Sawdust and Dirt

Can You Handle?

2019-04-20T14:24:00.001-04:00

Jim Malone

2019-01-04T11:31:00.000-05:00

I love listening to potters articulating their motivations for making the work they make. This is a favorite interview/film made by Goldmark Gallery of Jim Malone. Here is the caption from the video,

Jim Malone lives and works in the beautiful and remote Cumbrian countryside. Our film provides a rare insight into the working life of one of Britain's most respected potters. Malone talks about his throwing and glazing techniques as well as the decorating of pots in the traditional Korean style (Hakeme). he fires alone over a 24 hour period.

Tile Love

2018-11-30T22:53:00.002-05:00

Stoneware tiles stamped and inlaid with porcelain in progress

Can't Stop, Won't Stop: But I have to...

2018-11-30T16:03:00.000-05:00

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Carving and stamping tonight. After a few weeks of potting, it’s time to stop making and fire the kiln. But it’s at EXACTLY this moment when I wish I could just keep making because the momentum has finally built. But paradoxically, it’s probably precisely because of this deadline that I am engaged in the process....Ceramics.

A post shared by Michael Kline (@klineola) on Nov 29, 2018 at 8:46pm PST

Washing Mugs on a Monday

2018-11-26T16:24:00.000-05:00

Handles by Florian Gadsby

2018-11-17T23:19:00.000-05:00

I don't make handles exactly like this, but I might try to modify on the next batch of mugs for my HOLIDAY SALE ONLINE! 12/10/18 ;-)

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@floriangadsby

A post shared by Instagram Pottery Videos (@pottery_videos) on May 9, 2018 at 1:17pm PDT

Plate Slide Show

2018-11-15T02:00:00.000-05:00

Here’s a sampling of my favorite plates from firing No. 20. click the arrows to see all of the plates. Plates are definitely my favorite shapes to make and these were really fun. The painting was challenging on some of these new perimeters, but exciting to try patterns. I’m super grateful that they successfully survived some major explosions just a couple of shelves up.

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A post shared by Michael Kline (@klineola) on Oct 11, 2018 at 10:27pm PDT

Buncheon Breakdown

2018-11-15T01:08:00.001-05:00

Finally a definitive explanation of the specific techniques under the Buncheong umbrella. Thank you Huh Sangwook and Moon Yujin.

from Huh Sangwook website:

WHAT IS BUNCHEONG
Buncheong and Techniques

The word Buncheong is short for bunjang-hoecheong, which is the Korean for decorated celadon. Ko Yu-seop coined this word to denote the type of Korean ceramics that takes on a grayish-green color on the body after glazing and firing, overlaid with white through the application of white-clay slip. It is the variations in decoration according to the white slip technique that characterizes the Buncheong style. As for the clay and the glaze, they are basically a continuation of celadon, but the clay body for Buncheong has a lower iron content than celadon clay, making Buncheong brighter in colour. Variations in the making process from region to region and in different periods were also factors in the diversification of Buncheong as a style.

At the end of the fourteenth century, the quality of Goryeo celadon was decreasing due to its production in large quantities and its commercialization. The transition from the Goryeo dynasty to the Joseon dynasty precipitated some changes in style, and new technical trends became apparent in the production of celadon. Then, improved quality in materials, aesthetics and decoration techniques, brought about a definitive change in Goryeo celadon. Buncheong evolved in this context, and that is why all its elements belong to Goryeo celadon. Although Buncheong is essentially made with the same clay and glazes and decorated with the same techniques, its forms and expressions are still quite distinct from Goryeo celadon. In particular, the method of applying white clay as slip is what separates Buncheong into two broad categories. More precisely, depending on the representation techniques used, Buncheong can be classified into seven types.

The first category, called Sanggam Buncheong, is made by applying intaglio before the clay dries then inlaying with white clay. There are two types in this category: one is simply called the Sanggam type, and the other one is the Inhwa type. Some of the Sanggam (inlaid) type is considered to be in the Joseon style, and is not clearly distinguishable from later Goryeo celadon. The Sanggam type Buncheong from the Joseon period, on the other hand, is inlaid with shapes rather than lines, has new motifs as decoration, and the inlaid area shows the tendency of becoming larger than on Goryeo celadon.

Inhwa (‘stamping’, in this case the stamping of floral motifs) Buncheong, is different from the Sanggam type in the way that its intaglios are carved using a different technique. Using a stamp to carve motifs required much less effort than the Sanggam technique in which every single motif had to be carefully carved one by one. Inhwa Buncheong could be produced in large quantities, and therefore it is considered pivotal in the researches on Buncheong ware production of that period. Some Inhwa Buncheong was produced mainly to supply the royal family or the upper class, with its production controlled and supervised directly by a governmental institution, and the potter’s name added to the vessel. Consequently, the quality and shape of inhwa Buncheong was kept uniform throughout the country without having local characteristics, in contrast to the other types of Buncheong.

