Katie Plumb

Really pleased with the fired porcelain tiles. The higher temperature has thrown up some amazing variants in colour and tone. The left 3rd has been fired to Stoneware Oxidation (1260 - 1270 degrees) The right 3rd to Stoneware Reduction ( 1280 degrees) and the bottom 3rd to Earthenware (1060 - 70 degrees) Below are the 10 Oxide tiles. 1. 5% Yellow Ochre 2. 10% Yellow Ochre 3. 3% Chromium Oxide

Having read the section by Kathleen Standen in the book Additions to Clay Bodies, I had an urge to make my own collection of stained clay test tiles - similar to the 'sweetie box' of tiles made by Kathleen. The best clay to test colour is a white clay. I had a bag of grogged porcelain to hand and so began the process of weighing, mixing, adding, blending, shaping and marking. I used 30 balls of 50g of porcelain. Each ball was flattened and the colour added. Initially, I add

Happy New Year! Today started with a good idea of where I wanted to go next and what I needed to do to move forward. The clay I had prepared before the Christmas break had hardened but was still a little too soft to gouge - I therefore left it in the open to 'mature'. Meanwhile, I procrastinated. I knew what I wanted to do but was unsure of the best way to go about it...think, logically. I decided that whilst I was thinking I would practice my throwing skills. 9 wedged balls

How to smooth a rough, nearly dry piece of work before it goes for a bisque firing? I had continued to scrape and smooth using various tools on my porcelain sculpture yet it only resulted in more gouges and dents...hmm, what to do? Luckily I was sitting next to Matthew who had just the thing...wire wool. I took myself off into the glaze room with my mask and a brush...well, how therapeutic it was! I loved the feel of knowing that the wool was smoothing where I couldn't and th

I am really enjoying creating the flowing, curved, gouging, funnelling, marble running forms which are inspired by the erosion of rock either by weather or sea. I am, however thinking of how to create larger pieces without them becoming too heavy. The piece below is made from 2 bags of crank and is very heavy. There comes a point when, to remove clay from the centre via the underneath, the walls become very thin and the depth of the tool marks are somewhat reduced. I am toyi