INTRODUCTION

HUMANS LOVE TO AMAZE. It is in the nature of our species that we are continually trying to impress each other. A glance at social media will quickly illustrate this point! We also have the capacity to amaze ourselves—and this sensation never gets old. Discovering something new or achieving a goal fills us with joy and a sense of accomplishment. Pushing our limits bolsters the spirit and helps us to find more meaning in our lives. There’s not much better than that particular satisfaction: the smile, the energy, and even at times a newfound peace with the world.

This holds true in art and the realm of ceramics. In the words of potter Linda McFarling, the goal of the studio artist is to “pay homage to the history of the craft while hopefully adding something new.” Odyssey ClayWorks, the studio I run in Asheville, North Carolina, is dedicated to just this type of experience. Our workshops on glazes travel well-worn paths and blaze new ones. Some students like to focus on classic recipes and techniques, while others push out into the unknown. For proof, look no further: this book is not just filled with my work. The successes of many ClayWorks members past and present—and some of their amazing work—fueled the inspiration for this volume.

While the first book in this series, Amazing Glaze, focused on glazing technique, the goal with this second volume is different. Put simply: I want to take the workshop experience to the printed page, helping you discover new glazes and glaze combinations at different temperature ranges. In fact, I hope you’ll try new recipes and combos that get you excited to glaze, and you’ll be inspired to develop your own dynamic glaze combinations. Take that beautiful bisqueware and glaze it so it’s the talk of the town—or the envy of Instagram!

The information and insights in these pages are designed to build confidence and empower you to reach the highest levels of creative expression. Yet this is no textbook! Think of it as a pleasure cruise. Before we embark, we’ll provision ourselves by reviewing the necessary equipment and best practices in the glaze kitchen. Then we’ll set sail, learning how to test like a pro, before making ports of call through dozens of glaze recipes. The amazing combinations featured here are the best of the best, and they emerged through years of research and testing (both my own and my students’). I encourage you to disembark along the way to explore the profiles of inspiring artists, peruse the “Secret Techniques from the Odyssey Vault” throughout the book or surf through the galleries of contemporary ceramics.

Welcome aboard!

—GABRIEL KLINE

images

Gabriel Kline

..................Content has been hidden....................

You can't read the all page of ebook, please click here login for view all page.
Reset
3.238.57.9