In the Studio: Transfer + Stamp + Color Amy Brummond

Appears in the Sept/Oct 2021 issue of Pottery Making Illustrated.

As a potter, I have found that my artistic voice has evolved through the use of ceramic transfers, specifically the newsprint transfers from Isla Transfers (www.islatransfers.com). When I first started using transfers, I was creating all my pieces on the wheel and then putting the transfers on each piece at the leather-hard stage. This method worked for a couple of years but the timing had to be just right, and I didn’t feel in control of the pace of my making. A few years ago, I decided to shift my making from wheel throwing to handbuilding and that’s when my personal surface design aesthetic emerged. I now handbuild all of my pieces and use damp boxes to control the pace of my making cycle. As both a mother and an artist, I find the use of damp boxes in the studio to be essential.

Forming the Blank Canvas

For me, making mugs is like eating comfort food. When the pandemic first hit, I found myself returning again and again to the mug form. When making a mug, there is a familiarity between maker and clay—like an easy conversation with an old friend.

Each mug starts as a flat, ¼-inch-thick slab from a mid-range,  red-stoneware clay body. I use a Slab Mat, instead of canvas, to roll the clay because it has some heft to it that holds its shape and supports the clay while rolling it through a slab roller. Let the slab set up for a bit—I do this on a piece of drywall. It is important to keep a close eye on the slab at this stage so that it doesn’t dry out past the point of workability. When the slab has firmed up a bit, use a yellow Mudtools rib to smooth and compress the surface of the clay on both sides.

Bringing the Design to Life

Now you have a blank canvas. It is a moment that is full of potential and possibility. I approach the slab canvas as though it is a textile or piece of fabric. I consider both pattern and texture, while also imagining a color palette that will bring the entire design to life. The first consideration, pattern, is addressed through the use of newsprint transfers in different prints and colors. After choosing a transfer print, apply it to the flat slab. Using both yellow and red ribs, make sure the entire print is transferred to the slab (1). Next, remove the transfer paper and let the freshly printed slab dry for a few minutes before moving on to the next consideration in the design process, texture.

The use of stamps in my work has evolved alongside the use of newsprint transfers. The first design that used both stamping and transfers was in my Bloom series. This surface design method used the hexagon print as a template, with texture provided from a daisy stamp from MKM Pottery Tools. I love this design and continue to explore different color combinations, with my all-time favorite being the Double Rainbow Bloom colorway. You cannot go wrong with rainbows, right?

I have since used my favorite Isla Transfer prints as templates to create my own stamps that will fit within the cells of the prints. The most common prints I use from Isla are Panal (the hexagon), Cuadriculado (the grid), and Triangulos (the triangles).

Before stamping begins, cut out mug blanks from the printed slabs that are approximately 10¾ inches long by 2¾ inches high. I can usually get five mugs from one printed slab. Stamp each slab (2) before forming the mug shapes. This is a stage when I rely heavily on my damp boxes to control the drying process. I usually roll, print, and stamp the slabs one day, and then come back to make the mugs the following day (3). I have gone away for a week or longer during different stages of the process and returned to a piece that can still be finished.

Dry the mugs upside down on a piece of upholstery foam covered with dry-cleaning plastic. Flip them during the drying process to ensure even drying, then bisque fire.

Awakening the Senses

For me, this is the stage when the piece really comes to life. Working in batches, I add color to the stamped area of each mug using Fineline precision applicators (4). I prefer the 20-gauge applicators (5), but also have an 18-gauge tip for thicker underglazes. I love playing around with different color combinations, and have a deep fondness for using all the colors of the rainbow at once. After the color has been inlaid into the stamped area of the mug, let it dry to the point where the underglaze is no longer glossy. Then, wipe away the excess underglaze (6) before moving on to the final step—glazing.

I love the look of a matching interior liner glaze and handle glaze color. I use commercial glazes and brush them on using two sizes of fan brushes. The smaller brush allows me to get into the curve of the handle without slopping glaze all over the rest of the mug surface. I leave the rest of the exterior unglazed. Once the glaze has dried, fire the mugs to cone 5 in an electric kiln.

Combining pattern, texture, and color has been an exploration in answering the question, “What happens when I do more and push an idea further?” Challenging myself to keep chasing different ideas down the rabbit holes that creativity provides has yielded the greatest artistic dividends. I invite you to do the same.

Amy Brummond is the clay/color enthusiast behind Pine Zen Pottery. She lives in Ramsey, Minnesota, with her husband and two sons. You can learn more about Amy at www.pinezenpottery.com. She can also be found @pinezenpottery on both Instagram and Facebook.