5ToF

Merry Xmas Everyone

noreply@blogger.com (5ToF) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 16:17:00 +0000

May all you wishes come true!
Merry Xmas and Happy New Year!

Counting Blessings

noreply@blogger.com (5ToF) — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 21:27:00 +0000

A Matter of Taste by Fulvio Bonavia

noreply@blogger.com (5ToF) — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 20:31:00 +0000

Oh... My ... Gosh! Yummy or what?! These wonderfully delicious pieces are part of "A Matter of Taste" book by Fulvio Bonavia, award-winning Italian photographer and artfull photo manipulator. Yummy!

More to view here.

Buddo kochany. Przepyszne! Te wspaniale zdjecia sa czescia kolekcji zawartej w albumie "A Matter of Taste" ("Kwestia Smaku") autorstwa Fulvio Bonavia, wloskiego fotografa i grafika. Cudne! Wiecej mozna zobaczyc tutaj

My Ceramic Pieces - Glazing

noreply@blogger.com (5ToF) — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 17:20:00 +0000

Just before holiday break I have managed to glaze some of my pieces. I wanted to duplicate the effect achieved on small test bowl, unfortunately with no luck. The small bowl was glazed with Bottle Green and then dipped in Yellow. The effect of running Yellow was exactly what I was after. Unfortunately I think the top glaze on oven dish was to thinly put on, so the Yellow has not run, but rather disappeared. I should get used to failure. Second oven dish is sprayed the other way round, Bottle Green on top of Yellow.

Tuz przed przerwa wakacyjna udalo mi sie poszkliwic czesc moich prac. Chcialam zduplikowac efekt jaki udalo mi sie osiagnac na malej miseczce, no ale jak zwykle bezskutecznie. Miseczka byla pociagnieta Zielenia Butelkowa, pozniej zamoczona w Zolci i wlasnie efekt splywajacej zolci chcialam skopiowac. Niestety mam wrazenie, ze wierzchnia warstwa szkliwa byla za cienka, wiec zolc nie pociekla a zniknela w zieleni. Powinnam juz sie przyzwyczaic do tego, ze jestem noga w szkliwieniu. Drugie naczynie do pieczenia zostalo pociagniete szkliwami na odwrot, czyli Zielen Butelkowa na Zolci.

Old Kitchen

noreply@blogger.com (5ToF) — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 20:42:00 +0000

We've got today talking about blackboards in a kitchen, so I dug up pictures of my now old kitchen (present kitchen is non existent, as it is all in flat pack in my living room (grrr! 5 weeks without kitchen can drive one mad!))... well, hopefully by the end of next week I will have my kitchen back... or else!

When we've moved in (in 2003), the kicthen looked like so:

A lick of paint on walls and cupboard and new counters and it looked like so:

Gadalysmy dzisiaj na forum o czarnych tablicach w kuchni, wiec przekopalam moj komputer i zewnetrzne dyski (?) w poszukiwaniu zdjec mojej starej kuchni (obecna kuchnie nie istnieje, albowiem jest w kartonach w duzym pokoju (wrrrr! 5 tygodni bez kuchni moze czlowieka do szalu doprowadzic)) ... w przyszlym tygodniu powinnam miec kuchnie wykonczona... a jak nie, to...!

Na pierwszym zdjeciu jest zdjecie kuchni w stanie, w jakim byla gdy sie tylko wprowadzilismy. Na kolejnych zdjeciach jest kuchnia po pomalowaniu scian i szafek oraz z nowymi blatami.

Shopping Time!

noreply@blogger.com (5ToF) — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 16:19:00 +0000

We are soon finishng our building extention, so it's time to start shopping.

I have found these charming armchairs on ebay. They are almost perfect, just ever so slightly too girly for my boys;). Fortunately seller offers made to order service, so I have chosen some grey based fabrics from Cath Kidston, Vanessa Arbuthnott and Clarke and Clarke.

Za troszke konczymy remont i pora juz zaczac kupowac nowe rzeczy dla domu.

Te urocze fotele znalazlam na ebay. Sa prawie idealne, moze troche tylko za kobiece dla moich chlopakow;) Na cale szczescie sprzedajacy oferuje mozliwosc wyboru tkanin, wiec zdecydowalam sie na szarosci z kolekcji Cath Kidston, Vanessa Arbuthnott and Clarke and Clarke.

