The Interview: |
 | About Jenna: "I am an artist and maker from Frederick, MD. My time in clay is split between sculptural and functional work inspired by patterns, textures, and forms found in an around the ocean." |
What inspires your soda-fired sculptures?
"My soda fired sculptures are a study in the growth processes and environmental effects that add patterns, shapes, and textures to natural objects. Found specimens such as sea shells and coral pieces serve as a catalysts for form and surface explorations that celebrate the inspiring intricacies of nature."
"My soda fired sculptures are a study in the growth processes and environmental effects that add patterns, shapes, and textures to natural objects. Found specimens such as sea shells and coral pieces serve as a catalysts for form and surface explorations that celebrate the inspiring intricacies of nature."
Why do you prefer a residual soda firings for your sculptures?
"Although the addition of soda can add to the textural qualities of my sculptures, and I do utilize added soda for some firings, I found that through the residual soda firings, I was able to achieve the perfect color pallet to resemble the colors found in the shell and coral pieces that I was attempting to capture. Beautiful oranges and bright pinks, the subtle hint of soda left trapped in the kiln walls, was all that was needed to bring out these colors on the porcelain clay body."
"Although the addition of soda can add to the textural qualities of my sculptures, and I do utilize added soda for some firings, I found that through the residual soda firings, I was able to achieve the perfect color pallet to resemble the colors found in the shell and coral pieces that I was attempting to capture. Beautiful oranges and bright pinks, the subtle hint of soda left trapped in the kiln walls, was all that was needed to bring out these colors on the porcelain clay body."
What clays are you using?
"I mostly use Standard 257 clay body. It’s a porcelain clay body that really captures the flashing in the residual firings in such a beautiful way. I tested many other bodies, but this one is my go-to. It also throws really well, so I can use it to create functional work that I use to help fill the kiln! In the image below, the base of this nest piece is made from the 257 porcelain, no glaze was added, and it was fired in residual soda, creating a beautifully flashed color all over. Another material I use is commercial casting slip. In the residual soda firings this clay body produces a fantastic orange flashed and opalescent surface. The casting slip is drizzled on a plaster surface, kind of like making a funnel cake! The pieces are then scraped off when stiff and create these fun little accents that I use throughout my sculptures. You can see these pieces in the piece below (the bright orange pieces)."
"I mostly use Standard 257 clay body. It’s a porcelain clay body that really captures the flashing in the residual firings in such a beautiful way. I tested many other bodies, but this one is my go-to. It also throws really well, so I can use it to create functional work that I use to help fill the kiln! In the image below, the base of this nest piece is made from the 257 porcelain, no glaze was added, and it was fired in residual soda, creating a beautifully flashed color all over. Another material I use is commercial casting slip. In the residual soda firings this clay body produces a fantastic orange flashed and opalescent surface. The casting slip is drizzled on a plaster surface, kind of like making a funnel cake! The pieces are then scraped off when stiff and create these fun little accents that I use throughout my sculptures. You can see these pieces in the piece below (the bright orange pieces)."
Could you share more info on your use of layering shino, copper read, and salt glazes?
"Although I totally love the subtle effects of the soda on the bare clay surface, I am a sucker for glaze and have done a lot of testing on the effects of glaze in the soda kiln. Having fired a gas reduction kiln in my early experiences in grad school I narrowed in on a few glazes that I really loved on my functional pottery, a shino, a celadon glaze, and a copper red. When I switched to soda I decided to try these same glazes in the soda kiln, heavily glazed, just as I would in the gas kiln. I wanted to see what they could do, so I played with application and layering, breaking some rules. What if shino wasn’t first? How would copper red look over the celadon glaze? What if I sponged on glazes. I found some really fun and exciting results this way that were giving me the colors and textures that I was looking for especially in the surfaces inspired by the different collected shells."
