About Angela
Porcelain Vessels - Artistic Thoughts and Process
My ceramic vessels are a combination of thrown, altered and hand built sections of porcelain. These sections or parts are made separately and then assembled. When the clay is leather hard I begin drawing and painting with underglazes and stains on the unfired clay.I also use many different techniques to achieve surface decoration including carving, slip trailing, mishimo, decals etc. It is ideal for the pieces to dry slowly over several days and/or weeks so the clay body drys evenly and cracks are avoided as much as possible before the first firing.
The first firing or bisque is to ^06 about 1800 degrees in an electric kiln (the bisque takes about 16 hours to fire and cool). After the vessels are bisqued the painting and drawing process continues and a final transparent glaze or several layered transparent glazes are applied. The final glaze firing is to ^6 in an electric kiln to about 2300 degrees. It takes about 20 hrs for the kiln to fire and slowly cool.
The whole process of creating porcelain forms, painting them, glazing them, filling the kilns and firing them usually takes three to six weeks. Finally, the kiln is unloaded revealing transparent glazes floating over uniquely painted porcelain forms!
By using delicate lines, visual patterns, bright colors and inventive imagery my goal is for my contemporary style to create movement and inspire attraction, much like a insect is drawn to a flower or a child to a favorite object or person. I strive to integrate form, function and surface in an exciting visual manner. As a result, it is important that the porcelain objects be touchable and functional as well as visually appealing. Almost all of my porcelain vessels are user friendly art forms and are dishwasher and microwave safe.