50% Clay - 50% Re-cycled Glass Project- Part 5

I GET THE RED ROOF!

I thought I could forget about the quest for the red roof, but no.

I just had to try again and I'm glad I did.

I made a slip from a low fire,

brick red clay body and applied it
over the finished glazes.

I wiped off any that went into the
grooves between tiles and fired
again to Cone 06.



Happily, they now look like Italian Villas
with beautifully aged Terra Cotta tile roofs.




I also did another firing of the tower to the higher temperature
of Cone 05 with a 15 minute hold to see if the glass would
melt and bubble out of the clay body.

Here are some images of the glass melt.

Look to the left of the window sill, about even with the bottom of the window to see a large melted area.




The image below shows several small brown, green and clear bubbles in the area above the window.

This effect is more evident on the inside surface of the buildings since there are no textures or colors
to hide it.







WHAT WILL BE HAPPENING NEXT?

I am going to mix the last of the re-cycled glass/clay mixture
so I can try a few more experiments.

- try using a terra sig to smooth the surface.
- fire higher than Cone 05 to see what happens
- use paperclay with this mix somehow.

NOTE from CHRIS
If you enjoy "How To" lessons with photos, you might enjoy visiting
the "In the Studio" section of my website where there are many more
subjects to choose from.
http://www.ccpottery.com/

50% Clay - 50% Re-cycled Glass Project- Part 4

Glazing



















I sponged a diluted Cone 06 clear over the surface of the villas then added Lana Wilson's lichen glaze to give the buildings an ancient crackled look.

I fired them to 1855 F and held it at the top temperature for 20 minutes to make sure the glaze got a good soak.



The texture glaze has made the buildings look aged and weather worn.




BOTTOM LINE

Shrinkage - almost none

I used Highwater Clay White Earthenware which is meant to be fired at Cone 06 - 02.There was very little shrinkage from the measurements I took at bone dry. Perhaps 1/8th inch ... I started to doubt the accuracy of my initial measurements.

The villas are very strong and sturdy ... almost have a high fired feel. They also seem heavy to me because I usually make them with paper clay which gets lighter after firing.

The clay was easy to work with in it's wet stage and held textures well.

My biggest problem was trying to get underglazes and oxides to adhere. I am not happy to see no difference between the tiles on the roof and the stones of the villas. If anyone reading this has some ideas for me to try, I would appreciate hearing from you.

Eventually, I am going to put them outside in the heat, rain and sun. They look great in my garden, don't they?

I am not quite through yet.

I am going to try putting a redart clay slip on the roof tiles.

I am going to fire one of them to 1900 - higher than the recommended temperature. At that point the glass will be forced out of the clay pores and onto the surface.

I am going to mix the next batch at 67% glass ...
at that percentage the piece should self glaze.

Stay tuned!

NOTE from CHRIS
If you enjoy "How To" lessons with photos, you might enjoy visiting
the "In the Studio" section of my website where there are many more
subjects to choose from.
http://www.ccpottery.com/

50% Clay - 50% Re-cycled Glass Project- Part 3

Adding color

The next step in the process was adding color using underglazes and oxides.
I knew the results I could obtain with my usual methods on my regular clay body and hoped they would translate fairly well onto this clay/glass mix.

I did a wash on the roof tiles with iron oxide and a wash on the stones of yellow ochre with rutile.
Then I sponged off the raised areas leaving color in the crevices.
More color washed off than I was used to and there did not seem to be much residual color deposited on the high spots.

I then applied brown and green under glazes with about the same results.
I fired the pieces to Cone 06.

The pieces were very pale and washed out.

I believe this is because the colors are only adhering and soaking in to the clay, not to the glass.




So, I applied a second wash, trying not to wipe off as much.

I fired them again to Cone 06.

Here are the results, still not fab.

I took a while to think about this before doing anything else.

I knew the color would adhere to glass if I left it to dry, because this is what I had done on the roof.


I had to be very careful about doing this to the whole building as it would result in the Villas looking cheap or gaudy rather than weathered and old.

I added more oxides and underglaze colors without trying to sponge any of it off.



For the green areas I decided to try a majolica color that would leave a sheen.

The colors were starting to build up well.

I am not used to leaving this much color on the pieces, so I was firing with my fingers crossed!

These were fired to 1855 F which is about Cone 05 1/2.

Next step glazing and yet another firing.




As a side note, if I were to do this again I would bisque, then color, glaze and fire again.

Now that I know how the clay mix behaves, I would not have to keep such a close eye on every single color application.

Another side note ... there has been very little shrinkage.
In the bisque it was almost none.

NOTE from CHRIS
If you enjoy "How To" lessons with photos, you might enjoy visiting
the "In the Studio" section of my website where there are many more
subjects to choose from.
http://www.ccpottery.com/

50% Clay - 50% Re-cycled Glass Project- Part 2

The three villas after low firing.

I bisque fired them to Cone 08,
approx 1737 F.

I fired them very slowly so it took over 11 hours to get to temperature.

Right now, they look and feel like any other heavily grogged clay.

Maybe a bit harder, but very strong.







The surface is open and ready for color.

