Remembering Artists Past

In the light of World Aids day on 1 December, I want to bring tribute to al the artists out there that we have lost to the pandemic. Their untimely deaths cut short a brilliant career, but the legacy lives on and their work will be admired by generations to come. Read more about it in the FREE online magazine Into Ceramics. Other articles of interest covers Precious metal clay, Ceramics Southern Africa Regional exhibitions and a review of the best ceramic websites on the internet.

Glazecor Regional Exhibition: Gauteng.

Some images from the exhibition

Corobrik Collection. Featured Artist

Purchased from Kim Sacks Gallery (21 Dec. 2002)

Nesta Nala (KwaZulu-Natal) (No. 165) Handcoiled, burnished and decorated traditional Zulu beerpot.

Corobrik Featured Artist: Karen Sinovich

Purchased from Celebrating Ceramics, National Exhibition, Pretoria - 28 August 2004
National Arts Council Premier Award winner (No. 172)Karen Sinovich - "The Guardians" - Porcelain & Wire

Potter's Tips from John Shirley

A SIMPLE TIP TO REDUCE THE CRACKING OF THROWN FLATWARE:

THE BIGGEST CAUSE OF CRACKING IN FLATWARE IS THE USE OF GUT FOR CUTTING THROUGH THE WORK. TRY SUBSTITUTING A TWISTED CUTTING WIRE FOR THE GUT AND YOU WILL BE SURPRISED. THE PROBLEM WITH GUT IS THAT IT IS SMOOTH AND OFTEN THE ITEMS RE-STICK AFTER CUTTING THROUGH, AND HENCE THE CRACKING WHICH SOMETIMES ONLY SHOWS UP IN THE GLAZE FIRING. THE TWISTED WIRE DOES A MORE EFFICIENT JOB OF RELEASING THE WARE FROM THE WHEEL OR BAT AND GREATLY REDUCES RISK OF CRACKING

Corobrik featured artist: Elsbeth Burkhalter.

First piece acquired for the Corobrik Collection. Oude Libertas Award 1977. RAU Johannesburg.

Glazecor Regional Exhibition 2009. Gauteng Region

Selection of work shown at the recent Gauteng Regional Exhibition. Edoardo Villa Museum. University of Pretoria.

Potters Tip - from John Shirley - Mocha Ware

THIS EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE, LITTLE USED TECHNIQUE, OPENS MANY POSSIBILITIES TO THE POTTER LOOKING FOR AN UNUSUAL WAY OF DECORATION.

MOCHAWARE IS CREATED BY USING A MOCHA TEA WHICH IS MADE FROM AN INFUSION OF TOBACCO MIXED WITH COLOURING OXIDE. THIS IS APPLIED TO A FRESHLY APPLIED AREA OF SLIP AND ALLOWED TO FLOW DOWN THE SURFACE CREATING FINE VEINED TREE-LIKE DESIGNS WHICH CAN BE USED TO CREATE A VARIETY OF DECORATIONS AS WELL AS MAKING INTERESTING ‘LANDSCAPE’ PAINTINGS ON POTS.

TO MAKE THE ‘TEA’ ADD THE TOBACCO FROM ONE CIGARETTE TO ONE TABLESPOON OF BOILING WATER. ALLOW TO COOL AND THEN ADD ABOUT A TEASPOON OF MANGANESE DIOXIDE OR OTHER COLOURING OXIDE OR CERAMIC STAIN. MIX WELL AND STRAIN OUT THE TOBACCO. AS A BASE SLIP REGULAR CASTING SLIP, FINELY SIEVED SEEMS TO GIVE THE BEST RESULTS.

TAKE A LEATHER HARD POT, DIP INTO SLIP, AND IMMEDIATELY APPLY SMALL DROPS OF ‘TEA’ WITH A LOADED BRUSH TO THE PIECE, ALLOWING IT TO FLOW DOWN THE SLIPPED AREA CREATING THE VEIN-LIKE DECORATION.

THE PIECE IS THEN ALLOWED TO DRY AND CAN BE FURTHER DECORATED IF REQUIRED, AND THEN BISQUE FIRED IN THE USUAL WAY.

ONE CAN EXPERIMENT WITH GLAZE IN COMBINATION WITH THIS TECHNIQUE ALTHOUGH I HAVE ALWAYS LEFT PIECES I HAVE PRODUCED WITH THIS TECHNIQUE UNGLAZED.

THIS IS A RELATIVELY SIMPLE TECHNIQUE WHICH COULD BE COMBINED WITH BRUSHWORK TO PRODUCE SOME EXCITING RESULTS. TRY SOME AND HAVE SOME FUN!

