These are on the edges or outside the realm of bonsai and
are not for sale, but they were fun projects.
This is Francesca. Francesca is not high-fired, but rather,
a product of the raku kiln which is typical of crackle-glazes.
While still a glowing-hot babe, she was dumped into a garbage
can full of newspaper, the lid was slammed on and the can
covered with wet towels to cool things down. This procedure
provides a highly-reducing atmosphere with lots of carbon taken
up by the glaze to highlight the resulting cracks. When cool, she
was removed from the can, looking…. Well, ashen! Fine steel
wool removed her grey pallor and remaining bits of newsprint.
Why Francesca? It is a long, great story, but not quite
appropriate for this forum. Leave it that one of my class
instructors is named Frannie and she made up a great story.
Francesca
Bonsai and Kusamono Plaques
I had prepared a ceramic “Bonsai Plaque” and Young Choe happened to see
it. She was intrigued, so she came to Wilmington to join me at the pottery studio
where I make pots. We rolled various slabs of clay and imprinted them with
flowers or other natural materials. Young then did calligraphy on the moist clay
using a black iron ink we formulated. They were then bisqued and high-fired.
I think they came out quite nicely.
BONSAI: This is
the original and
the letters are
carved into the
clay.
KUSAMONO: This shows Young’s calligraphy.