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Raku from Phoenix Workshop

March 5, 2018RakuDavid

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otterpottery

74 Johnson Avenue
Markerville, Alberta -
Phone 403-638-5177
These French butter dishes and garlic keepers fit These French butter dishes and garlic keepers fit in the fridge for travel and take no room on a small table once you found your destination. Spending summer in the Sundre area? Join us for #Sundre #potteryclasses starting the week of July 9th. For the summer, classes are available afternoons and evenings. Visit http://www.potteryclasses.page for details. #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #art #wheelthrowing #ceramics #exploresundre #camping #resorts
This is a vase I made several years ago. It was in This is a vase I made several years ago. It was initially glazed with an ash glaze on a brown clay. You can see the brown rivulets stopping at the base. The whole vase looked that brown color, pretty boring. Comparing it to my recent work, I was getting embarrassed looking at it. I have liked the response of how the Nuka glaze has been working out, so I applied some glaze and re-fired the vase. It was worth it. The brown clay is highlighted by the bright whites and blue of the new glaze. Now you see the older brown glaze as an echo of the Nuka glaze. Join us for #potteryclasses in #Sundre starting the week of January 21st. Visit http://www.potteryclasses.page for details. #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #art #ashglaze
Here in Alberta, agriculture is an important part Here in Alberta, agriculture is an important part of our economy. As the seasons change, the fields are worked with ploughs, harrows and fertilizing vehicles. The long flowing lines of tracks break up the flat fields and reveal the contours of the land. The textured surface on the cylinder gives long fluid lines for your eyes to flow over. The variable raku glaze moves details forward or back. It is more sculpture than pottery. Join us for #potteryclasses in #Sundre. Visit http://www.potteryclasses.page for details. #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #arts #Christmas #raku #newyears #farming #sculpture
The November #potteryclasses in #Sundre are bookin The November #potteryclasses in #Sundre are booking up. For information and to enroll go to http://www.otterpottery.com/pottery-classes/ . Another horse hair pot. Another beautiful reminder. #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #horsehairpottery #lessons #art #horse #remembrance
Every artist goes through different stages of work Every artist goes through different stages of work they produce throughout their lives. With many different firing techniques there is a lot to learn until you find the work that speaks to you and for you. At each stage I thought this is going to be my signature type of work. And then, some ideas start to incubate, and you find some restrictions to the pottery making you are immersed in. Immersed is a good word to describe what it is like to suddenly feel driven to explore new boundaries of clay. This weeks theme is clay work for your walls.
Try something new again! Over the years I silk scr Try something new again! Over the years I silk screened the T-shirts for the rafting business. Why not try something new with the old screens? Now this image is on my T-shirts as well as my mugs. You can have one made to order! Join us for #potteryclasses in #Sundre starting the week of March 25st. Visit http://www.potteryclasses.page for details. #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #art #Silkscreening #wheelthrowing #ceramics #potteryglazes #slabwork
Here are the student’s mugs from the #potterycla Here are the student’s mugs from the #potteryclasses as well as the large bowl. This took more time to glaze than I hoped. I needed a good day for spraying the glaze on the bowl. The finished pieces position corresponds to the prior picture when they were only bisque fired. #Sundre #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #potteryclasses #sculpture
There are so many things you can do with ceramics. There are so many things you can do with ceramics. Most people think making pottery and end there. You can make Teapots and ashtrays, or you can use it on leading surfaces of the space shuttle to withstand the high heat of friction as it goes through the earth’s atmosphere. Hopefully I don't disappoint. But for now, I have settled on adding sculpture to the tableware that is made. It is always created with an idea in mind which can change along the way. I hope you find the meaning on you own or move on to getting your own message that you can use daily.
In the last posting, did you notice the wave shape In the last posting, did you notice the wave shaped shadow cast by the sculpture. Therefore, both of these pieces were also wave shaped. A little something to hang back about and not point out right away. These pieces of wall art are about textures. The leather frames the work. It looks and feels so different from the craggy canyons and hills of the landscapes of these pieces. This is a raku type of clay, but I wanted to fire it in a low temperature barrel fire. They both were placed in a barrel full of wood chips, bark, saw dust, pine cones and roots. The wood was lit to burned in the barrel all night. These two pieces were discovered hidden amongst the ashes and incombustibles.
These are some pots made from the riverside clay I These are some pots made from the riverside clay I had to kayak to get. The clay had very few foreign particles in it. I plopped it on the wheel and I could throw it as is. It was easy to throw these vases. I had to pick out very few small rocks or twigs. Somethings I left in the clay to give it more character once fired. It was fun to throw with so many unknowns and the final results were great. Unfortunately, the #potteryclasses here in #Sundre does not use this type of clay for instruction. Pottery classes start next week. #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #earthenware #terracotta #canadaday #lessons #art
