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Platter, 19 in. (48 cm) in diameter, stoneware, with matt L6E Glaze, brushed with cobalt slip, and then slip-trailed porcelain.
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October 29, 2007
Drawn to Patterns
by Phyllis Blair Clark | Read Comments (2)
The patterning designs that so handsomely adorn
many of Lynn Lais' works are an important feature of each object. “I have
always been drawn to patterns, and those of the folk traditions have always
intrigued me,” he explains. Lais uses a commercial stoneware clay body that he
can rely on to be consistent. For him, he feels the time required to mix large
amounts of clay is time he could put to better use making the pieces required
to fill the kiln and to stock the showroom.
BACKGROUND
As a young person growing up in Hesston, Kansas,
Lynn Lais thought he would become a builder—not a potter. He attended Hesston Junior College after high school and
took a ceramics course out of curiosity. He fell in love with the craft of
pottery. Upon graduating from Goshen, Lais had
an opportunity to go to Europe and make pots.
He accepted a six-month position in Belgium making pottery and working
as an apprentice/journeyman. The original six months turned into nine. Then he made
contacts in Switzerland and France and
eventually he found himself making pots in several different locations learning
from different potters. He remained in Europe three years before he returned
home to the United States.
EDUCATING AND CREATING
Shortly after his return from Europe, a former
professor of Lais’ told him that the artisan village
of Spruce Forest
was looking for a potter. Some of Lais’ work goes to the main gift shop, but
the craftspeople also make many sales within their particular cabins. Of this
group of gifted people, Lais says, “We all are so grateful every day for the
opportunity to work in this environment. We help each other with problems and
we all have a sense of belonging. Our common goal is to create a unique product
of outstanding quality, and have the opportunity to share our studios with the
public as well. Being able to educate the public in the creative process is a
big part of what we do.”
 PROCESS
Lais’ propane gas car kiln is housed in a
separate area adjacent to his work space, and was designed so he can fire and
continue working or taking care of customers at the same time. He bisques all
of his work to Cone 09 prior to glazing and knows it will take 120 hours of
making pots to fill this kiln, the fifth that he has built. Each year Lais
fires 22–23 times. His modified Minnesota Flat Top car kiln does not have the
door fastened to the floor as in conventional car kilns, but is on hinges. His
kiln is so regular that he knows almost exactly to the minute what is required
at each particular step during the firing process. Using a moderate flame
throughout the firing, he reduces the kiln at 1400°F and soaks it carefully for
an extended period to achieve the consistent glaze results he desires. He can
walk away from the kiln and know exactly what it will be doing, then come back
to it at just the right moment for the next step in the firing process. FOR MORE INFORMATIONSee a term you weren’t quite sure of? Then visit
the Ceramic Arts Daily Glossary. Lynn Lais’ work is available at the Spruce Forest Artisan Village and the Penn Alps Craft Shop in
Grantsville, Maryland, and at the Village Pottery in Intercourse, Pennsylvania.ON WEDNESDAY
Read about Lynn’s
three rules for glazing whether he's dipping, spraying or brushing his pieces.
Read more about these related topics:
Functional Ceramics Functional Pottery Ceramic Art Techniques Ceramic Artists
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