My ceramic pieces - Turning

noreply@blogger.com (5ToF) — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 19:35:00 +0000

Yesterday I have turned my pieces and added handles... these are my first handles ever ... :D

Wczaraj wykonczylam na kole moje ubieglotygodniowe prace i dadalam uszy... moje pierwsze uchwyty :D

My Ceramic Pieces - After a Long Absence

noreply@blogger.com (5ToF) — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 16:21:00 +0000

Eventually I have managed to go back to the studio. I was quite apprehensive ate first, as it's been... 12 week? maybe even more, and i was really afraid that I have forgotten everything. Thankfully, it was not that bad, I have managed produce few things that have not landed in a bin. Overall quite chuffed with myself.

Po dlugiej przerwie, w koncu udalo mi sie wpasc do studia. Chyba z 3 miesiace mnie tam nie bylo, a moze nawet dluzej? Troche sie obawialam, ze wszystko zapomnialam, ale nie bylo tak zle. Udalo mi sie "popelnic" pare kawalkow, ktore nie wyladowaly w koszu.

Project Mini Eden or it's all Alys Fowler's fault!

noreply@blogger.com (5ToF) — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 13:25:00 +0000

Project Mini Eden - starting from scratch
Originally uploaded by 5ToF.

We are starting from scratch. I would like to have a mixture of vegetables, fruits, herbs and flowers in my garden, all growing in unorganised patches. And until few weeks ago, I was thinking I was being very original... until I've watched BBC's series: The Edible Garden... well, enough to say, my idea is not novel, not in the slightest.
We have tried a bit of veg and fruit growing in our back garden last year, and been well overwhelmed with the results. Not that they were that spectacular, more that we actually have grown something edible... and yummy!
Anyway... watching how fantastically Alys is using her garden made me think on the grander scale... Also, I have to say that great part in us starting from a scratch was played by one of my mates, who involuntary and I think unconsciously shamed my garden last year... thanks Satti ;)
So here we are, starting from scratch. Soil is now prepared, I just need to order the plants. And this is my pain in a backside. I know so little about gardening that’s it’s scary, but I promised myself to do it today.

My Ceramic Pieces - Penguin Parade

noreply@blogger.com (5ToF) — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 12:39:00 +0000

not really, just needed somewhere to put pics on :)

not really ;)

Smile after tough day

noreply@blogger.com (5ToF) — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 20:54:00 +0000

Star Wars go pop and homey. You just have to smile, I know you want to :D Thank you Mike Stimpson.

Ceramic Voyages - Calu Fontes

noreply@blogger.com (5ToF) — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 14:15:00 +0000

I am smitten. Utterly. Me, the patternphobe and colourphobe is absolutely, head over heels in love with the pattern crazed pieces of Calu Fontes. And here is why:
There is not much written in English about Calu Fontes, so here is a wee blurb about her from LAMA (Latin American in the Middle Age)

Starting with a youthful desire to create a “more colorful life for others,” independent Brazilian artist Calu Fontes employs a range of techniques – hand painted images, illustrations, and graphic transfers – to create truly unique ultra-colored porcelain pieces. Each item is a hand-made, one-of-a-kind creation that incorporates myriad graphics, images, and symbols inspired by the diversity of Brazil’s cultural, religious, and musical landscape. Painstakingly created one layer at a time in high temperature ovens, images get mixed with and superimposed on one another, allowing Calu to fashion any and everything that her imagination dreams up. The result: an explosion of graphics, fantastic colors, and ornate configurations that transform objects into Art. LAMA is proud to be the sole distributor of Calu Fontes’ masterful creations in the United States.

You can find more Calu Fontes pieces on her Flickr photostream. Enjoy it!

Ceramic Voyages - Ceramic Art London 2010 - A to H

noreply@blogger.com (5ToF) — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 20:32:00 +0000

Lately I hate everything I make in the studio. Even if the beginnings are promising, the end result is just... crap (pardon my French, but i am really frustrated with myself). So yet again, no update on my work.

Ceramic Art London is coming soon, so I had a peek at the exhibitors. A to H.

