Size:
“wide, “tall
Coated in glossy clear glaze to highlight the detailed imagery on the front, I left the base unglazed so you can see the organic red clay I work with. I love the contrast of the shiny, highly detailed surface next to the raw red clay.
My process:
All of my work is either hand built from single slabs of clay, or thrown on an electric potter’s wheel. The clay has been textured through my hands as well as a few tools and sponges. I hand paint all of my work using slips and colorful under glazes. I also draw on the surface while the clay is still slightly damp using wooden carving tools. I treat the surface of each individual piece much like a painting - creating one of a kind and small series. Each piece is coated with studio made, food-safe clear glaze and fired in an electric kiln making them strong and safe to use on a daily basis.
The firing:
I use a red clay that is fired to cone 04, a temperature close to 2,000 degrees. I prefer this technique because lower temperatures means less firing time and less energy used.
Use and Care:
My pots are for everyday use as well as inspirational additions to your home. I recommend hand washing and avoiding microwave use to ensure the longevity of the pot. *Avoid extreme temperature changes*.
6 comments:
Hey Sarah-- good job. I REALLY dig the "use and care" section. clever.
Personally, I don't know if I would talk this much about the process, but I would say-- see how it works for you (maybe I'm not thorough enough!). I think it has real appeal for fellow artist/potters trying to mimic style in their own work, just not sure how it does for potential buyers.
Good Luck!
I like everything you have to say here. It effectively combines technical stuff with your own artistic interests. The "care" section is brilliant!
One thing that will confuse non clay people is your temp description. 2,000 degrees sounds like a lot if you don't know the difference, so how do they connect that with what you say about firing at 'lower' temps? You could say something like "I fire my work to around 2,000 degrees which is substantially less than a stoneware kiln. I prefer this technique because...."
I do also agree with Carrie that it seems like you are saying an awful lot, and that some of this may be more appropriate for your "profile statement". I am a little concerned with the one size fits all description of your process. Because it is a generic statement it misses the one of a kind vivacity of the work itself. People looking at your hand building may not be interested in what you do on a wheel and vice versa. Maybe I'm wrong, because you certainly do a good job of setting out the details, but if you treat each of these items as unique art or as part of a series it would be interesting to know what you were aiming for in each case. For instance, " this cup is part of a series I have been working on that combines my interest in simple drawings and shapes that have gentle curves. Each of these cups explores a floral theme where I am using the white background to contrast with the brighter colored minimalist drawings." etc. I think the idea of telling a story is important for this kind of work as well as the monsters. Give the customer a sense of something personal about the work. If your work is generic you may want to use generic descriptions. But if your work is highly individual you probably need to spend extra time making individual descriptions.
Thanks for the tips. I modeled my description section after another red clay artist on Etsy that was a featured seller. I didn't really know how much for 'too much' so I just went with how she had her descriptions set up. And you're right - most buyers are not going to have a clue about slips, underglazes, and firings. I do want to include however, that I do it all myself and that each piece is totally unique - from the initial globby ball of clay, to the finished product.
oh yeah.. and check out my new and improved banner image. I'm pretty pleased with it. (sorry you have to go to the page- I can't figure out how to post just the banner image in this comment box)
www.saramix.etsy.com
"...from the initial globby ball of clay, to the finished product."
I love it-- use that!
When you restated what you do (the initial "globby" stage) is what you want to say. Always when I questioned a student about what he/she wanted to say, the student would say, "Okay ....," and would say it very clearly and cleanly as if I were brain dead. I would say, "That's it. I totally got what you wanted to say." The student would roll eyes, but I was the happy reader then of clear writing. This is way too much to post, but I hope it backs up what that sealeymorris person said!
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