Wheelforming with Kevin Boyd

Report by Andrea Ho

All potters are secret pyromaniacs. They love to fire things very, very hot. Relating one of many colourful and entertaining stories, Kevin remarked that he had once fired an entire car engine in his kiln.No-one in our class of twelve said, “How bizarre”. No-one asked, “What happened?”, or even, “Why?”

Someone DID ask, “How high did you fire it?” Kevin replied, “Stoneware, of course.” Fire formed the bracket of our five-day wheel-forming workshop. We began by considering simple forms, first in Kevin’s opening presentation and then at the wheel as we threw some pieces in preparation for the naked raku (smoke firing) planned for Friday. It was a great way to limber up, find our potting feet after the Christmas break.

We learned about terra sigillata, and experimented with applying both white and a terracotta ‘terrasig’.

Over the next few days Kevin helped us to explore altering forms: rims on bowls, self-made stamps, incising, adding hand-formed decoration, throwing ‘big clay’, and others. He taught us some of his techniques that make his own work so distinctive, including forming bowls from the rim down, and pulling handles in his style. It was exciting to watch each participant first try Kevin’s techniques, and then go on to make their own unique pieces fusing their own and Kevin’s styles. New creative doors opened each day.

An added bonus, Kevin proved a treasure house of tools. His clever use of everyday pottery items has taught us how to make sure we get even divisions of a form, and that we never need to trim the bottom of a mug again.

At break times we met up with Bev Hogg’s handbuilding students, and there were frequent ‘emissaries’ from both classes who would go across and visit the neighbours at work. It created a lovely sense of community, not to mention an opportunity to share artistic ideas and even enjoy a joint presentation by the two teachers on creativity.

On Friday our work reached a fiery climax with a full day of raku firing. It was a harsh, violent, messy, glorious process, producing some stunning results. With so many helping hands and volunteered kilns (thank you Chris, David, Julie, Ian) there was room to experiment with technique even on the day. It satisfied the hearts of even the most enthusiastic pyromaniacs (we had more than a few in the class).It was a great joy, almost a guilty pleasure, to spend a week with clay and with Kevin Boyd. Look out for some new and exciting work from artists in Canberra, Parkes and even Adelaide in 2012.

The output from Kevin Boyd's class was prolific.

Friday lunch for all gave Chris a chance to show he can cook great pizzas as well as make great pots.

Last day was a naked raku day – only the pots!

Figurative Sculpture handbuilt ceramics with Bev Hogg

An intensive workshop focusing on the development of ideas and technical skills to create expressive 3D figurative forms. Students are encouraged to bring along ideas, inspirational images, visual diaries and texture making found objects with a view to developing their own visual language. There will be practical demonstrations of construction techniques and surface treatments followed by time for experimentation and discovery. The aim is to create a valuable resource that will form a palette of ideas to create works made during the workshop and inspire future works.

Shelter 2010 Bev Hogg wall display clay, slips & downpipes 24h x86w x 10 d cm Photo. Bev Hogg

19th & 20th March 2011

In conjunction with his exhibition, Form, Fire & Fruition opening in the gallery on Friday 18^th March, Geoff Crispin will be conducting a two-day workshop. Topics to be included in this workshop include;

-  Working with porcelain; throwing considerations, slip casting, slab building

- Combinations of techniques

- Demonstration of throwing porcelain pieces, small, large and multi-pieced

-Considerations with design of carving

- Demonstration of carving techniques

Geoff has travelled widely, often working with underdeveloped communities including remote indigenous communities of Ernabella, Tiwi Islands and Hermansberg. He has curated many exhibitions and written extensively for ceramic publications. About his work Geoff writes:

‘My work reflects my pre-occupation with exploring the interactions of local raw materials (wherever possible), process (wood firing) and the maker. Current work is a synthesis of technology, raw materials and various production methods (throwing, slip casting and slab building). The pots combine a porcelain body (combed, scratched and carved) with ash, celadon, copper red and chun glazes to achieve a very subtle effect.  The pale greens of both celadon and ash glazes contrast with the warm flashes from the wood kiln to create a very personal means of expression. Influences from Asia, the Middle East and Australian Aborigines are evident in the work.  The pots have their roots in traditional sources but with a look and feel that reflects a contemporary presence’.

For more information about Geoff visit his website www.osmosis.net.au/crispin

top: Geoff Crispin

middle: Barrel Form slip cast with slab additions, ash & celadon glazes, 1320^oC 

bottom: Pot, carved, ash & celadon glazes, Whiteman creek porcelain body, 

Workshop report - Reflections on the Teapot and Casserole Workshop

workshop report by Marg Cotton

10-14 January 2011

In a strangely wet week in January a group of 13 students attended a Teapot and Casserole Workshop.  With his recent award winning entry in the Fusions Teapot Competition in Brisbane who better than Chris Harford to lead the group through the dark mysteries of teapot making? 

The first three days of the workshop were devoted to teapots. A table full of teapots of various shapes and sizes greeted us on our first morning. The features of the pots were noted and different approaches to discourage lids from falling off were discussed. After instruction on the need to visualise and plan our teapots, and an inspiring demonstration on throwing the pot and lid, we were let loose on the wheels. With the goal of trying to throw 5 or 6 pots ringing in our ears, not many of us paused to draw our visualisations before slapping down some clay to make a start.

