Timber Ponds project

For the masters project I’ve chosen a place on the River Clyde called the Timber Ponds. These remnants of timber ponds, date back to the 18th Century timber shipbuilding. They remain as lines of vertical wooden posts sticking out of the mud, seen in the rectangular areas shown in the image taken in Google maps. …

Final firing results

The work came out of the kiln today. The bisqued pieces didn't vitrify, the screen printed flask with the clear glaze made the ink less sharp. I would love to try them in the university's raku kiln. The decals melted into the glaze but look shaky, rather than sharp. Low temperature decals next time. The …

Elemental: embodying the powers of nature

The assemblage spent 3 days in the river, as I was photographing it it fell apart, back into it's separate parts. I decided to glaze the separate parts and assemble after the firing. The drystane dykes are expressions of the genius loci - built using traditional knowledge and materials and are shaped by the weather, …

Drystane dyke tutorial

A quick note to put down what Keith and I talked about for feedback regarding proposing the series of boxes - wall. I emailed:- I've translated the vernacular structures, such as the dry stone wall, in essence to signify - strength, balance, shelter, boundary, layering, protection. I want to create vessels that explore this - …

What are wild structures

These words are from the dictionary of the Scots language: http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/hut. The terms of which are in common usage unlike the Gaelic which is more common in the highlands. Drystane dyke doocot: pidgeon hole usually near eaves in a building, structure to house doos cot: humble dwelling, cottage, workers housing belonging to employer fauld: an …

Wild structures

Sketching through the structure of a drystane dyke, the large foundations, stones diminishing in size as they go up in elevation, chocs filling space, occasional large tie stones often at the corners, capstone layer at the top. Gaps left for wildlife. Last sketch of the night, so should be last in the line of sketches, …

Oxide testing

I cast the cylinder mould using stoneware slip and used it for oxide testing. I added some oxides then I'll put the cylinder outside to weather. Mixing oxides (Affleck) Photograph 11/01/18 I sectioned the greenware cylinder into 8 and tested 7 oxides, I mixed 5g oxide with 100ml water. After bisque firing (Affleck) Photograph 12/01/18

Jane Cairns

Featured image: Rust – Jane Cairns – photo by Artist.  (http://www.craftscouncil.org.uk/directory/maker/jane-cairns/project/potlatch/) Accessed 30/12/17 Quotation: About this project An ongoing series of open vessels and covered jars that take as their starting point observed urban and industrial surfaces. The series name is taken from the native American practice of giving gifts with no expectation of receiving anything …

Erosion

I propose to work in layers; make ceramics to bisque stage that incorporate the physical samples collected on site. Then take the work and put it back out onsite and use the environment to shape, weather, erode and transform the work before collecting and taking it back into the studio for further refinement and firing. …