Friday 28 March 2014

Pesky glazes..

I am finding glazes very hard to master - due to mostly a lack of interest and impatience!! I feel I am more of a 'maker' - I enjoy putting pieces together and printing patterns but have not got the patience or delicacy for applying colour. Glazes are too unpredictable!

Vase no2 ruined with a badly mixed glaze:





Perfectly spun tapas dishes ruined by glaze too thick..

(least now I have learnt what I did wrong..!)





For the next pieces I will be doing, I have decided to use oxides instead with probably an overcoat of transparent glaze. I am also trying a thin layer of glaze for the big letters (see images below) which will hopefully lay mainly inside the lines of pattern. 


I like more the raw quality of oxides and their ability to highlight textural pattern. Lets hope these work out like I want them to...








Mosaics

My mum is undoubtedly very happy that I have finally taken those numerous bags of tiles off her and have now started a mosaic project! 3 years on - after efficiently starting a collection of unwanted tiles - I have begun a mini project sprucing up an old bed box.
Is pretty basic and un-intricate but think it'll be a nice storage box/coffee table for the living room.





Monday 17 March 2014

Future Makers Trail

This weekend, I was able to help out at and showcase the Future Makers Trail booklet I made for Manchester Craft and Design Centre at the opening of their new exhibition: Tactile Illusions by Elizabeth Winstanley.

Alongside the trail, there was a craft activity in studio 2 and there was a particular bunch of enthusiastic crafters who stayed for the duration!

A successful day and a successful outcome for the public engagement team at Manchester Craft and Design!

All participants in the craft activity will have their work displayed in the front window for the duration of the exhibition, thanks guys!