The textures did not shift or change.

There are no large, obvious cracks.
There are small ones, but they make
the surface more interesting.

Several small pieces of glass settled at the bottom of my slip container, so I dropped them onto the roofs to see what would happen during the final firing.





Here is the door I added when the piece
was totally dry.

I did this by using paperclay slip made
from the same glass/clay body.

There is a slight crack around the door
but it has adhered solidly to the villa.

NEXT STEP - Adding Color

NOTE from CHRIS
If you enjoy "How To" lessons with photos, you might enjoy visiting
the "In the Studio" section of my website where there are many more
subjects to choose from.
http://www.ccpottery.com/

50% Clay - 50% Re-cycled Glass Project- Part 1

At the 2009 NCECA Convention in Phoenix I heard an interesting talk by Robert Kirby on using Re-cycled Glass as a ceramic material.
This is not about using glass to add features or make crackle glaze. This is about using substantial amounts of re-cycled glass, with minimal processing, in clay bodies.
He challenged the ceramicists present to try using 50% glass with 50% clay and report back.

Above is an image of the specific re-cycled glass aggregate needed to attempt this process.

Technical details are available at: http://recycledglassceramics.googlepages.com/tableofcontents
Source of this particular glass:
http://www.recycle.net/andela/

Unfortunately, you cannot just crush your own glass and get to work. This glass is smooth as silk and of definite mixed particle size. It is difficult to find at this time, but as the uses for it grow, so will the availability.
















I have a large commercial Hobart mixer so I simply mixed the glass with Highwater Clay's White Earthenware. I needed to add a bit of water during the mixing to keep things blending.

The resulting mix felt like a heavily grogged clay but not as abrasive. I used some of it within 48 hours and it was not holding together well. It was like working with concrete.
I worked with it again about a week later and it was a joy ... behaved well and held together.

I would recommend waiting at least a few days before using it.





















I decided to hand build some non-functional garden art.
I thought the idea of using an earth friendly product would appeal to yard lovers.
My Italian Villas had been a popular item in the past so I decided to try them again.

This is the work from day one when the clay needed to be supported and the seams required a thin roll of clay for support.
After allowing the clay to rest for a week, the next group of pieces joined easily with a bit of scoring and some slip.




Notice that the clay took texture very well.I will have to wait until after it is fired to know how well it will accept color from oxides and under glazes.





I mixed some of the clay with paper to make paper clay slip ...
yeah, like it needed one more challenge!


I added this door after the body of the villa was dry.

I simply scored the surfaces, slopped on some paper clay and put on a wet door. I wrapped the bottom with a damp cloth, covered that with plastic and let it sit for the weekend.

On Monday it was firmly attached with no cracks.




















I was also able to build two more villas within about 2 hours. This is two hours from wet clay out of the bag to stable structures.
I was impressed with how easy they were to handle and build with in such a short time.

I left them to dry in the open air and they did so overnight with no cracking.

They dry as hard as concrete! Easy to move around and handle but very difficult to trim or alter since they are almost brittle.

I will load them into the bisque kiln and see what happens!


Here is an image of my own garden Italian Village made from regular clay several years ago.

NOTE from CHRIS
If you enjoy "How To" lessons with photos, you might enjoy visiting
the "In the Studio" section of my website where there are many more
subjects to choose from.
http://www.ccpottery.com/

NCECA, Phoenix 2009 - Topical Discussion

“MARKETING YOUR WORK TO GALLERIES”
NCECA Conference @ Phoenix Convention Center
Friday, April 10th, 2009

IS YOUR WORK READY?

You cannot do everything.
Narrow your focus and define your style.
You should be able to answer the question ...
"Who are you and what do you do?"
in one sentence.

Functional glazes should be Food Safe, fit well with
no crazing or crawling or pitting.

Use your pieces to make sure they are not heavy or
awkward. Lips and bases should be smooth.


ARE YOU READY?

Swerving between thoughts of large orders & no orders.
Full or Part Time?
Wholesale, Retail or Consignment?

You can control your anxiety by determining your capabilities.
How many pieces can you produce in a month? a year?
When doing the math, remember to allow for time spent
on your day to day errands.


GETTING A COHESIVE LINE OF WORK

What do you want to make?
Functional, Non Functional, Sculpture.
Decide what YOU want to be known for.

Arrange your best pieces and find a group of about
five to ten that look good together on a shelf.
Galleries want to see a cohesive line not a bunch of
random objects.

What forms and designs could you enjoy exploring for years?
Having a recognizable style is not the same as being stuck in a rut.


SETTING YOUR PRICES

If you do not want to take the time to do real costing ...

set prices by others work of the same style/quality as yours.
Galleries will mark up your price by 2, 2.5 or 3 x depending
on their costs of sales.

If you want to know for sure if you are making a profit ...

do cost analysis of $ of your time to make, fire and market.
Raw materials are so cheap in clay that you should consider
your time to be your most expensive asset ... it adds to the
cost every time you touch the work.


FIND GALLERIES TO MATCH YOUR STYLE

I suggest you start small, not with the gallery of your dreams.
Make your mistakes, learn and work your way up.