Duncan Ayscough - fantastic glazes. Do I really need to say more? Especially the last rounded pot seems to radiate with gold from within.

more Duncan Ayscough ceramic

Peter Beard - brilliant mix of colour and texture. I adore his sculptures. The combination of colours and the precision with which they are applied is fantastic. If I am not mistaken I have read somewhere that the effect is achieved by using silicon filler.

more Peter Beard's pieces

Matthew Chambers - his work has been fascinating me for ages. It reminds me of Chinese puzzles. Elegant, simple, yet quite complex.

more Matthew Chambers work

Ceramic Voyages - Beth Cavener Stichter

noreply@blogger.com (5ToF) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:02:00 +0000

For me Beth Cavener Stichter is a total revelation. The technique she uses is mindboggling and her pieces are technically exquisite. You just have to say WOW. This is made of clay? Nah... really? No way.

Husk, detail, 2009

Her pieces seems technically too noble for a clay. That kind of detail, that kind of elegance and expression deserve bronze or marble. But then you read up a bit on what she actually tries to say through her work and it kind of make sense.

Humiliation by Design, 2009

Beth Cavener Stichter's sculptures represent human emotions and consequences of our choices. I love that she uses animals as a subjects. There is something primal about it. Innocent, even though the subject itself can be quite sinister.

A Rush of Blood to the Head, 2009

And the cherry on the top... her sculptures are clever. Not in your face clever, but quietly and dignifiedly.

Olympia, 2006

It is really well worth it to visit Beth Cavener Stichter's website. You will also find there a slide show picturing technique she uses to create her sculptures.

Inspired - Formafantasma

noreply@blogger.com (5ToF) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:42:00 +0000

Aren't these delicious? There is something homely about them. Maybe it's their crispy rustic shapes, or maybe warm crusty browns, or wholesome homely feeling? Or maybe, just maybe, they are made out of dough? Think baking, think bread.

These pieces were created by FormaFantasma, duo of Italian designers based in Netherlands. It was a part of “Baked” collection - a commission for an exhibition presented during Dutch Design Week, on the theme “Getting Lost”. "Baked" is inspired by a Sicilian folk event in Salemi, where a flour based material is used to create architectural decorations. But for me what is even more amazing than the idea of making 'ceramics' out of a bread dough is a use of ceramics moulds to create the objects! How fab is that!

More of FormaFantasma works is available here

Ceramic Voyages - Karin Eriksson

noreply@blogger.com (5ToF) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:12:00 +0000

I am totally smitten with Karin Eriksson works. Lovely delicate lines, fabulous use of colour. My favourite is grass pattern... so delicate, so elegant.

'Stem' vases

"Signe" small grass beaker in porcelain.

More Karin's work is available here

My ceramic pieces - 2 bowls

noreply@blogger.com (5ToF) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:37:00 +0000

I have tried to make a similar bowl to the plate made by A Plate A Week .

I love the simplicity of it, although I must say that I am not happy with my results, so this bowl is a test piece. I have resprayed it hoping for clearer lines. If this will work, I think i will make a series of bowls like this, with bananas, apples, kiwi, etc. Another bowl turned to test piece. One of these days I will make something that I am happy with. The decorating technique worked this time, but I am not happy with the texture. It is way to "rough" and prominent in the areas where stems were thick and strong. Not too keen on it, although S seems to like it. I have resprayed it with four different semitranslucent glazes, to see what effect may be achieved. I will definitely redo this bowl, as the effect is brilliant.

My ceramic pieces - learning to turn

noreply@blogger.com (5ToF) — Tue, 05 May 2009 20:24:00 +0000

I've been trying my hand in turning. I've been even trying my both hands in turning. ( i know it's a lame joke, I've just could not stop myself). May I just say... I hate centring. I hate it and despise it and then hate it some more. But the rest is fun! I do not have pictures from my first session. The pictures below are from last two sessions. I am quite chuffed with myself, after three sessions I can turn by myself. I know these are not perfect. I know I have loads to learn, but still... well done silly old me!

My ceramic pieces - mish mash

noreply@blogger.com (5ToF) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 19:41:00 +0000

Surprise, surprise... I am not happy. This is not pink I have wanted, and the shading is nonexistent. On the other hand, a shape works a charm for brollies!

My lovely rhubarb forcer. The contrast between a glaze and terracotta works well. I wanted the glaze to run more, so I have sprayed extra layer of clear, but it did not work really. I need another two of those!

