I’m never going to be a production potter, but I’m taking a page out of that notebook to give me a stronger foundation for my work. It’s hard, but I can make myself do it..be methodical and linear…and I need to.

I realized recently that I’ve had WAY TOO MANY variables in my clay exploration, meaning it was hard to find patterns and retain what I’d learned so as to be able to do something I liked again.

In order to do a great ceramic piece the form and the finish have to work together and enhance one anther. I need to know what finishes work for my aesthetic so that I can create suitable forms.

I bought a number of glazes that in themselves aren’t much, but that in combinations can be quite wonderful (or ghastly). I’m doing test after test of combos and finding there are just a handful that I really like. Here are a few examples of those on test tiles.

I’m going to limit myself to bowls for awhile. I love bowls, so that part is easy. It’s just another way of minimizing the variables. Once I’m comfortable that I can predict (to at least some extent) some results, then maybe I’ll branch out. Or, I’ll revert one day to just making any damned shape I want and take my chances on the finish.

This afternoon I’m going to glaze up the latest bisque batch using what I learned from the last test run. Well see!