The other category, Bunjang Buncheong creates an expressive effect with decorative motifs through the application of white-clay slip on the surface of the body, or applying slip to the whole piece. A kind of reversed Sanggam technique, Bakji (sgraffito) is applying white-clay slip to the entire surface, usually with a brush, then scraping out the clay inside of the intended design. This delivers a contrast between the clay body and the slipped white clay. Bakji Buncheong can be considered to be related with Cizhou ware because of their technical similarity, but it would be more logical to understand it as being naturally conceived through the shape-sanggam technique. Johwa (incised) Buncheong is also called Sunhwa (lined intaglio), because its motifs are incised lines. It was usually applied with Bakji techniques, and was popularly produced in Jeolla Province, the southwestern region of the Korean peninsula, in the late fifteenth century. Cheolhwa (underglaze iron-brown) Buncheong involves brush-painted designs with red clay containing iron, and is also called Gyerongsan Buncheong because it was mainly produced around Gyerong Mountain, close to Gongju City. It was produced from the late fifteenth century to the early sixteenth, with the brush painting technique acquired from the blue-white porcelain that was being largely produced in the region of Gwanju in Gyeonggi Province. But the aesthetics of the painting on Cheolhwa is so different from that of the blue-white porcelain decorated by professional painters at the royal kiln, with an impression closer to modern taste. Guiyal(brushing) Buncheong is decorated only with white-clay slip applied with a ‘guiyal’, which is a big brush-like tool. It is the expression of brush texture which characterizes Guiyal Buncheong. Dumbeong(dipping, plop) is a Korean onomatopoeic word to represent the sound made when something touches a liquid before dropping into it. Dumbeong Buncheong is made with a dipping technique to apply slip to the inside and the outside of the vessel at the same time by holding its bottom and soaking it upside-down in the slip. So, usually the bottom part of many Dumbeong Buncheong stays uncovered with white. In the last phase of the Joseon Buncheong which had been emulating the white of the Joseon white porcelain, Guiyal and Dumbeong Buncheong also were produced mostly in Jeolla Province in the sixteenth century.

~Extracts from "Dialogue & Becoming : Buncheong, Celadon Adorned" (writtenhands, 2011), an introductory book to Buncheong ceramics by Moon Yujin

Huh Sangwook painting large handbuilt forms

Does This Bowl Hold Water?

2018-11-14T13:46:00.000-05:00

I'm sharing this essay by Bryan Hopkins that was shared on Facebook by Adam Field. Bryan describes the hoops craftspeople jump through when they and their work is on exhibit.

Huh Sangwook: Staccato

2018-11-14T10:41:00.000-05:00

Huh Sangwook - Still Life - 2016

I found the beautiful pottery by Huh Sangwook today. Click on the image above to see more!

Return of the Pitcher

2018-11-14T02:00:00.000-05:00

Pitchers have been absent from my production for quite a while. I’m happy to make a new generation and more will be on the way. Here are a couple from the last firing. The first has a black wax resist, while the second has black wax as well as “clear” wax. Can you see? See a previous #whip post. Do you like one more than the other? Let me know. Thanks!

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A post shared by Michael Kline (@klineola) on Oct 15, 2018 at 11:33am PDT

Korean Pottery Influence: Jar

2018-11-13T20:07:00.000-05:00

I'm so excited to have been exposed to Korean pottery at the Freer Sackler Gallery a few years ago. It has rejuvenated my curiosity and given me a new lease with my brushwork. Here is a covered jar thrown in one piece and then cut in this eccentric way. I hope you like it. It's such a satisfying process.

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Covered Jar. 6” (15cm) thrown as a closed form. Maybe one of my favorite pieces from my recent firing. #potteryonthehill2018 # #Koreanpotteryinfluence #mishima #sanggam #opasanggamstyle #керамика #seramikler #keraamika #kulolchilik #кераміка #seramik #cerámica #cerámica #clay #inlay #krukmakare #kastruller #takesforfrigginever

A post shared by Michael Kline (@klineola) on Nov 1, 2018 at 9:41pm PDT

Stacked View

2018-11-13T11:34:00.000-05:00

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As I carried this random stack of pots up from the kiln, I noticed how lovely they are just stacked up showing their edges. I’ll be bringing these to Washington DC this weekend for the pottery on the hill show at the Hill Center. Details on my events page on klinepottery.com I hope to see you there! I will try to share a few more pieces from the most recent firing in the coming days. #potteryonthehill2018 #Koreanpotteryinfluence #mishima #sanggam #opasanggamstyle #керамика #seramikler #keraamika #kulolchilik #кераміка #seramik #cerámica #cerámica #clay #inlay #krukmakare #kastruller #takesforfrigginever