First attempt at nachos bowl. The olive glaze looks quite flat here, but in fact it stands out quite well. I need to work on smoother connection of two bowls. Also after speaking with Argillae, I will start to sand my work before if will go for first firing. This should eventually allow me for smooth and even edges.

And last but not least! This is what I am working on at the moment - beside learning how to turn (!) I wanted to make series of vases with wide oval base and tall necks. I have used bowls moulds, but the shapes did not work at all. So, I could either be left with 4 bowls, or totally change my concept. So here it is. It is a work in progress, so bare with me :D

My ceramic pieces - plate disaster - part 2

noreply@blogger.com (5ToF) — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 21:34:00 +0000

I give up. This mould obviously will not work. No chance in hell. It went pancake again, even though this time I made it from crank and made sure a layer is really thick. OK, I admit that my "thick" is often not thick enough, but still... a pancake?! To top that the oxides went brown... and why did they went brown?... because I have used matt instead of gloss. I am the only one in a studio that uses matt, so only my dandelion test showed that oxide with matt just do not work. So here it is, brown tacky colour instead of strong greens and blues. Great! Oh joy of ceramics!

My ceramic pieces - Umbrella stand, take 2

noreply@blogger.com (5ToF) — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 23:18:00 +0000

I had decided that my first umbrella stand was too wide and too small, so I have to make a new one. I am quite happy with it, although next time I would spend more time smoothing a crank (memo to me; wet rubber kidney works like a charm!). I have managed to smooth most of the bumps and make it quite symmetrical - and trust me, this is a huge achievement for me; for some reason me and symmetry do not go together. The tool I used to shave off extra clay, I think is usually used by builders. It looks and works as grater. I absolutely love it, the only minus is it leaves a surface quite ... rustic for better word. Nice texture really, just not what I was looking for in this project. I was hoping a spraying with white slip would help the matters, but improvement wasn't great.

So far I did not really decorate my pieces, going for more of the shape, than a colour, but now I wanted something pink. After a bit more investigation into mixing glazes - oh blessed naivety! - I had to forfeit. I will definitely want to learn more about glazing and mixing glazes, but definitely not on raspberry pink. The amount of elements that had to be prepared from scratch is just frightening. And I haven't even asked if it was a reduction or oxidation, what temperatures should apply.

Luckily my test piece turned out almost as I wanted, so I've compromised. I have used chrome oxide on white slip and then sprayed it with white gloss glaze - I have to admit, I do not remember its proper name (memo to me - ask Stephen!). I would much rather go for the matt option, but matt does not work out... or rather turns everything to brown. The thickness of the chrome mixture has no true impact on an intensity of colour.

So here it is, looking great... so far. On a second test piece I made, I have noticed, that a white gloss, needs to be quite thick or chrome will turn brownish colour. I am going to cry, if it gets ruined!

Chicken coup with a lime twist

noreply@blogger.com (5ToF) — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 01:07:00 +0000

Call me bonkers, but after a last episode of 'It's Not Easy Being Green', I am contemplating having my own chickens... in a city. I know, ever so slightly mad. I haven't even mentioned anything to C or J and there of course is a matter of aesthetics; wouldn't like a chicken coup that would take half of mine already not so big garden. So until tonight the whole idea was rather ephemeral, but then came Eglu:

and I must say, the idea of keeping chicken in my back garden suddenly became insy wincy less bonkers. One can get Eglu from Omlet for £353 or with two chickens for £388

In search of pink raspberry glaze

noreply@blogger.com (5ToF) — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 00:06:00 +0000

I am a total novice when it comes to glazes. I use what is in a studio, but tend to go for whites most often. This time however, I am in desperate need for pink. I want it to be nice and warm, kind of raspberry or raspberry and cream.

Of course there is no pink glaze in a studio. None, there is no nice red either for that matter. I am saying of course, because I noticed lately, that with me and my projects somehow things never go nice and easy.