The concept of throwing half a dozen teapots seemed ambitious for those in the group who had never attempted one before. But the benefit of having multiple pots on the go soon became evident.  In something akin to the free flowing approach that is sometimes evident in a family with 5 or 6 children, there seemed to be less agonising over the peculiarities of a single pot when there were so many others in need of attention.  Throwing a number of items in succession also allowed a rhythm to develop and throwing skills improved with repetition.

The second day saw us trimming pots and being instructed in spout throwing and pulling handles.  Rain and humidity meant that that the pots and lids had barely dried overnight. The buzzing of heat guns filled the air as we sought to dry our pots to a workable leather hard stage. Throwing a spout with an even and not too heavy wall proved to be much harder than it looked.  Chris had demonstrated the technique with a Ninja-like dexterity that eluded many of the students.

Day three was assembly day. Trimming and lid fitting continued, and spouts and handles were attached.  Chris provided endless patient assistance - reminding us of the necessary steps, saving the occasional runaway pot and advising on spout size and orientation. Amazingly, as the day progressed the teapots began to come together.

On the fourth day we turned our attention to casseroles. Again we looked at a range of approaches to these vessels and Chris generously shared his experience on what works and why. The perils of asymmetric shrinkage, for example, encourage Chris to carve galleries at the leather hard stage after some shrinkage has occurred rather than throwing the gallery. Again Chris adeptly demonstrated throwing the casseroles and fitted lids.  He also showed how to make an oval shaped casserole with a slab base.

On our final day there was a flurry of activity as we all sought to finish off pots in various states of completion and dryness. Again the hum of the heat gun was pervasive.  Handles, knobs and bases were being applied throughout the workshop and casseroles took shape. While we broke for a very enjoyable shared lunch in the courtyard most of us were back in the workroom determined to finish off the teapots and casseroles that were under construction. 

Reflecting on the workshop it was a luxurious opportunity to devote a whole week to developing and improving our potting skills. We all left inspired and encouraged to seek to create beautiful and functional pottery. Another fantastic workshop - thanks Chris!    

workshop report by Maryke Henderson

23rd & 24th October 2010

On the 23rd and 24th October 8 members attended a workshop with a focus on handles with wood-firer and salt-glazer, Sandy Lockwood.  Sandy started by demonstrating her technique for her loosely thrown forms and made components for teapots and cylinders for mugs.  We viewed slides of her work, her workshop and pots that she had seen in France during her recent travels for a wood-firing conference.  She also brought along a wonderful collection of pots with handles for us to drool over.

We were then challenged with her techniques, as we attempted to make our own loosely thrown forms.  On Sunday Sandy demonstrated the assembly of her teapots and then we struggled with our own pots, making handles that complemented the forms by using different methods.

It was an inspiring and challenging weekend with a talented and giving tutor such as Sandy.

Sandy Lockwood with a handled teapot

Sandy Lockwood has been working with clay for over 30 years. She has taught extensively at TAFE, NAS and university. She has exhibited widely in Australia and overseas including Japan, USA, UK, The Netherlands, Korea, and France. Her work is woodfired and salt glazed.

She has presented workshops and symposia in Australia, Japan, Taiwan, USA, and France and her work is represented in a number of public and private collections.

For more information see her website www.sandylockwood.com.au

Two of Sandy's demonstration teapots in the making

workshop report by David Leake

9th-10th October 2010

Over the weekend of 9 & 10 October twelve potters took part in a raku workshop with our resident "Raku Guru" Chris Harford. On Saturday Chris demonstrated throwing and altering forms suitable for the raku firing process. Chris shared his wealth of knowledge as well as a few tips and techniques for finishing leather hard ware. Chris said, "The attention to detail, finishing and decorating is the key".

Discussion on glaze recipes and demonstration of glaze application was also carried out before we were "let loose" decorating our own ware.

Sunday was off to an early start. After a few firings we all had a better understanding of the glazes and how they worked singly or in combination. Further glaze decoration and firing continued throughout the day - with the results from each firing getting better and better. The colour variations from the three glazes were amazing. The range of fired ware was varied from small wrens, pigeons, penguins, roosters, pinecones, balls, short and tall cylinders, lidded and open forms, vases, bottles, bowls and flowers. All the results were very pleasing. At the end of the day we were all still very keen and nobody wanted to leave, we all just wanted to keep on firing!

Many thanks to Chris for a great workshop.

CPS resident potter, Workshop Manager and teacher, Chris Harford, conducted this workshop. Chris has been a potter for 28 years, 23 of these as a professional potter and teacher. His works are in collections in the U.K, NZ, Ireland, Japan and Australia.

He is predominantly wheel-based, spending the formative years of his craft learning the technical skills needed to make high-grade functional ware under the guidance of Paul Fisher in New Zealand and later, as a trainee, production throwing the domestic range for the Jam Factory in South Australia. Then for a number of years he turned to making non-functional Raku-fired work; this is the style of work Chris will be demonstrating at the workshop. Chris has since returned to his first love, the permanence of high-fired stoneware and porcelain, but dabbles periodically with low-fired ware.

Commissioned works include a presentation platter to Sir William Deane, Governor-General of Australia, and a 12-person dinner setting for the Swiss Ambassador. Overseas commissions include four tile murals in Duffcarrig, Ireland and a large breakfast buffet setting for the Hyatt Kingsgate Hotel in Queenstown, New Zealand. In 1996 Chris established Spinning Gum Pottery.

Raku guru Chris Harford

workshop members observing the raku firing process

some of the finished works