"Although I totally love the subtle effects of the soda on the bare clay surface, I am a sucker for glaze and have done a lot of testing on the effects of glaze in the soda kiln. Having fired a gas reduction kiln in my early experiences in grad school I narrowed in on a few glazes that I really loved on my functional pottery, a shino, a celadon glaze, and a copper red. When I switched to soda I decided to try these same glazes in the soda kiln, heavily glazed, just as I would in the gas kiln. I wanted to see what they could do, so I played with application and layering, breaking some rules. What if shino wasn’t first? How would copper red look over the celadon glaze? What if I sponged on glazes. I found some really fun and exciting results this way that were giving me the colors and textures that I was looking for especially in the surfaces inspired by the different collected shells."
What are some of the main glaze application techniques you use?
"I have a glossary of sorts of glazes/application methods that give me the results I’m looking for on a particular piece. The basic glazes I use are a shino, a copper red glaze, and a yellow salt glaze. Then I utilize a certain application technique which can produce some really unique results. For example a copper red glaze, slip trailed over a shino, or the yellow salt glaze sponged on, the shino glaze dipped then wiped away. The ability to layer and apply in different ways gave me a lot of flexibility without having to use 10 different glazes. The image below shows the yellow salt glazed poured on and then wiped away in certain areas, then thin application results in a bit of a rough texture as well as an orangey color that also reveals some of the flashed clay body."
"I have a glossary of sorts of glazes/application methods that give me the results I’m looking for on a particular piece. The basic glazes I use are a shino, a copper red glaze, and a yellow salt glaze. Then I utilize a certain application technique which can produce some really unique results. For example a copper red glaze, slip trailed over a shino, or the yellow salt glaze sponged on, the shino glaze dipped then wiped away. The ability to layer and apply in different ways gave me a lot of flexibility without having to use 10 different glazes. The image below shows the yellow salt glazed poured on and then wiped away in certain areas, then thin application results in a bit of a rough texture as well as an orangey color that also reveals some of the flashed clay body."
How frequently do you add soda into kiln to keep a consistent residual soda firing look?
"I find it’s best to have at least one or two regular soda firings in between the residual firings to allow for the depositing of new soda material inside the kiln."
Are you adding wood into your propane soda firings?
"I do add wood, but it’s a pretty light application outside of the reduction portion of the firing. When the kiln is reaching about cone 012, I begin adding some small pieces of wood to bridge into a reducing atmosphere, I ramp up the wood addition to 1 pieces every 10 minutes or so through body reduction and then I add as needed/wanted for the remainder of the firing."
"I find it’s best to have at least one or two regular soda firings in between the residual firings to allow for the depositing of new soda material inside the kiln."
Are you adding wood into your propane soda firings?
"I do add wood, but it’s a pretty light application outside of the reduction portion of the firing. When the kiln is reaching about cone 012, I begin adding some small pieces of wood to bridge into a reducing atmosphere, I ramp up the wood addition to 1 pieces every 10 minutes or so through body reduction and then I add as needed/wanted for the remainder of the firing."
What’s a typical firing schedule for your residual soda firings?
"I will start with a firing schedule that is pretty closely modeled after my experience firing a gas reduction kiln. A medium to heavy reduction period from 012 – 06 using wood and damper movement to change the levels of the atmosphere. Then I take a slow rise to cone 10! Although I’m not adding soda, I still wad all work as there is a slight depositing of soda from the walls, shelves etc."
Are you using more than one firing atmosphere (heavy soda, wood, electric) to fire your sculptures?
"My firing schedules/atmospheres are now fairly consistent. Rather than changing the firing to get the surfaces I want, I tend to change up the glaze layering and application techniques to produce the desired results, this way I can fire all the work in one firing rather than having several different firing types to produce the individual finishes."
"I will start with a firing schedule that is pretty closely modeled after my experience firing a gas reduction kiln. A medium to heavy reduction period from 012 – 06 using wood and damper movement to change the levels of the atmosphere. Then I take a slow rise to cone 10! Although I’m not adding soda, I still wad all work as there is a slight depositing of soda from the walls, shelves etc."
