The audio file for this article was produced by the Ceramic Arts Network staff and not read by the author.
Ceramics have been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I learned to appreciate ceramics at a young age through the work of my great, great uncle, William Staite Murray, a founding figure of the British Studio Pottery movement. In 1939, he and his wife, Kathleen, traveled to Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) to visit their niece, my grandmother. The Second World War broke out, and, for a variety of reasons, they never returned to England. As a result, my family had a substantial collection of William Staite Murray pots and paintings, which were greatly treasured and admired, particularly by my mother. Her enthusiasm for his pots influenced me to love them too.
Developing a Love of Clay
Despite having such an illustrious relative, I had very few interactions with clay while at school and during my BFA degree. However, when I moved to London in 1996, I took the opportunity to study ceramics, enrolling in a foundational ceramics course through a community college. It was a comprehensive introduction to ceramics, but more than anything, I felt an affinity for clay that I hadn’t experienced with any other artistic medium.
My husband and I returned to live in Zimbabwe in 1998 and then moved to Sydney, Australia, in 2001. These moves, along with the birth of our children, resulted in me taking a long break from ceramics. My love of clay was rekindled when, in 2010, I again began to study ceramics, eventually completing a diploma and an advanced diploma of ceramics. I was fortunate to be taught by some of Australia’s leading ceramic artists including Barbara Campbell-Allen and Trisha Dean. After completing my studies in 2017, I set up my own studio and began to focus on making functional ceramics, using my family history as inspiration.
The pots made by William Staite Murray were a large presence in my formative years, but so too were the stitched textiles made by Kathleen Murray. My mother drew inspiration from these to create her own textiles. When I emigrated to Australia, she entrusted me with a small collection of these fabrics. Noticing how the stitches were intentionally used as a way of mark making, I began to consider if I could somehow integrate stitching into my ceramic practice. As a starting point, I decided to create my own hand-stitched samplers. This allowed me to explore the use of simple stitches as a way of making marks, first on cloth and then on clay.
My intuitive response to clay is to handbuild using coils, but the embossing technique that I developed to transfer my stitched designs onto clay slabs necessitated the development of soft-slab handbuilding skills. It has taken me many years to develop these skills and it is an ongoing process of learning.
Preparing the Slab
Every project begins with an idea that is researched and developed through drawing and painting before stitching the sampler begins. The stitched sampler is rolled onto, then removed from a clay slab to make the embossing tile. Slow drying between boards ensures that the embossing tile remains flat. Once dry, I bisque fire the embossed slab to cone 06.
Begin by rolling out a clay slab using ⅛-inch (3-mm)-thick wooden guides and then cut out the shape of the item to be made using a paper pattern, a cup in this case (1). I dampen the surface of the embossing tile with water before placing the cut slab onto it (2). Then, cover the clay with a piece of cloth (to prevent it from sticking to your fingers and lifting off the surface) (3) and press methodically over the entire surface (4). When the clay slab is lifted off the tile, the embossed stitched design is revealed (5). Due to the pressure applied during embossing, the clay slab becomes larger and must be recut to the correct size using the pattern (6). I pinch each end of the slab to thin the clay (7), ensuring an even thickness when the two ends overlap. Cut perpendicular slits where each dart will be positioned and cut one side of each dart, from the top of the slit to the edge of the slab, angling the knife blade so that the edges are beveled.
Carefully place the slab face down on the table. I run my finger along the top edge of the slab to create a soft beveled edge that will become the lip of the cup (8) and then cut an approximate 45-degree bevel along the bottom edge of the slab. Cut out the opposite side of each dart, creating V-shaped notches, again angling the blade of the knife to bevel the edge (9). The depth and width of the V-shaped notches (or darts) change the angle at which the bottom part of the cup will curve to meet the base. I mark measurements on my pattern, which must be followed accurately to achieve a symmetrical form. The darts not only help to shape the bottom of the cup, but also create the illusion of a pleat—another subtle textile reference.
Making All the Components
Before beginning to assemble the cup, I prepare all the other components needed; the foot ring (19/16 in. (4 cm) in diameter); the handle (3 15/16 in. (10 cm) long and 19/32 in. (1.5 cm) wide); and a 2-in. (5-cm)-diameter disk, cut from the same 1/8-in. (3-mm)-thick slab as the cup, that will form the base of the pleated cup.
The foot ring is made using a bisque mold created for this purpose (10). I cut the handle out using a pattern (11), then gently pull it with a wet hand to soften the edges (12), and then curl it into the desired shape (13). Cut out a disk using a cookie cutter and emboss it using the same embossing tile (see 14).
