New website

I now have a brand new shiny website which shows all my new work and can be found at http://www.stephaniehammill.com

New photographs of work

Things have really taken off recently.  Hectically trying to prepare work for the Australian Trienniale Market to be held at The National Gallery in Canberra on July 12th.  I would have been much more prepared except I managed to disengage my brain and misfire two whole kiln loads of work.  I know that the seventies may be back in vogue, but I am not personally ready for sludge brown ceramics just yet.

Been working on some new bottle vases – just perfect for a single stem, an interesting twig or a grouped arrangement.  Also have made a lot of plates (A LOT!).  I have had the pleasure of working with a local restaurant owner in designing and producing plates for her restaurant.  Its been a rather steep learning curve, finding out what will work in a commercial setting and discovering chef preferences for how they want to display their food to the best advantage.  So many things to think about in terms of both form and function and practicality.  Finally we have nailed the design, so pictures will follow soon.  Also, I have just about finished my  proper website and am looking forward to launching it very very soon.  I love the photographs in this post – taken by a rather wonderful local photographer www.amandamiller.com.au 

Busy, busy

I’m so bad at social media.  I’ve not disappeared, just been busy in my studio, finessing my throwing, moving things around and trying to set up a proper website.  I’ve been experimenting with southern ice porcelain teacups and one of these days might have a photo to prove that I got a handle on without it cracking.  Working on some quirky vases….

Playing with reflections, lines and curves…

and making lots and lots of plates and bowls

New, larger bowls awaiting glazing and firing.

New Work – Landscape Series

Mugs, bowls,  cups.  Am liking these very much.  Will be available for sale once I’ve worked out my online retailing options.  Alternatively contact me direct if you are interested.

 

New work – landscape inspired series

The glaze testing is paying off.  I’m still a very happy woman.  My mixture of clay body, oxides and glaze is reacting to each other just as I want it to…and its not often you can say that in ceramics.  I’m working on a landscape theme – still mightily inspired by our October trip out into the desert.  Next up… Bowls.  I am aiming for a complete collection of functional dinner ware – plates, bowls, jugs, mugs.

Yes, yes, yes!

I’m a happy woman, this mug monday morning.  Fired my kiln this weekend with glaze tests and some practice mugs and had a few problems with the firing due to ancient elements in the kiln.  So, had low expectations this morning when I opened it and was pleasantly surprised.

As you can see I’ve been playing with handle style and different forms.  After 39 mugs I can report that I am now feeling quite confident with pulling handles, attaching them and keeping them on.  Glazing is now getting easier as well and I am beginning to feel vaguely competant! Just got to test them to work out which style feels the best – The feel/performance is very important to me.

My glaze tests are coming along beautifully –  I spend such a short amount of time throwing and making the pots compared to the amount of testing and fine tuning I do.  I have a very clear idea of what I am aiming for and am wanting to develop a functional line of work based on contemporary shapes and a contrast between smooth milky white glaze and rough grey with speckles/a more earthy feel.  I know that me wittering on about glaze tests is incredibly boring to non potters but I am very excited about the next stage which will be applying these new ideas to some vessels and forms.  All I need to do now is to change my kiln elements (sigh)……

Shades of grey (alas not fifty!)

Those who read my facebook page will know that I have declared November ‘mug month’.  And that Mondays are now mugtastic mondays.  I need to get my throwing up to speed after a long layoff due to illness, so have decided to throw mugs  – same weight of clay, same size.  I also want to get really competent at handles.  So two mondays in and I now have 40 mugs to do something with.  So, I have some ideas for glaze effects that I want to play with and will use the mugs to practice with.  I’m interested in the contrast between smooth and rough, silky glaze and textured clay.  I’m also on a quest for a easily reproducable grey in oxidation.  This quest for grey is the bane of my life.   I dont just want grey – I want interesting grey…. with bits in.

Rutile blues have to be the most frustrating glaze ever – (those are the peachy looking ones).  I think I am on the right path but will spend next week playing with slip (with bits in) in an attempt to provoke a reaction between the clay body and the glaze. Keep your fingers crossed.

Home made sink clay trap

The one thing I’ve always missed in my studio is an effective way of dealing with all that gloopy clay water.  Cue drum roll….a cheap and very easy to make under sink clay trap.

Its basically two linked buckets within another container.  The idea is that the water drains into the first  (left hand) bucket and then slowly drains into the next bucket and then out into the larger container.

The right hand side bucket has a series of holes drilled into the side which the water seeps out of.

Each set of drain holes is lower than the previous ones so that the water flow is slowed down to allow the sediment time to settle out.  The whole construction is easy to remove and to clean.  The outlet from the large white container can be plumbed straight into the drain.  Funny how the simple things in life can make such a difference.

Inspirations

I’ve been out bush seeking inspiration and collecting more samples.

Disused nickel mine slag heap

We went to Kalgoorlie and to see the Anthony Gormley sculptures at Lake Ballard.

Iconic outback road

Words fail me (almost!) It was remote, dusty, lots of flies, storms (both conventional and sand). The landscape was vast and the human presence insignificant. I find myself wanting to capture the feeling I had standing in the middle of Lake Ballard in my work.

Spot the figures if you can

How to capture that essence of stillness, of calm, blinding light and hostile environments?  To me it said something very profound about the futility of human existance. To see those figures stretching out into infinity was very moving and very thought provoking.  We spent some time on a disused station, a hundred kilometres from the nearest other human being and it was sublime.  The silence was heavy.  To be able to get so far removed from society is a rare opportunity.  I find myself wanting to explore that sense of stillness in my work.  Some of the landscapes around Kalgoorlie are so beautiful yet so unforgiving.  We visited salt lakes where the vista would take your breath away yet the heat and the flies are maddening.

Lake Deborah

You could so easily die out there.  I am full of admiration for the traditional owners and their ability to survive in that country and for the sheer stubborness and resiliance of the early European settlers.  I am trying to find the courage within to experiment more with putting my mark onto my work.  I find it so hard to break away from letting the clay, the materials and the action of making create the work.  I prefer to let the process guide me rather than trying to impose on the materials.  I want textures. I want to see jagged ripped sheared edges – Can you tear porcelain?

How can I capture this lightness – the dancing of the sparks?

Perhaps the way forward is to work more with the interaction of clay/embedded materials and glaze?  Or to explore the unpredictable results of my attempts at reduction firing?  Perhaps I just need to tear things up?  Who knows.  Interesting times – watch this space…

Duality Exhibition at Freight Gallery, Fremantle

Please come and check out this multidisciplinary exhibition.  It promises to be a corker.