Their untimely deaths left us with a sad loss of talent, but we will always remember them by the great work they produced.

According to UNAIDS estimates, there are now 33.4 million people living with HIV, including 2.1 million children. During 2008 some 2.7 million people became newly infected with the virus and an estimated 2 million people died from AIDS. Around half of all people who become infected with HIV do so before they are 25 and are killed by AIDS before they are 35.

Angus Suttie

United Kingdom

1946 - 1993

Ian Godfrey

United Kingdom

1942 - 1992

Matthias Osterman

Canada

1951 - 2009

Bonnie Ntshalintshali

South Africa

1967 - 1999

Read more about artists from Ardmore that died of AIDS

Barry Douglas
South Africa
1949 - 2008

Unfortunately I could not trace any ceramists from the USA that was lost to AIDS. If you perhaps know of anyone that I have omitted, please feel free to add their names in the comment box.

Under the Hammer

I found some interesting ceramics that is going on auction this month

 

Stoneware Bowl by Tim Morris

Earthenware Vase by John Newdigate

Preview Wednesday 1 December 2010

Auction Saturday 4 December 2010

Get more information here.

The Battle of the Sexes

Since time immemorial the differences between men and woman, which is not just the physical aspects, have become the source of somehow heated debates. It also inspired many authors to put pen to paper about the subject, the most referred to published works that come to mind is the 1992 book by John Gray ʻMen are from Mars, Women are from Venusʼ and ʻDefending the Cavemanʼ, a comedy by Rob Becker that first premiered in 1991.

In the feminine piece, I decided to use pretty decorations in the background, obtained by impressing antique wooden fabric printing blocks from India. The repetitive pattern on the rim is inspired by the Michael Graves design for Alessi, where he used raised studs in an all metal tray, I used metal screws in the clay. During firing the screws started melting and gives an interesting texture.

The quote ʻAnd crawling on this Planetʼs Face, a species called the Human Raceʼ comes from the Rocky Horror show. Men often refer to woman as ʻa different speciesʼ when they do not understand their behaviour.

In the masculine piece I used a more industrial background, reminiscent of chicken wire, often used to cage animals. The architectural elements symbolises strength associated with the physical side of men. The crack in the rim, unacceptable in utility ware, have been accentuated rather than repaired, and reminds of the ʻunacceptableʼ behavior of men when they feel they want to break free from their expected caged existence.

The quote is from ʻRespectableʼ by controversial German born American author and poet Charles Bukowski:

ʻI do not want to be respectable,
I want to live my life to the full...
...Iʼd rather live alone and drink until
I find somebody whoʼs on the pillʼ

Despite of disgust and disbelief, men and women still find a happy medium and can coexist in relative harmony fulfilling each otherʼs various needs.

When Kitch becomes Cool

After complaining to a friend the other day about a totally unrelated matter, he recommended a Chinese herbal remedy. ʻWhere would I find that?ʼ I asked. The best place would be China Mall, according to him, and off I went.

The last time I saw so much kitsch under one roof was when I exhibited at a trade show in New York. There was so much bling that you needed sunglasses to find your way around, which incidentally is sold there too, every fake designer brand imaginable, competing with each other in both authenticity and the lowest price tag.

Believing deep in my heart not all things can be bad, I decided to explore. Places like these are invention opportunities and I started thinking of what I can do with what. I ended up buying strips of plastic runners, ʻbeautifullyʼ finished in silver and gold. It was so bad, I couldnʼt resist the temptation to buy one in every design possible. The shop assistant was totally confused why I only needed half a meter of each, surely I had bigger tables?

The reason for that is that my slab roller can only accommodate that width, and I will use the sheets to add texture to my work. Wonderful things can happen when you just open your mind.

Sex & Drugs & Boerewors Rolls

Sex & Drugs & Rock ʼn Roll is a song written by Ian Dury and composed by Chas Jenkel, released on 26 August 1977, initially as the B-side of the single ʻRazzle In My Pocketʼ, due to itʼs then controversial title. Banned from being played on the radio by the BBC, (and heavens forbid, the verkrampte SABC) the song was never really a chart topper, but became an anthem of the Punk Rock Era.

The title is a modern day interpretation of the term ʻWine, Woman and Songʼ, and the lyrics is often misinterpreted as that of excess, whereas the song actually is rebelling against the mediocre 9 to 5 existence of the masses.

“Hereʼs a little bit of advice, youʼre quite welcome, itʼs free,
Donʼt do nothing that is cut-price, youʼll know what theyʼll make you be:
They will try their tricky device, trap you with the ordinary,
Get your teeth into a small slice, the cake of liberty”

With my bowl, which would initially be viewed as quirky, I would also like to challenge the mediocrity of suburbia in South Africa. The blue and white decoration, reminiscent of Delftware, which is actually kitsch, but rather collectable, is such a predictable element in suburban interiors.

Fitting with our modern lifestyle, sexual intercourse is redefined as a form of recreation, unlike other mammals where they purely engage in it for reproductive purposes. The use and abuse of drugs also becomes a daily routine, ranging anywhere from basic vitamin supplements, birth control, tranquilisers and sleeping tablets to more hardcore substances. Fast food, of which Boerewors Rolls are South Africaʼs contribution, become very predictable, you know exactly what you will be getting, it takes thinking out of food consumption and preparation, thus reflecting on our mediocre predictable lifestyle

Still blowing my own trumpet

I have just finished assembling and painting the next batch of Vuvuzela vases and switched on the kiln for the first bisque firing. These will be glazed and fired during the week and then despatch them to various galleries for the Christmas season. After that is a new classicaly shaped vase and large wok shaped bowls. All are the same yet each one is different.

101 Uses for a Dead Vuvuzela

One of my favorite books as a young man was Simon Bondʼs ʻ101 uses for a Dead Catʼ. First published in 1981, it sold over 2 million copies in 20 countries. The collection of macabre cartoons give suggestions to a question that plagued humans for centuries: ʻWhat do you do with a dead cat?ʼ It depicted bodies of cats being used for various purposes, like doormats or pencil sharpeners.

With the advent of the 2010 Soccer World Cup, South Africaʼs contribution to the headlines was an annoying plastic trumpet, the Vuvuzela, that could wake the dead. Most people, like myself, immediately thought of a way to recycle the plaguing little souvenir by threatening to bury it in a very undesirable place. The only question was should it go in thin side first, thick side first, or sideways.

Forgotten by most by now, the Vuvuzela has found found its final resting place in bargain bins in souvenir shops, covered in dust between other memorabilia, or for the more eco-conscious citizens, dutifully deposited in a recycling bin.

A strange quirk of mine to try find the good in anything bad, my Vuvuzela ended up in my studio. The pleasing curve of the design translates well into elegantly shaped necks for classical vases. Textured slabs of clay are pressed into basic shaped casting moulds, trimmings of clay are pressed into classically inspired sprigmoulds which are used for feet and extra embellishments. The Vuvuzela is then covered with dampened strips of newsprint (as the wet clay would adhere to plastic) and torn strips of clay is then formed around it. Once the piece reached the desired hardness, the Vuvuzela is removed, pieces are assembled into an elegant vase. The final piece is then treated by decorating it in the same manner as my current body of work. As themes change, so will the decoration, evolving the look continuously.

The classically inspired end piece will be enjoyed by the new owner with a totally new emotion, not even remotely associated with that annoying piece of history