Andrew Martin @ Lillstreet -- Day 2

Andrew Martin is teaching a workshop at Lillstreet on Mold making and slip casting.  Day two of the class has the students making a plaster of their pieces.

Andrew Martin instructing a student on the finer points of prepping a clay piece for making the plaster mold. Pieces are in leather hard stage.

Joan inspecting her preparation.  Looks like she is going to cast a two piece mold for the bottom half (stem) of her goblet form.  Below that is her shot "glass" form. 

Final clean-up and prep. 

 Dan preparing the drill and auger to mix up some plaster.

Dan looking perplexed because the chuck of the auger does not fit the drill.

 What treasures will these mold reveal?  Plaster are hardening and will be cut to review form inside.  Stainless steel sheet used to form the "mold box" and wet clay is used to form a leak-proof seal where the form meets the table.

 

Another "mold box" or form being prepped.  This one is made from wood and the planks are "L" shaped.  The two "L" shaped form can slide along to make a bigger or smaller form depending on the object to be cast.  "G" clamps used to secure the two "L" shaped planks together and wet clay may be used to seal the joints and any edges. 

Here are more information on Andrew Martin:

Andrew Martin's Website
Aquatic Aesthetic

Andrew Martin @ Lillstreet

Andrew Martin is in Lillstreet this week as part of the Mold Making and Slip Casting - Discovering New Work workshop.  This is a week long workshop and will focus on designing and making molds. 

I will attempt to drop in and take some photos of the workshop in progress.

Brag Shelf 3/15/2012

Here are the latest displays on the student brag shelf. Do you see your piece there?  Congratulations!

We've also installed another brag shelf above the coat rack.  This one is sturdier than the Ikea shelf and will be used for bigger and heavier pieces.  Below is a selection of the first sculptural pieces from Robin Power's Sunday morning class.

If you see new pieces added to the Brag Shelf and you don't see a photo on help, snap a good quality image and send them to nixon.khoo@gmail.com and I will publish them on here.

Spring Classes in Jeopardy

If you haven't signed up for classes for the Spring session, please do so soon.  The following classes are in jeopardy of cancellation due to low enrollment.  If it is a class you are interested in, please sign up for it before it gets cancelled and is no longer available!!!!

Exploring High Fire Glazes -- David Bromley
Monday 1:30 - 4:30PM

First Time Handbuilder -- Matthew Dercole
Monday 7:00 - 10:00PM

Beg/Adv Beg Handbuilding -- Lisa Harris
Tuesday 1:30 - 4:30PM

Art Dolls and Small Sculptures -- Robin Power
Tuesday 7:00 - 10:00PM

Multi-Level Print on Clay -- Tom Lucas
Wednesday 6:30 - 9:30PM

Advanced Handbuilding -- David Trost
Wednesday 7:00 - 10:00PM

Tile Making -- Michael Skiersch
Thursday 7:00 - 10:00PM

Beg/Adv Beg Handbuilding -- Matthew Dercole
Saturday 1:00 - 4:00PM

cue music -- sign up today  before the classes get cancelled!

Lillstreet Spring Open House

Invite your friends, invite your neighbors, invite people you see on the street.  The Lillstreet Spring Open House is scheduled for March 10.  Doesn't matter what the weather is like outside . . . it's always warm, cozy and welcoming at Lillstreet!

Saturday, March 10, 2012

12-4pm

FREE Workshops & Demonstrations for Adults & Children’s Activities

12:00-4:00     Kids' Activities

12:00-1:00     Screenprinting on Paper Workshop

12:00-2:00     Glass Demonstrations

12:30-1:30     Letterpress Printing Workshop

1:00-5:00       Crash Course in Digital Photography (not complimentary, by registration only)

1:30-2:30       Screenprint on Paper Workshop

1:30-2:30       Repouse (Low relief hammering design) Workshop

1:30-2:30       Band Rings Workshop

2:00-4:00       Wheelthrowing Workshop

2:00-4:00       Wheelthrowing BIG Demonstration

2:00-4:00       Bird Ceramic Sculpture Workshop

2:00-4:00       Print Your Own T-Shirt  Workshop (Bring in your own t-shirt, or purchase from our sales locker.)