Are you using more than one firing atmosphere (heavy soda, wood, electric) to fire your sculptures?
"My firing schedules/atmospheres are now fairly consistent. Rather than changing the firing to get the surfaces I want, I tend to change up the glaze layering and application techniques to produce the desired results, this way I can fire all the work in one firing rather than having several different firing types to produce the individual finishes."
Are there any glaze recipes you are willing to share along with an image of what glaze looks like?
"Sure! All are ones that were shared with me or just the studio glazes at the studio I worked in. It was important for me to find glazes that were stable and readily available, so that I didn’t have to purchase special materials or have the expense of making glazes that I couldn’t use for anything but the sculptures. Some of these decisions were more economical than artistic, but the results worked!"
"Sure! All are ones that were shared with me or just the studio glazes at the studio I worked in. It was important for me to find glazes that were stable and readily available, so that I didn’t have to purchase special materials or have the expense of making glazes that I couldn’t use for anything but the sculptures. Some of these decisions were more economical than artistic, but the results worked!"
Glaze Recipes:
| Dresang Shino (Cone 10) Weight % Minspar 34.3 Australian Spodumene 29.4 Nepheline Syenite 14.7 EPK 9.8 Soda Ash 7.8 OM4 16.4 Pete’s (Pinnell) Cranberry Red (Cone 10) Weight % Custer Feldspar 73.8 Gerstley Borate 10.2 Whiting 11.1 Flint 4.9 Copper Carbonate 0.3 Tin Oxide 1 | Yellow Salt (Cone 10) Weight % Nepheline Syenite 63.9 Dolomite 21.1 Zircopax 16 OM4 4.3 Bentonite 4 Red Iron Oxide 1.12 |
Did you love this interview?
Be sure to join my Soda Fire Educational Series to keep learning more about soda firing.
Be sure to join my Soda Fire Educational Series to keep learning more about soda firing.
Round Up: 6 Bud Vases with Tulip Flower Arrangements.
Here are a collection of bud vases filled with flowers from my yard. A combination of red and white tulips, hyacinths, and mini daffodils.
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Bud vases are the best when grouped.
My favorite thing to do with bud vases is to group several of them together with flowers in them. Images below are a mix of these bud vases in different situations around the home.
Get more inspiration for floral and pottery combinations by clicking the button below.
3 Reasons I love Daffodils
1. Yellow makes me happy
2. Daffodils multiply well
3. Rodents usually avoid eating the bulbs
2. Daffodils multiply well
3. Rodents usually avoid eating the bulbs
Can you tell I'm enjoying growing my own daffodils. Did you know that historically you can identify where an old home stead was by the random growth of daffodils in the woods. The next time you spy daffodils on a hike in the wood go inspect to see if an old home foundation is there.
Lisa York Art's Ceramic + Wood piece "Arches" will be a part of the 2020 Arrowmont Instructor Exhibition.
11" x 20" x 8"
Every year Arrowmont School of Art's and Crafts Hosts an art exhibition for all faculty teaching a workshop that year. I am teaching a class on "Organic Wood Carving." During this workshop students will learn how to combine multiple pieces of wood and carve an organic shaped sculpture that holds an object. The class will focus on idea development on paper and creating an actual three-dimensional sculpture. You will gain the needed knowledge to do basic additive techniques of combining multiple pieces of wood, and subtractive methods of carving rounded shapes using a variety of hand and power tools. Prior experience using power tools is beneficial, however the class is open to all skill levels.
Stay tuned as Arrowmont will be hosting the art exhibition live online soon.
Stay tuned as Arrowmont will be hosting the art exhibition live online soon.
Find a unique pottery gift for Mother's Day!
Just a heads up. This is the last week I can ship pottery with the hope of it arriving in time for Mother's Day. I have a lot of amazing vases that you could up-level your flower gift for your mom on Mother's Day.
