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In the Studio
In the Studio
My pottery is always a work in progress. What will happen if next time I do this?
Most studio time is spent at the potter's wheel creating functional high-fire stoneware pieces. "Working art" serving pieces are most intriguing. Slab-built and altered forms complement wheel-formed work. Hand-made stamps enhance glaze colors as they break and pool in the surface textures. Layering glazes create abstract pictures of water, trees, hills and skylines. All decorations somehow reflect Barb's love of the Pacific Northwest where she was born and raised.
Sometimes Barb breaks away from functional pieces to experiment with low-fire decorative work. This includes sculptural pressed castings of native sea life, raku fired with copper glazes. Vases are either raku or saggar fired. Again, Barb is drawn to decorations that are Northwest in nature - salt-soaked ferns, leaves, hay, copper wire, feathers, horsehair, shells and other chemical colorants and combustibles are combined to create unique works.
Virtual Studio Tour
Visit Barb's studio and see how a mug or baker is made from beginning lump of clay to the finished product, through video, time lapse and still photos.
Afternoon of Throwing
Watch in time lapse as Barb creates four different serving pieces. Actual time was approximately 20 minutes per piece.
Trimming Serving Bowls
Most pieces are trimmed when the clay dries to leather hard. This removes support clay and defines the outer walls and foot of the piece. Watch in time lapse as Barb trims four serving pieces. Actual time to trim each piece is about 10-15 minutes.
Unloading My Kiln
Once the pot is trimmed and bone dry, it is bisque fired. Still porous, but stronger, it is dipped in glaze and decorated, then fired in the kiln once more. Reaching temperatures over 2200 degrees F, the glaze becomes glass and the clay is vitrified. Watch Barb unload the final firing and see the finished pieces.
Portable Photo Booth
People often ask about how I photograph my work. I built a collapsible booth and use a digital camera or, for quick Instagram shots - my phone. Instructions and a materials list may be downloaded by clicking on the button below.
