11.03.2012
A box full of holiday fun! All of my ornaments turned out great.
No mishaps. No jumping off the tripods. No problems with the risky-balanced-ornaments!
Now I need to add a shiny metal ring to each of them before the Holiday Home Show!
Gorgeous!
I just found your website through Pinterest believe it or not! I am an art teacher in the Chicago suburbs and your pottery is gorgeous! I’m curious about the tripods you balance your ornaments on. It looks like you made them yourself – but how do you keep the glaze from fusing to them?
LAURA – I do indeed make the tripods myself. Just some simple clay pieces put together, bisqued and the tips are dipped in kiln wash. But I think the real “trick” is that my ornaments are soda-fired. Which means there is not much glaze on the outsides. The colors are mostly created by colored flashing slips, and a little bit of sprayed glazes. Plus, my “goal” is to get the tripod tips to rest on the “cap” part of the ornament that is only washed with red iron oxide. Hope that helps…
Gary,
I love your ornaments! I had tried on my own with some success and then saw yours and was inspired to keep trying to improve. These are wheelthrown, right? If your willing to share… Do you trim on a chuck? How do you finish out the tops?
Thank you,
Ann
HEY ANN – Thanks for the kudos! I love making these ornaments… and yes, I’m ALWAYS willing to share!!! They’re thrown upside down. And then when I go to trim off the excess, I “float” them on the posts of my Giffin Grip. Then I handbuild a cap and hoop for the top. A little scoring & slipping, a little detailing, a little slip painting, and voila’… finished ornaments AND tops!