Moving onto Bigger, Better and Taller Forms

During the span of the last two or so weeks I have been working toward making larger and taller forms. This means learning how to throw large cylinders. My reasoning for wanting to work on cylinders is because I am enrolled in Bob Smith's Class at the Westminster Recenter for eight weeks during the summer. This means that I must be able to create tall forms on the wheel in order to raku and saggar fire, just as Bob Smith does at his studio in Evergreen, Colorado.

During this class I will be challenged to create beautiful, magnificent forms with the help of the famous potter Bob Smith who earlier in the year helped me with raku for my personal project. I'm very excited to be practicing on throwing cylinders because it will help be able to make many more things in hope to develop my style in art.

When making taller bottle forms, a huge inspiration to me is Karen Swyler. These bottles have such a perfect form that suits my style. I love the simplicity in the pieces that she creates and I think that her pottery has great movement and works together to create a whole.

I am also very inspired by Elaine Coleman because her bottle forms are very simple and I love how tall her bottle forms are. I like the balance of the form as well because the balance makes the peice look like it has great craftsmanship. The perfection in her forms is very appealing to my interests.

I don't like the glaze or surface texture of this piece because it seems too busy.

The type of glazing that we will be trying this summer will be saggar firing and raku firing with Bob smith, which also leads me to another one of my inspirations while making bottle forms.

The pictures below are some examples of some of Bob Smith's work.

This is a Saggar fired bottle with Terra Sigallata. (left)

This is bottle that is raku fired with ferric chloride. (right)