A post shared by Michael Kline (@klineola) on Oct 31, 2018 at 2:04pm PDT

Inlay Mug

2018-10-31T11:34:00.000-04:00

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Only 2 of these for the opening Gala at the Hill Center in Washington DC Friday Nov 2. As of this posting there are still tickets available. Link in my profile. I hope to see you there. . . #potteryonthehill2018 #Koreanpotteryinfluence #mishima #sanggam #opasanggamstyle #керамика #seramikler #keraamika #kulolchilik #кераміка #seramik #cerámica #cerámica #clay #inlay #krukmakare #kastruller #takesforfrigginever

A post shared by Michael Kline (@klineola) on Oct 31, 2018 at 3:43pm PDT

4 square

2018-10-26T03:12:00.001-04:00

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✨playing with sets✨as I wait for a bisque kiln to finish. I’m super excited for the possibilities. Loading the soda kiln for the 2nd time this month! My apprentice Joel Willson (@joelwillsonpottery) and I have been really busy and we’re looking forward to our trip to the Pottery on the Hill Show in DC next week! . #klineolapprenticeship #potteryonthehill2018 #wip #pattern #brushwork #painting #rawglaze #play

A post shared by Michael Kline (@klineola) on Oct 25, 2018 at 11:02pm PDT

New Direction

2018-10-23T19:12:00.001-04:00

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<<<Unfired Dish>>> I really like where this is going and wanted to share my excitement with you. (Even though the kiln still has its say this coming weekend) 🔥😉🤞🔥thanks to @joelwillsonpottery for the assist. . #klineolapprenticeship #Koreanpotteryinfluence #mishima #sanggam #opasanggamstyle @klineola #керамика #seramikler #keraamika #kulolchilik #кераміка #seramik #cerámica #cerámica #clay #inlay #krukmakare #kastruller #takesforfrigginever @bluespiral1 #potteryonthehill2018

A post shared by Michael Kline (@klineola) on Oct 23, 2018 at 3:02pm PDT

The Marks Project

2018-10-22T00:30:00.000-04:00

Here's a video made by the Mark's Project explaining a chronology of my work by the way the pieces are signed. If you go to my page on their web site, you can see other ways I have "marked" my pieces over the years, as well as hundreds of other makers. It's quite a wonderful thing!

Remember Periscope?

2018-10-21T22:26:00.001-04:00

Here's a video of moi making a two part jug, originally recorded on 02/29/2016. Watch what you will, skip ahead if you need, but subscribe to my youtube channel (or my periscope)because you want to support what I do and see how I do, right? Thanks in advance!

Random Guy Makes Clay From Back Yard!

2018-10-20T18:18:00.000-04:00

Michelle Erickson Puzzling

2018-10-20T14:17:00.004-04:00

New Roulette, New Pattern

2018-10-19T21:12:00.001-04:00

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✨New roller✨made this new inlay pattern. #wip What do you see? #potteryonthehill2018 #Koreanpotteryinfluence #mishima #sanggam #opasanggamstyle #керамика #seramikler #keraamika #kulolchilik #кераміка #seramik #cerámica #cerámica #clay #inlay #krukmakare #kastruller #takesforfrigginever

A post shared by Michael Kline (@klineola) on Oct 19, 2018 at 5:33pm PDT

For Now, Both

2018-10-16T21:50:00.002-04:00

One of the most difficult balances in my studio these days is whether to make work with porcelain inlay or my standard ware. The inlay takes a lot of a very specific focus and its evolution is very slow and time is a real consideration. The painted tableware is familiar and I fill up the table with thrown wares. It's actually a perfect counter to the slow pace and intense focus of the inlay. If I were to just make one or just the other I may not feel fulfilled, so I do both to feel balance.

This past weekend, though, I felt that I was doing the body of work a disservice by showing them together as in this picture. So next time I make try to display them in a different way. I know it's hard to see my arrangement from this narrow view of my overall display, but what do you think? ANY advice will be taken into consideration! 😊😚

Thanks for your input!

Pitcher? Jug?

2018-10-15T15:26:00.001-04:00

pitchers and other forms after wax resist brushwork and glazing

wax resist with pigment

regular wax resist and wax resist with pigment

Spruce Pine or BUST!

2018-10-12T22:07:00.000-04:00

The pottery has been whisked away to the lovely town of Spruce Pine for this weekend's 12th Annual Potters Market. 30 potters from Mitchell and Yancey Counties here in NC organize and operate this major ceramiganza. Hope to see y'uns this weekend!

Here are a few plates that will be on display.

Favorites? comment below. Let me know you're out there! ;-)

Pitcher! Rabbit! Win Win!

2018-10-11T23:59:00.000-04:00

And now, on a more successful note, some winners!

detail of inlay and painted ramen bowl

winning pitcher: firing 20