Many years ago I spent some time generating Pinterest boards to identify my artistic interests and expand my visual landscape. I have always been fascinated by pattern. Lately, I have been trying to create textured pattern on my pinched ceramic forms. I feel terribly lacking.
One source of frustration is due to my ceramic working technique. I pinch forms until leather hard. I try to get my forms as thin as glass. I like a light cup. Once the form gets to this level of delicacy it is hard to impress texture without fully changing the clean lines of the form.
I have been struggling with this for years. Many of my pieces have sgraffito. I love the look, but this process is time consuming, often taking hours for one piece. Add to that I make each piece a fully unique script-like pattern. I enjoy the meditational flow I enter into, but it is not sustainable as a production approach.
I started looking into a new approach: One that uses patterns - eliminating the fully unique aspect; one that will apply the pattern to the finished or partially finished form using molded sprigs.
In the next week or so I will post my process. I have 50 lbs of #1 plaster. I have made some hump and slump molds. I have tried making spring molds that really didn't work. I am now slowly making blanks to carve patterns into. I hope these carved plaster molds will begin a new era for me.
I will be looking through my boards to find inspiration. I hope they inspire you as well.
