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The interesting relief textures on this jar by Ryan McKerley, were made using the technique described here.
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March 19, 2008
Wax and Water
by Ryan McKerley | Read Comments (4)
Austin, Texas, potter Ryan McKerley was once offered a job as a
studio manager at an arts center. He thought long and hard about taking
the job with a regular salary and health benefits, but in the end,
decided to turn it down to pursue the life of the studio potter. We all
know, that is not the easiest choice in the world, but McKerley is
making it work. Today we’ll share McKerley’s technique for creating his
unique relief surfaces. - Jennifer Harnetty, editor.These
pots are not carved in the traditional sense. The patterns are created
by painting melted Gulf Wax (parafin) onto the surface of a
bone-dry
vessel. I then scrub the unwaxed areas with a very wet sponge. The
exposed clay erodes away as it is scrubbed, leaving a smooth
depression. As I am scrubbing, I use a Lid Master caliper to
periodically check to make sure the
wall isn’t getting too thin. This body of work is thrown with Coleman porcelain. This
clay body doesn’t mind big differences in wall thickness, such as 1/8 inch next to 1 inch on the same pot.
I
add a small amount of motor oil to the wax to help it flow off the
brush. Too much oil will make the wax soft causing it to wash away with
the clay. If the wax goes somewhere I don’t want it to, I carve it away
with a metal trimming tool.
Soda firing highlights
the edges of the patterns and alters the glazes from side to side. The
recessed areas of the surface receive less soda glaze, which creates
further contrast. Copper glazes surprise me every firing, adding a
little chance to this tedious process.
“Working for Others or
for Yourself: It’s a Choice,” an article that elaborates on how
McKerley has made it work as a studio ceramist, along with other
archived articles from
Ceramics Monthly, can be found by
clicking here . You can also see more images of Ryan McKerley’s work at
www.ryanmckerley.com.
Above: Ryan McKerley throwing a pot in his Austin, Texas, studio.
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