Creating the Cup
A coil-built and bisque-fired hump form determines the size and shape of the cup. Place the disk of clay on top of the form and pinch around the perimeter of the disk to thin it slightly (15), then score and add slip. Next, place the prepared slab around the form (16). The two ends, which were pinched, scored, and slipped, should overlap slightly and be pressed together to fit snugly.
Carefully apply slip to the scored beveled edges of the darts (17). Fold down each section to join with the disk of clay, forming a pleat. I soften the edge of each pleat with my finger (18).
Adding the Foot Ring
The foot ring is added next over the join between the disk and the wall of the cup. I allow the cup to firm up slightly before removing it from the form, and, using my fingertip, push the clay outward from the inside of the cup (19). This gives the cup a fuller, more voluminous appearance while simultaneously smoothing the joins inside the cup, and is repeated several times during the making process. This process needs to be done sensitively to ensure that the form is not distorted and that the clay does not crack.
Rest the cup upside down on top of a slightly larger form. This ensures that the rim remains circular during the making process.
Attaching the Handle
When both the cup and the handle are leather hard, attach the handle. Use a circular cookie cutter to cut the bottom edge of the handle, shaping it to fit onto the curved body of the cup (20). Trim and refine the top curl of the handle so that it does not impede the fingers from gripping the handle comfortably. Score and slip both the handle and the area where it will join the cup before attaching (21, 22). I check that it is sitting in the correct position by viewing from different angles, including from above. Add small coils to strengthen the bottom attachment area (23).
Finishing Touches and Decoration
When the cup is almost dry, scrape the inside surface with a metal kidney to create a smooth curve (24, 25).
Mono-printing and dry-brushing techniques help to reveal and enhance the low relief of the stitched patterns transferred to the clay slab at the start of the process. I sometimes use diluted oxide or underglaze washes to add color and to illuminate the texture of the fabric itself, which, along with the stitching, is imprinted in the clay. I use a limited selection of glazes, which includes a commercially available clear glaze and two signature glazes developed through glaze workshops. Limiting my range of glazes has allowed me to fully explore how slips, oxides, and underglazes can be utilized to add variety and interest. Finally, I fire my work to cone 6 in an electric kiln (26).
the author Clare Unger grew up in a small rural community in Zimbabwe and now works from her home studio in Sydney, Australia. Her work has developed from a love of ceramics and textiles, both of which continue to be a source of inspiration in the development of her processes and practice. To learn more, visit www.clareungerceramics.comor Instagram @clare_unger.
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The audio file for this article was produced by the Ceramic Arts Network staff and not read by the author.
Ceramics have been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I learned to appreciate ceramics at a young age through the work of my great, great uncle, William Staite Murray, a founding figure of the British Studio Pottery movement. In 1939, he and his wife, Kathleen, traveled to Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) to visit their niece, my grandmother. The Second World War broke out, and, for a variety of reasons, they never returned to England. As a result, my family had a substantial collection of William Staite Murray pots and paintings, which were greatly treasured and admired, particularly by my mother. Her enthusiasm for his pots influenced me to love them too.
Developing a Love of Clay
Despite having such an illustrious relative, I had very few interactions with clay while at school and during my BFA degree. However, when I moved to London in 1996, I took the opportunity to study ceramics, enrolling in a foundational ceramics course through a community college. It was a comprehensive introduction to ceramics, but more than anything, I felt an affinity for clay that I hadn’t experienced with any other artistic medium.
My husband and I returned to live in Zimbabwe in 1998 and then moved to Sydney, Australia, in 2001. These moves, along with the birth of our children, resulted in me taking a long break from ceramics. My love of clay was rekindled when, in 2010, I again began to study ceramics, eventually completing a diploma and an advanced diploma of ceramics. I was fortunate to be taught by some of Australia’s leading ceramic artists including Barbara Campbell-Allen and Trisha Dean. After completing my studies in 2017, I set up my own studio and began to focus on making functional ceramics, using my family history as inspiration.
The pots made by William Staite Murray were a large presence in my formative years, but so too were the stitched textiles made by Kathleen Murray. My mother drew inspiration from these to create her own textiles. When I emigrated to Australia, she entrusted me with a small collection of these fabrics. Noticing how the stitches were intentionally used as a way of mark making, I began to consider if I could somehow integrate stitching into my ceramic practice. As a starting point, I decided to create my own hand-stitched samplers. This allowed me to explore the use of simple stitches as a way of making marks, first on cloth and then on clay.
My intuitive response to clay is to handbuild using coils, but the embossing technique that I developed to transfer my stitched designs onto clay slabs necessitated the development of soft-slab handbuilding skills. It has taken me many years to develop these skills and it is an ongoing process of learning.
