Dream Pot series

This is the process of how I make what I call my Dream Pots.  A little history; they are inspired by a dream I had one night several years ago.  It was so vivid and when I woke up I had to make a sketch.  As you can see I have to start with a "structure" for the clay.  Long slabs of clay are rolled out and draped over a balloon resting in a large cardboard tube.  I wrapped some bubble wrap to give it more dimension.

I use my slab roller to roll out the clay.  The slabs are very heavy and when I drape them over the balloon, they will fold and the ends will sometimes tear a little but that just adds to the organic look of this pot.  I will come back when all the slabs are positioned and "help" them a little with the folding and tearing.  I like the raw edge the tearing gives the slabs. Very irregular!

Thick slabs of clay rolled with a textured rolling pin for a swirly design.  This is 3 slabs so far.

4 slabs

A total of 6 slabs and an added base.  This is getting pretty dry and is very fragile at this stage.  It was bisque fired to cone 04.  It's so big it took up half the kiln.

After the bisque fire, it was a little less fragile but still hard to handle.  It's really heavy! I had to pour the glaze over it as it was sitting in a shallow pan.

The inside has a nice pool of blue color at the bottom and blue drips down the side over a pale milky green.  The tans of the clay show through the glaze.

I think it is gorgeous!  It's about 15" tall and wide.  I can visualize it sitting in someone's home maybe in a foyer on a table as a great display piece.

This will be Dream Pot #8.  We've decided that numbering will be a nice touch.  This is destined to go to my favorite gallery, Genuine Georgia in Greensboro, Ga.  She had the last one for less than a day before it sold!  I will be making more as I get the right kind of clay collected.  I use all the scraps of white, tan and brown clay that I use all mashed up together.  This makes the pots be different every time. It takes about 25 lbs of clay.

I hope you enjoyed the tour and the insight into one of my more diffucult processes.