Corobrik featured artist: Querardien van Vliet

Purchased from TWR Annual Exhibition of Ceramic Design - October 2003

Terra Sigillata - Interlocking Tiled Panel - 470mm x 280mm

Gauteng Regional Exhibition

This is a reminder for all members of the Gauteng Region of Ceramics Southern Africa.

TIMETABLE:

Tue October 6th - Selections at Edoardo Villa Museum in Pretoria - 09:30-14:00
Wed 7th/Thu 8th - Setting up of exhibition
Friday 9th - Award judging by Wilma Cruise
Monday 12th - Opening - 18:30 for 19:00
Saturday 17th - Lecture Tour of Van Tilburg Collection
Saturday 24th - Collection of sold and unsold work - 12 noon - 14:00
Monday 26th - Dismantling

SELECTORS:

JOHN SHIRLEY and JERICE DOEG who both have many years of experience in looking at and evaluating ceramic pieces. They will be joined by HARRIE SIERSIEMA, owner of Delagoa Arts and Crafts, which has galleries in several towns and cities and regularly mounts exhibitions of well known ceramic artists. Harrie, himself, has a fine collection of South African ceramics and will bring a different perspective to the selections.

AWARD JUDGE:

WILMA CRUISE has accepted the invitation to be the award judge. This judging will take place on Friday, 9 October, after the exhibition has been set up.

AWARDS:

Ceramics Southern Africa Gauteng thanks the following award sponsors for their generosity and constant support:

Exhibition Sponsor: Glazecor: R5 000
Ultra-Furn Premier Award: 3 cub. ft. Studio Kiln with programmable processor
Ndebele Milling & Mining Award: R3 000
Potters Supplies & Mail Order Award: R1 000 gift voucher redeemable at Randvaal
The Clay Pot: R500 gift voucher
Van Tuyl Kilns Award: R500

Get your Entry Form.

National Ceramics Issue 89

Read Inside:
Clive Sithole Susan Sellshop tells us about his creative career
Changing world Christine Voith explains the history of ceramics at Rorke’s Drift
Top Ceramic prices Ainsley Taylor discusses local auction prices

EVENTS AND NEWS
John Bauer and Friends A review by Joy Savage of the exhibition at Art.BINFORMATION
2009 Calendar – Regional news and information 1
Wood Fired Drum Kiln Julia Keevy takes us through the steps of building and firing this kiln
Porcupine Ceramics “Made with Fire and Passion” A look at the beautiful raku of this professional enterprise
David Walters & Friends Rika Stockenstöm reports on the WHAG exhibition influenced by the late Gabisile NKosi’s work
Teapots “The potters challenge” Gail de Klerk shows us how

Potters Tip - from John Shirley - Wax Resist

One of our leading ceramists and member of Ceramics Southern Africa, John Shirley, gave us the following tip on Wax Resist.

WAX RESIST

WAX RESIST CAN BE USED AT MANY STAGES OF THE POT’S DEVELOPMENT BUT AT THE GREEN STAGE SEEMS TO BE APPROPRIATE, BECAUSE THE BISCUIT FIRING WHICH FOLLOWS WILL BURN OUT THE WAX. I FIND A MIX OF 1 PACKET OF WHITE CANDLES TO 1 CUP OF PARAFFIN TO BE AN EXCELLENT MIX FOR HOT WAX. HEAT CAREFULLY UNTIL IT IS JUST BEGINNING TO SMOKE FOR OPTIMUM RESULTS. ALTERNATIVELY A ‘COLD’ EMULSION WAX CAN BE USED. THE WAX IS APPLIED TO THE DESIGN TO BE RESISTED WITH EITHER A BRUSH OR SPONGE APPLICATOR. SLIP OR OXIDE IS APPLIED OVER THE PIECE WHEN DRY (IMMEDIATELY WITH HOT WAX, ABOUT ONE HOUR WITH COLD WAX).

THE WAX WILL RESIST THE OXIDE LEAVING A FEW ‘BEADS’ ON THE SURFACE OF THE WAX. TRADITIONALLY THIS IS CONSIDERED PART OF THE EFFECT. THE PIECE IS THEN BISQUE FIRED WHICH BURNS OUT THE WAX AS WELL AS PREPARING THE POT FOR GLAZE. THE POT WOULD THEN BE GLAZED AND FIRED IN THE USUAL WAY. MAKE SURE THAT THE GLAZE YOU ARE USING WILL LET THE OXIDE YOU HAVE USED SHOW THROUGH AFTER FIRING!

Corobrik featured artist: Ralph Johson

Ralph Johnson

Handbuilt extended pinch method. Black slip, red clay slip, red underglaze. Bronze interior, manganese dioxide and copper. Fired at cone 7

Material used: Stoneware

Acquired: August 2008
Merit Award
2008 Corobrik National Ceramics Exhibition
UJ ART Gallery
Johannesburg