This is a clay representation of Bighorn Falls whi This is a clay representation of Bighorn Falls which is on one of the tributaries of the upper Red Deer River. It is only a short hike up the gorge to see the double falls cascading into a cold pool below. For many years, two dead trees, one upright and one hanging across the river, formed a natural frame for the falls. One spring, the rivers in the area were all very high and the torrent washed the trees away. It is still an inspiring site even though it no longer has the frame. This is a favorite place for many. Several similar pictures of this scene have been published in various media in the area. With the summertime comes plenty of tourists to the mountains. There must be photos of these falls carried back to different countries around the world. With just a bit of a pause in our day, we can all see the beauty of nature around us.
When people start to learn pottery, you start simp When people start to learn pottery, you start simple then progress to more difficult. Pinch pots come first, then slab building, coil assembling and then on the wheel. Working on a wheel uses a lot of the techniques you started with. The #potteryclasses I offer here in Sundre, start with pinch pots. It is a good place to start to see when you squeeze clay, how you do it affects the direction it moves. While people are struggling with making a vase I work along with them to show how to not end up with a bowl. I connected two demonstration pinch vases quickly and created this ogre’s head. People discover that pinching clay in a controlled way is not at a kindergarten level – but maybe a grade 5!! I have pottery classes here in Sundre starting July 1st. There will also be some classes aimed as a day camp for kids. Book Early! #Sundre #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #potteryclasses #sculpture
Here is a student`s work from the classes that end Here is a student`s work from the classes that ended in December. With the vibrant, cranberry glaze highlights on this small serving plate, it stands out and sings. I have changed the date of the upcoming pottery classes to start the week of January 21st. To enroll, have a first, second and third choice of days that you are available. With only 5 students per class it helps if you can be flexible. Join us for #potteryclasses in #Sundre. Visit http://www.potteryclasses.page for details. #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #arts #January #mug #plates #trays
Just like white over black gives a speckled patter Just like white over black gives a speckled pattern, white over green gives a similar pattern. On a closer look the pattern of dots is fewer, irregular and less defined. This Butter Dome will be at the #Bergen #christmasmarket, 10 kms south of #Sundre on November 24th. #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #arts #butterdish
#potteryclasses in #Sundre start the 2nd week of # #potteryclasses in #Sundre start the 2nd week of #September. Enroll now! This lidded pot has been barrel fired. Additions of low melting or fuming materials were added for the firing which permanently stained the clay. There is no glaze on barrel fired work because of the low temperatures achieved. #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #sundreclayart #ceramica #raku #lessons #barrelfiredpottery #handthrown
Working for most of the last 35 years as a white-w Working for most of the last 35 years as a white-water rafting guide, I enjoy trying to find different ways of representing water. This piece of sculpture was created with a wave in mind and by dividing it in two a river was formed. I fired the pieces separately using the naked raku style which gave it the appearance of the surface of ripples in water. #Sundre #potterycourses #Olds #Bowden #Didsbury #Innisfail #Pottery #Sculpture
The Raku clay I use has a wide variety of particle The Raku clay I use has a wide variety of particle sizes. This makes it more resistant to heat shock, it can flex more without cracking. But, because of that the clay doesn’t hold water once fired. This pot explores larger surfaces with different colors and texturing. Being so dark, it is very subtle. The pot has a strong presence. #potteryclasses here in #Sundre do not teach raku techniques. Space is available in the 1 day, 3 day and 6 week pottery #classes. #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #raku #lessons #art #copper #glaze
Wall art has always been of interest to me. There Wall art has always been of interest to me. There are so many different shapes and sizes and depths that can be used, I`m sure painters are jealous. Different pottery making and firing techniques can be used to compliment the work as well as suggest and reinforce ideas. This naked raku style of firing the work, enhances and suggests the rings of growth of a tree in the passing of time. #Sundre #potterycourses #Olds #Bowden #Didsbury #Innisfail #Pottery #Sculpture
The long flowing lines left by the harrows follow The long flowing lines left by the harrows follow the contours of the landscape. This sculptural, black raku piece shows the shadows of machinery dragged across fields. But, the synchronizing of the lines as they flow up and down, twisting around the hills make me think of the lingering shadows left behind by a murmuration. Join us for #potteryclasses in #Sundre. Visit http://www.potteryclasses.page for details. #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #arts #Christmas #raku #newyears #farming #sculpture #murmuration
Another view of this bowl. Learning to combine gla Another view of this bowl. Learning to combine glazes takes time. Not too much and not too little. Join us for the #Sundre #potteryclasses starting the week of March 25th. We have space available for every evening 7 to 10 pm if you would like to come and have some fun creating. Visit http://www.potteryclasses.page for details. #Olds #Didsbury #Carstairs #Innisfail #Bowden #Reddeer #Calgary #pottery #handmade #art #wheelthrowing #ceramics #potteryglazes
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