MA Assessment Exhibition

Photos of the exhibition at BSAD Sion Hill Campus, Bath. The end of MA and the exhibition of the Master's project. The group of black parian vessels were inspired by the reflections of the white parian photographed in the River Clyde at the #timberponds next to the timbers that inspired the project. Making the plinth water …

Pulling it all together

Its only a few days now till we set up the assessment exhibition, and hand in our evaluative statements. I've mocked up my space, which is a bit tricky as it's cut in half with a partition wall. The work isn't quite fitting but we are going to sort it out on install day. I …

Taking the black parian onsite

I fired two pieces of black parian to 1200 after the bisque firing and sanding. It is the higher side of the firing range but the pieces came out vitrified and no warping. I took the advantage of a sunny day to take the two black and two white pieces onsite to photograph. I am …

Firing black parian

Fired to 1150, lower end of the range. It didn't mature, surface patchy and grey. Taller than the white. I've put them back in at 1200. The danger is warping and slumping.

First firing

The previous two months have been spent drying out the moulds, cleaning each of them out with stoneware slip, then making parian slip casts. I chose parian for a number of reasons: self glazing, smooth and luminous, single fired to 1240. I want the pieces to be quiet and neutral, framing the negative space. Working …

Parian flasks

The parian flasks are ready for their bisque firing. I made around 5 in the studio Wednesday/Thursday, I exploded one in my hand while I was cleaning it, so I decided to open the slip casting weekend sweat shop at home to finish the other 10 or so. I found the parian slower and more …

Moon flask casting

A technical diary has been kept of the process during the last week of casting. To summarise, I've been experimenting using oxides sprinkled on the moulds before casting, and the Bath stone, which has been bisqued and crushed to a powder, with a bit of texture left in it. In order to replicate the patina …