Visit in person and note how they treat customers, what style
of work they carry and their price range.

One hour drive from home, then Internet to find more.

*** Consignment ***
only nearby so you can keep an eye on them.


APPROACHING THE GALLERIES

During your visit, or by phone, find out how they want to be
contacted for new work.
Make an appointment.

Never take their time away from a customer.

Show up for the appointment on time, well dressed with inventory
well packed, with two copies of an Itemized price list.
It is also great to have hang tags and bio information.

Be prepared to discuss turn around time, minimums re-orders,
special orders and credit terms.
Practice answering out loud to build confidence.


THE DREADED "NO"

Sometimes, this simply means your work does not suit their clients'
needs ... it is not a comment on the worth of your pottery.
Ask them if they could recommend another gallery.


THE WONDERFUL "YES"

If they are buying WHOLESALE, the first order is pre-paid.
The gallery then gives you a list of credit references that you call and
check.
If three say OK, you can offer Net 30 days with next order.
Late payment returns the gallery to pre-pay status.

If they want CONSIGNMENT,
make sure you get a SIGNED agreement that specifies:
What pieces you left with them.
The retail price of the pieces.
The % of the sale price you receive.
The exact dates on which this will be paid.
They are responsible for loss, damage or theft.
How long the work may be kept.
They pay to ship it back to you.
The work is your property until sold.


If they do not agree to a signed contract, take your work home …
even if they are “Nice” people.


In a friendly way, drop in from time to time to make sure they are
still solvent and your work is on display ... not sitting in the back room.


WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH YOUR GALLERIES

DO NOT undersell them from your studio.
"I cannot undersell my galleries.”
Give them something extra rather than cutting price.

DO NOT undersell them from your website.
They will find out …
You could split your work into two lines ...
one for retail and one for the website.

DO NOT sell to another nearby gallery without
calling them and asking permission.


DO supply your best work and send it ON TIME,
packed with care, itemized & invoiced.

DO give them hang tags and bio sheets ...
with NO personal/web contact info …
put their name and phone number on them.

DO give them any special care instructions and
promote safe uses .. dishwasher, microwave, etc.

DO offer to switch out work (in good condition) that
does not sell in a reasonable time. 90 days?

DO accept credit card payment.
http://teamacinc.com/


A good site for all your business questions is:
http://www.jiverson.com/



THEIR OBLIGATIONS TO YOU

Display your work.
Represent you well.
Know about you and your work.
PAY you on time.


FOLLOW UP AND RE-ORDERS

A week after shipping, call to make sure the order
was received in good condition.

After a couple months call to check on sales and
try to get a re-order.

For many artists this is the worst part of the job.
Calling galleries requires a good day when all else
is going well.
Immediately ask if it is a good time to talk since you
do not want to show respect for their business.
Some of your calls will be abruptly terminated, owners
will not come to the phone, staff will be rude …
but, you get re-orders this way.
There are nice owners.


TIPS FOR SUCCESS

YOU have to decide who you are.
YOU decide what level of quality you want to commit to.
YOU must inspire TRUST by behaving in a professional manner.
YOU must be RELIABLE in quality and delivery.
YOU keep your prices consistent. Never undercut your galleries.
YOU have to be willing to sacrifice to deliver product and service.
YOU must fix mistakes quickly.
YOU will always be judged by your last order.
YOU should have a definite policy for refunds and replacements.
YOU must honor your agreements.
YOU should provide great images for their web site.
YOU only get one chance with some great galleries, so do it right.
YOU must aggressively assume ownership of your business.
YOUR TIME is your most expensive cost, so choose to use it wisely.


PITFALLS

New artists carry a scent that attracts sharks ....
so in these financially challenging times it is up to
YOU to protect yourself.

Get written signed contracts.
You cannot survive if you are not paid on time.

Jump on late payers quickly.
Return late Net 30 to prepay.
Repossess your consignment goods if the gallery is looking iffy.

Before you do out of area consignment, ask for a list of artists
and call them for references.

Before you sell from your own website ...
consider whether your occasional sales will make up
for lost business to galleries who will not buy from
artists they have to compete with .

OTHER OPTIONS

Etsy requires a lot of daily work in order to get noticed.
Are you up for it?
http://www.etsy.com/

Wholesalecrafts.com works but ONLY if you have
fabulous images, competitive pricing and an attractive
line of work.
Do not go onto this site with your last $ because it will cost more
to get noticed and generate sales.

The Guild.com ( The Artful Home)
has a good reputation. You must be juried in.
https://www.artfulhome.com/

The Buyers Market of American Craft
is a good show with a proven track record.
http://www.americancraft.com/BMAC/
There are other large wholesale shows such as
the ACC Shows and ACRE in Las Vegas.

I cannot 100% recommend investing in wholesale shows
since buyers are beginning to show reluctance to invest
their $ in travel.
The emotional connection of needing to touch something
before you buy it is being deteriorated by the ease of web sales.
This is just an opinion however
and as with everything else connected with your business,
it is up to YOU to decided what YOU want to do
and where YOU want to spend your money.

Good Luck to you all!!!