'Old Oil Cans'

I decided to make a series of 'Old Oil Cans' recently. I just finished glazing and firing them last week and pretty happy with the results. I put finishing them on hold to make more pieces for 'Articles Fine Arts Gallery' Exhibition to be held in March. I used a Cone 6 glaze called 'Floating Red' but instead of dipping the glaze, I sprayed a light coat which turned out better than expected and they look just like rusty oil cans. The finish is matt, dry and rough to touch. This glaze is usually a variegated iron red, yellow to black, semi gloss glaze. Yellow where thinner and black were thicker. I have two variations of this recipe in my book. I used the second one. As you can see from the recipe, it has few ingredients and like any other glaze, application is the key and by spraying this and perhaps a cooler top temp, I achieved a good result.

Recipe Name: Floating Red

Cone: 6 Color: multicolored w iron red
Firing: Oxidation Surface: Glossy
Amount Ingredient

                                                      Amounts I Used

55       Gerstley Borate—1999          48
15       Talc                                     13
30       Silica                                   26

Additives
15 Iron Oxide—Red                   13.0



Collection of Ceramic Oil Cans



Oil Can 1 with sprayed 'Floating Red' Cone 6 glaze

Oil Can 2

Oil Can 3

Oil Can 4

Oil Can 5

Oil Can 6

Garden Flower Sculpture

Had a short break from pottery over the Christmas holidays but back in full swing again and working on a few different things. I have made a few pieces which I intend to Raku Fire in a short while. I have always loved plants and gardening. I particularty love Australian native plants and the diverse flowers and seed pods mother nature provides for our visual pleasure.  I have at differant times, made pots and sculptural pieces that are in some way a reflection of things like seed pods from nature. Working on another Banksia Seed sculptural piece at the moment which I plan to pit fire to reflect the way a bush fire might affect a tree in the bush. Other seed pods in mind too, so keep posted for more updates and photos. Plan to make a series and call it "Seed Pods from Nature'. Also, my love old oil cans has inspired me to make a series of 'Oil Can Relics'. Love the many different forms, spouts, handles which help create each personality. Just love how they look. As well as these, I am continuely looking at extending my Cone 6 glazes so have been mixing up a few more glazes to test, mostly for sculptural pieces. Looking at making some more funtional pieces too incorporating the wonderful textures available in my box of treasures that include handmade stamps, found objects from nature, old cogs, wheels and other man made objects and relics.

Here is the glazed result of one of the flower sculptures shown in an earlier post (unglazed). This particular piece was single fired and I am pretty happy with the result.

If you would like the recipe for the glaze used here, drop me an email and I would be happy to send it to you.