Preparing the Slab
Every project begins with an idea that is researched and developed through drawing and painting before stitching the sampler begins. The stitched sampler is rolled onto, then removed from a clay slab to make the embossing tile. Slow drying between boards ensures that the embossing tile remains flat. Once dry, I bisque fire the embossed slab to cone 06.
Begin by rolling out a clay slab using ⅛-inch (3-mm)-thick wooden guides and then cut out the shape of the item to be made using a paper pattern, a cup in this case (1). I dampen the surface of the embossing tile with water before placing the cut slab onto it (2). Then, cover the clay with a piece of cloth (to prevent it from sticking to your fingers and lifting off the surface) (3) and press methodically over the entire surface (4). When the clay slab is lifted off the tile, the embossed stitched design is revealed (5). Due to the pressure applied during embossing, the clay slab becomes larger and must be recut to the correct size using the pattern (6). I pinch each end of the slab to thin the clay (7), ensuring an even thickness when the two ends overlap. Cut perpendicular slits where each dart will be positioned and cut one side of each dart, from the top of the slit to the edge of the slab, angling the knife blade so that the edges are beveled.
Carefully place the slab face down on the table. I run my finger along the top edge of the slab to create a soft beveled edge that will become the lip of the cup (8) and then cut an approximate 45-degree bevel along the bottom edge of the slab. Cut out the opposite side of each dart, creating V-shaped notches, again angling the blade of the knife to bevel the edge (9). The depth and width of the V-shaped notches (or darts) change the angle at which the bottom part of the cup will curve to meet the base. I mark measurements on my pattern, which must be followed accurately to achieve a symmetrical form. The darts not only help to shape the bottom of the cup, but also create the illusion of a pleat—another subtle textile reference.
Making All the Components
Before beginning to assemble the cup, I prepare all the other components needed; the foot ring (19/16 in. (4 cm) in diameter); the handle (3 15/16 in. (10 cm) long and 19/32 in. (1.5 cm) wide); and a 2-in. (5-cm)-diameter disk, cut from the same 1/8-in. (3-mm)-thick slab as the cup, that will form the base of the pleated cup.
The foot ring is made using a bisque mold created for this purpose (10). I cut the handle out using a pattern (11), then gently pull it with a wet hand to soften the edges (12), and then curl it into the desired shape (13). Cut out a disk using a cookie cutter and emboss it using the same embossing tile (see 14).
Creating the Cup
A coil-built and bisque-fired hump form determines the size and shape of the cup. Place the disk of clay on top of the form and pinch around the perimeter of the disk to thin it slightly (15), then score and add slip. Next, place the prepared slab around the form (16). The two ends, which were pinched, scored, and slipped, should overlap slightly and be pressed together to fit snugly.
Carefully apply slip to the scored beveled edges of the darts (17). Fold down each section to join with the disk of clay, forming a pleat. I soften the edge of each pleat with my finger (18).
Adding the Foot Ring
The foot ring is added next over the join between the disk and the wall of the cup. I allow the cup to firm up slightly before removing it from the form, and, using my fingertip, push the clay outward from the inside of the cup (19). This gives the cup a fuller, more voluminous appearance while simultaneously smoothing the joins inside the cup, and is repeated several times during the making process. This process needs to be done sensitively to ensure that the form is not distorted and that the clay does not crack.
Rest the cup upside down on top of a slightly larger form. This ensures that the rim remains circular during the making process.
Attaching the Handle
When both the cup and the handle are leather hard, attach the handle. Use a circular cookie cutter to cut the bottom edge of the handle, shaping it to fit onto the curved body of the cup (20). Trim and refine the top curl of the handle so that it does not impede the fingers from gripping the handle comfortably. Score and slip both the handle and the area where it will join the cup before attaching (21, 22). I check that it is sitting in the correct position by viewing from different angles, including from above. Add small coils to strengthen the bottom attachment area (23).
Finishing Touches and Decoration
When the cup is almost dry, scrape the inside surface with a metal kidney to create a smooth curve (24, 25).
Mono-printing and dry-brushing techniques help to reveal and enhance the low relief of the stitched patterns transferred to the clay slab at the start of the process. I sometimes use diluted oxide or underglaze washes to add color and to illuminate the texture of the fabric itself, which, along with the stitching, is imprinted in the clay. I use a limited selection of glazes, which includes a commercially available clear glaze and two signature glazes developed through glaze workshops. Limiting my range of glazes has allowed me to fully explore how slips, oxides, and underglazes can be utilized to add variety and interest. Finally, I fire my work to cone 6 in an electric kiln (26).
the author Clare Unger grew up in a small rural community in Zimbabwe and now works from her home studio in Sydney, Australia. Her work has developed from a love of ceramics and textiles, both of which continue to be a source of inspiration in the development of her processes and practice. To learn more, visit www.clareungerceramics.com or Instagram @clare_unger.
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