Photos

Peat cutting

The modules of peat cut with the tairsgeir/peat iron (see video below) look to be about a bag of clay, if not half a bag of clay which is too large to work with. I will think about the modules again when I am clearer about how to construct the stack. Construction ideas cut modules …

Towards a proposal

This week I have been immersed in slicing clay and working with it in the peat bog, photographing it and transporting it around. It is interesting working with raw clay, it holds any kind of material collected on site, without the consideration of it burning off in the kiln. I looked into adobe brick construction …

Cruach: peat stacks (gaelic) and raw clay

Image above: Modules of peat, stacked for the winter in a herringbone pattern. Isle of Lewis. Photograph by Angus Mackintosh. Various sources online. The process of stacking peat is labour intensive and involves multiple processes. First the turf is sliced off, then the peat is cut using a Tairsgeir - peat iron - the first …

Reflection Ceramics 1

Many ceramicists illustrate tangible aspects of a place using surface decoration or in formal representation, this research is focusing beyond direct representation to the intangible aspects of place. The practical part of the process is constructive and reflective and will evolve as each stage and each case study is completed. In this first case study, I worked …

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 …