Find this beautiful vase and other pottery available for purchase in my Etsy store.
In addition, I will be giving a portion of my sales to Art's Wisconsin. Here is the Art's Wisconsin's "#1 job right now is to serve and advocate for creative businesses, creative sector workers, and communities in every corner of Wisconsin during the COVID-19 crisis. The CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act was signed into law on March 27, 2020. Among other provisions, the bill includes emergency funding for creative sector through National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities, expanded unemployment insurance, and SBA loans."
See all the Wisconsin's artists who are donating a portions of their sales to Art's Wisconsin's fundraiser. Click here.
In addition, I will be giving a portion of my sales to Art's Wisconsin. Here is the Art's Wisconsin's "#1 job right now is to serve and advocate for creative businesses, creative sector workers, and communities in every corner of Wisconsin during the COVID-19 crisis. The CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act was signed into law on March 27, 2020. Among other provisions, the bill includes emergency funding for creative sector through National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities, expanded unemployment insurance, and SBA loans."
See all the Wisconsin's artists who are donating a portions of their sales to Art's Wisconsin's fundraiser. Click here.
Reveal of Upper Unit
This upper duplex unit resides in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It is a 1917 Milwaukee Bungalow that was converted into a duplex. Enjoy the pictures of this upper unit. This unit is probably my favorite as it has more natural lighting. The bonus of it being an upper is that has the charm of angular ceilings, small windows, and still has some built in. In addition, we converted the unit into having an open floor plan for living and kitchen space.
Enjoy the mix of old home charm with a little bit of a modern facelift.
Enjoy the mix of old home charm with a little bit of a modern facelift.
Kitchen and Living Room
Bathroom
2 Bedrooms and Hallways
Want to see the restoration of lower unit?
A ceramic art exhibition featuring shino glazes.
Purpose of Exhibition:
"Inspired by Malcolm: A Passion for Shino remembers and honors the memory of Malcolm Davis, a man who influenced and inspired so many to listen and believe their inner hearts. After serving as a minister for twenty years, Davis’s life changed when he took his first ceramics class in 1973. But the spirit of ministering never left him. After perfecting a carbon-trapping Shino glaze, he took the unusual step of publishing the formula for public use. Recognized for his artistry and passion, Davis traveled widely teaching others about pottery. This became his new ministry.
This exhibit brings together Malcolm’s friends, family, and artists to focus on the inner question of why someone devotes themselves to something – in this case, clay."
Location:
Sandy Spring Museum
1701 Bentley Road
Sandy Spring MD, 20860
Exhibition Dates : June 10 – September 5th
Reception: TBA
"Inspired by Malcolm: A Passion for Shino remembers and honors the memory of Malcolm Davis, a man who influenced and inspired so many to listen and believe their inner hearts. After serving as a minister for twenty years, Davis’s life changed when he took his first ceramics class in 1973. But the spirit of ministering never left him. After perfecting a carbon-trapping Shino glaze, he took the unusual step of publishing the formula for public use. Recognized for his artistry and passion, Davis traveled widely teaching others about pottery. This became his new ministry.
This exhibit brings together Malcolm’s friends, family, and artists to focus on the inner question of why someone devotes themselves to something – in this case, clay."
Location:
Sandy Spring Museum
1701 Bentley Road
Sandy Spring MD, 20860
Exhibition Dates : June 10 – September 5th
Reception: TBA
Trust me you want to find out what the surprise is this next week.
Well you might guess what it is. I'm not very good at secrets.
But needless to say if you have not become a part of my online community you will want to join quick to not miss out on my next perk.
But needless to say if you have not become a part of my online community you will want to join quick to not miss out on my next perk.
Hi, I'm Lisa the artist and creator of this content.
Here on my blog I share behind the scenes, events, and activities related to my art.
Here on my blog I share behind the scenes, events, and activities related to my art.
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