3:00-4:00       Hammered Bracelets Workshop

CONE 1 REDUCTION - New firing method

More FUN at Lillstreet Art Center!

Cone 1 (2039 F to 2109 F) Reduction Firing is an alternative method of firing Terra Cotta or other clays such as Stoneware. Because of the reduction firing and unusual ending temperature, unique surfaces develop.

The gas kiln is fired slowly to Bisk temperature and then “reduced” to Cone 1. The work goes into the kiln as greenware, fired slowly with an abundance of oxygen over about 12 hours. At Cone 04 (1915 F to 1971 F), the atmosphere is changed to a reduction firing, when the fuel seeks oxygen on a microscopic level inside the clay body.

The Red Iron Oxide in Terra Cotta is changed to Black Iron Oxide resulting in variations of color from burnt orange to black. Terra Sigilata brushed on greenware, with or without buffing it, enhances the bronze or dark walnut color with sheen.

Stonewares will have gone thru Body Reduction whereby the iron in the claybody is brought to the surface giving a warm tone. The clay is stronger than merely going to the bisk temperature and the reduction makes it harder as well. You may experiment with B Clay or Porcelain too. This could be appropriate for sculptures destined to be left as is or in conjunction with other alternate finishing techniques.

Underglazes may be used for color. The Low Fire Glazes may be used on the inside only and are not tested for food safety. Cone 10 Glazes and Stains will not melt and should not be used.

We will be offering Cone 1 Reduction Firings when we have enough work to fire the kiln, which is located on the second floor. It is about half the size of the Bailey kilns. We will find places to store the greenware here and there. We will teach students to load it. Sculpture students: think about how you will safely get your piece to the kiln without damage before you attempt to make a piece for this firing.

Additionally, please note that after the Cone 1 firing, Terra Cotta pieces will be vitrified, but are not meant to be left outdoors in winter. Stoneware will be harder and more sturdy than bisqued pieces and alternative finishes could be done on Stoneware pieces after the Cone 1 firing.

For more information, please talk to your teacher or Karen. You may also email Karen at karen@lillstreet.com.

Soda Program

Soda firing -- also known as atmospheric firing -- is a firing method for clay pieces that has already been bisque fired. In the soda firing process, soda ash (sodium carbonate) is mixed in water with saw dust and other additives to form lumps.  This lumps are introduced into a hot kiln that has been firing for several hours to Cone 10.  When the soda and sawdust lumps hit the hot flames, sodium vapor is created that moves around the pieces in the kiln with the movement of the flame.  Sodium vapor combines with the silica in clay to form sodium-silicate glaze.  Soda fired pieces has a unique orange peel effect on their surface.  The amount of silica in the clay body, where the exterior of the piece is slipped or glaze adds a dimension of uniqueness to the finished product.  The location of the piece and the pieces that surrounds the piece also provide a dimension of uniqueness.  All in all -- Soda firing is a very interesting process and should be added to any potters repertoire of knowledge.

Soda firing works just as well with wheel thrown or hand built pieces and does not discriminate against functional ware or sculptural work.

Students who wishes to learn about Soda firing, how the form and surface embellishment of a piece impacts the outcome and how slips affects the appearance of a piece should consider taking the Simply Soda class.

For those who have taken at least 2 Simply Soda class and wants to move on to more challenging aspects of Soda firing might consider Advanced Topics in Soda Firing.  And, for the first time in the Soda Program's history at Lillstreet, the instructor for this class will be Charles Jahn.

Anyone who is interested in learning more about Soda Firing should read the Soda, Clay and Fire by Gail Nichols.  There should be copies of this book around Lillstreet so if you don't wish to purchase one, you should be able to quite easily borrow one.

Adam August checking the cones in the soda kiln (not apparent in the photo: flames spitting out of the peep hole)

Soda is a very hands-on program.  Students are encouraged to load and unload the soda kilns, participate the firing process and also perform some kiln maintenance.  These tasks provide invaluable insights to the working of a kiln and how the placement of a piece impacts the final outcome.

So, come on . . . take a dip in the Soda Firing pool . . . you may never want to get out.