Anyway, so I am on a mission to find pink glaze and so far I have found:

Pink Glaze Base #4
==================
WHITING.............   37.70  18.85%
FERRO FRIT 3134.....   55.80  27.90%
KAOLIN..............   35.50  17.75%
SILICA..............   50.70  25.35%
CORNWALL STONE......   20.30  10.15%
                 ========
                 200.00

 CaO  0.84* 18.29%
  MgO  0.00*  0.02%
  K2O  0.01*  0.49%
 Na2O  0.15*  3.63%
Fe2O3  0.00*  0.03%
 TiO2  0.00   0.01%
 B2O3  0.26   7.18%
Al2O3  0.24   9.70%
 SiO2  2.59  60.65%

Cost/kg  0.81
Si:Al 10.61
SiB:Al 11.69
Expan  7.23
source

35 Nepheline Syenite
15 Whiting
9 Ferro Frit 3134
10 Kentucky OM#4 Ball Clay
19 Silica
10 Tin Oxide
2 Bentonite
Total 100

ADD: Chrome oxide  0.15%
source

A: Jeannie Purple
B: Clay Times Jan/Feb. 05, based on John Hesselberth
and Ron Roy Tin/Chrome Raspberry
B: similar oxides to Rosenrot Red 1, Rosenrot Red 4,
Chrome Tin Base Raspberry Blue, Chrome Tin Base
Raspberry
B: similar oxides to Chrome Tin Base and Goodrich
Cranberry
C: 6
D: cool maximum rate to 800C hold 1 hour
E: 30 silica
E: 20 calcium carbonate
E: 18 nepheline syenite
E: 18 ball clay,OM-4
E: 14 frit,Ferro 3134
E: 3.75 tin dioxide
E: 0.60 cobalt carbonate
E: 0.20 chrome oxide
F: gloss
H: Alisa Clausen: gloss dark blue purple
source

A: Lewing Raspberry
B: Paul Lewing
C: 6
E: 27 feldspar,Custer
E: 9 kaolin,EPK
E: 21 calcium carbonate
E: 18 silica
E: 9 frit,Ferro 3134
E: 8 talc
E: 8 borate,Gerstley
F: gloss
H: Alisa Clausen: Clear, stable, shiny gloss. No
noticeable differences where double dipped. Some
crystals where especially thick under rim. Nice.
Same recipe tested with 8 Colemanite for
Gerstley Borate, no discernable difference, except
colemanite version had a very small bluish pool
in test bowl center. I think this sub. works.
source

A: Chrome Tin Base Raspberry
B: Clay Times Jan/Feb. 2005
B: similar oxides to Goodrich Cranberry, Jeannie
Purple, Rosenrot Red 4 and Rosenrot Red 1
C: 6
E: 100 Chrome Tin Base
E: 7.5 tin dioxide
E: 0.6 cobalt carbonate
E: 0.2 chrome oxide
F: gloss
source

A: Chrome Tin Base Raspberry Blue
B: similar oxides to Jeannie Purple
C: 6
E: 100 Chrome Tin Base
E: 1 cobalt carbonate
E: 0.25 iron oxide,red
F: gloss
H: Alisa Clausen: gloss blue with many variations
on a smooth lush covering with streaking and
movement. Thickened at bottom edge
but did not run.
source

Spinach Potage

noreply@blogger.com (5ToF) — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 14:23:00 +0000

My family loves this soup. Last time I've made it, a wee one had 5 mugs of it. Five! No idea where she puts it though :D The soup itself is very easy to do and quick.

2 onions, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
slash of oil
1 litre of water
2 veg stock cubes
1 ts lime jiuce
4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
250g fresh baby spinach
1 cup milk

In a saucepan heat up an oli and then add onions and garlic. Saute them for 3 minutes or until tender and translucent. Add potatoes and saute for further 5 minutes
Add water, vegeterian stock cubes and lime juice. Cover, bring to boil and simmer 10 to15 minutes or until potatoes are ready. (You can speed up this process by adding already boiling water.)
Add spinach and milk, bring it to boil and cook for further 2 minutes.
Blend a soup until creamy and serve.

Ceramic Voyages - Teco

noreply@blogger.com (5ToF) — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 21:24:00 +0000

Teco Art Pottery was created by William D. Gates, the founder of The Terra Cotta Tile Works and tntroduced to the public at the begining of the last century. Butifuly architectual and fabulously practical epitomises the principals of the Arts and Crafts Movement;
"Have nohing in your house which you do not know to be usefull, or believe to be beautiful".

I love old pieces and a new ones. Strong, fresh, very expresive, with an emphasis on shape more than on a colour or decoration.

Then:

Now:

More examples of Teco Pottery wonderfull shapes >> here