INTRODUCING STITCHED AND SCORCHED SERIES
Available for retail and wholesale buyers.
Read below about the new embroidered and woven effects made totally in clay and burnt-out copper.
Covered Jar in DECOR
Woven effect in DECOR
Porcelain pods in DECOR
Accent vases in DECOR
Accent vases in DECOR
THE PROCESS
I developed these stitched and scorched effects during Spring 2015 using small bits of clay and thin copper wire.
The stitching involves pressing already-fired clay pieces into a wet clay vase. The color of the stitch is the color of the clay used. Currently I'm using porcelain for white and stoneware for black.
Threads of clay are rolled out and broken into appropriate lengths, and then completely fired for stability.
With a freshly-made piece in front of me, I design a pattern that fits the form. Some patterns might require stitches sorted by size, but other patterns are looser. I use tweezers or a pointed stick to embed the stitch into the wet clay vase. The form is then completely fired to lock in the stitches. The resulting surface is very tactile and vivid.
The scorched lines are the result of using thin copper wire (47 gauge is like hair!) on the surface of the clay before firing. In the heat of the kiln, the copper wire burns away, leaving scorch marks.
On bare clay, the marks are olive to brown to metallic. On a glassy surface, the marks become much greener.
Sometimes the wire is pressed into the wet clay. Sometimes the wire is wrapped around clay stitches pushed in vertically.
Porcelain stitches sorted by size and ready to use
Applying stitches to wet vase with end of paintbrush
Copper wire (red) held by porcelain pegs, ready for firing