"As clothes are to the human body so are glazes to pots. That clay vessels made by primitive peoples were not glazed suggests a parallel to their own familiarity with nudity, nor does it seem inappropriate that they should have had the greatest feeling for naked clay forms. With our multiplicity of clothing we have become sophisticated and ashamed of our bodies, and, in a manner no less apposite have completely covered our pots with glazes." -Bernard Leach Respond to this...Has there been a time that you chose a glaze for a bisque piece with something that didn't turn out the way you'd hoped, or that wasn't necessarily the "appropriate" finish or pallette? Describe the piece, and what you would have done differently.
What is Bernard Leach trying to say here, when he compares glazes to articles of clothing? I believe he's speaking about appreciating the simplicity of the form, and while it can remain functional, the piece is a visually appealing work of "functional" art. Thoughts?
22 Comments
Kamryne Ellis
2/23/2016 08:51:28 am
I feel as if a pot could be just as beautiful with out glaze I think that leaving a pot in bisque especially when using red clay is just as nice as a glazed pot. However I do enjoy using glazes because its a way to express your style. I also enjoy experimenting with the different glazes. As far as comparing a pot to a human body i believe that every human is beautiful no matter your shape or size and everyone should embrace there bodies but showing skin just isn't socially acceptable in our society. Just like glaze people use clothes to express themselves.
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Ms D
2/25/2016 09:28:32 am
Kamryn-
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2/28/2016 06:24:33 am
I totally agree that a peice of pottery that has no glaze can be just as beautiful as one with glaze. I think that leaving it in bisque fire is more common with red clay than white because it gives it more character. Similarly, I believe that glazes can be so expressive of how someone feels or even their sense of imagination. You have to be willing to take risks when it comes to glazing because you never know how something is going to turn out.
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Trevor Koon
3/2/2016 02:35:08 pm
There was a cylinder I did in pottery 1 that I had put purple on the outside. Turns out I didn't put enough on it when I got it after it was fired it wasn't pretty to look at. It looks as though it was barely covered. There was only a few spots where they glaze actually covered it. And when picking glazes for the piece. It's like trying to find what clothes to wear.
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Stephen Parson, Jr.
2/25/2016 05:59:53 am
When I was taking Pottery 1 I tried making a gourd shaped water vessel I had sketched. The only thing that was worse than the shape I had made was the glazing I had done on the piece. I attempted to use copper adventurine on the sides to compliment Sahara sands. I ended up with a sparkly dark brown on top of a bright yellow with black dots. It looked reeeeally bad. Now I probably would have used a test tile to see what the fired version looks like first. In reference to Leach's quote, I believe he is trying to present glazes as an expressionary tool, and not a necessity. When the first potters were making vessels, they didn't add much color. They focused more on creating a unique form for expression. Now we are able to use both form and color to make even more personal pieces.
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Ms D
2/25/2016 09:24:41 am
Thanks for sharing that Stephen. This is definitely something that every one of us has and will experience if we are risk-taking and trying out new surface textures, glazes, and alterations. Opening the lid of the kiln is both exciting and also a bit frightening- you never know what you might end up with. Good point on the "test tiles" ! This is exactly why we are taking the time to make them!
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Gabby Estevez
2/25/2016 09:23:25 am
One time I glazed my box in pottery 1 blue, and I guess I didn't put enough coats of glaze on it because it was quite transparent. I think what he's trying to say is that we, as people in the 21 century, are uncomfortable with nudity; and while comparing it to glaze he's also contributing to the fact that we are uncomfortable with leaving our pieces unglazed. While both are still beautiful without either, the level of comfort and shame associated with glaze and clothes correlates.
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averil seamster
2/25/2016 05:46:46 pm
In the past in pottery 1, i have learned that not all glazes come out the way you expect them to be, but practice makes perfect. Once you experience the mistakes, you know you don't want to do that again. Glazing is all about experiences and mistakes, whish is good because the more you practice with it the better you'll be able to understand when and which type of glaze to use in the future. I once made a bowl with carvings and used a blue glaze with only one coat and it came out very transparent. Glaze is important to show personality.
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Madison Childress
2/25/2016 06:07:12 pm
I actually have had this happen to me a lot. Especially being in pottery 1 last semester because i didn't know a whole lot. The kiln works in crazy ways you never know how things will turn out exactly. I can definitely say i'm always happier with my work before i glaze it. Like for example the first project I ever did in pottery was the pinch pot animal and I did my octopus and i painted it a dark blue and it turned out a lot darker than i intended it was almost black and I hated it. I believe what Leach was trying to say was that we as people use our clothing to decorate our bodies to become more appealing and not so "plain Jane". Just like glazes help our pottery pieces become more appealing to the eye.
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Issac Eifrid
2/26/2016 05:20:13 am
I actually just had this problem with a piece I through on the wheel. I used black ice with a hint of exotic blue which wasn't a good idea. I was hoping for the more blackish side of black ice instead I got the greenish side. But luckily you can always reglaze something so I'm going to try and get an even coat of black ice and slate. When Benard leach compares glazes and clothing he's is trying to say that you want everything to kind of flow together and blend.
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EBO
2/26/2016 05:48:34 am
The one time that I had a piece that turned out bad was my bowl. The piece was lopsided and not a bowl like what so ever. The thing I should have done differently is made it less lopsided.
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Caitlin Cary
2/26/2016 03:24:15 pm
I remember last year I made a small bowl with a flower added on the side. When it came to glazing, I chose a crystallizing glaze. It did not turn out the way I preferred because it was dark and the crystals seemed to distract from the piece itself. If I could have done something differently, then I would have used a test tile first and maybe use a more simpler glaze/color. I think this can relate to what Bernard Leach is trying to say when he compares glazes to articles of clothing. Glaze is not a necessity but more of a way to express yourself and decorate your piece. Just like how people express themselves through what they wear.
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Alejandra Ayala
2/27/2016 02:32:57 pm
I feel like a glaze can make or break a piece. It's such an important part of the process that needs to be taken seriously. I've had pieces where I don't put enough glaze on and it turns out with white spots and just doesn't look very professional. If you really take your time and work hard on it, it can really turn into something beautiful.
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Skylab Garcia
2/28/2016 06:14:18 pm
One time I glazed a mug blue and I thought it was going to be a glossy pretty blue but it came out like matte and if felt almost like metal. I think what he's saying is that everything shouldn't be glazed and things can be left the way they are and still be beautiful just like the naked human body is a beautiful thing but we like to enhance it by wearing cloths but that can sometimes cover up our beauty.
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Cat
2/29/2016 04:20:46 am
So many times I have had glazes not work the way I wanted them to. I did a bowl last semester and the glaze was matte'. Didn't like it . Covered it again with lotus blossom and that didn't work either. So last effort I covered it with black ice and it looked beautiful. Some of the crystal still shinned through. Art isn't always pretty the first time around.
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Claire Parker
2/29/2016 05:17:16 am
Bisque ware without glaze is to human without clothing. In either the state, there is beauty in it. Glaze only enhances the piece but does not change what the intentions of the original simplicity.
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Yosselyn Camacho
3/2/2016 05:19:41 am
This has happened to me a lot during the beginning. I wasn't quite sure how to use them, but I then got better with it. Even though I still mess up sometimes it can always be fixed.
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Trevor Koon
3/2/2016 02:44:53 pm
(Typing it again because I wrote it in a reply)
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Kate
3/2/2016 06:47:49 pm
Glazing is something very important and brings a lot to a piece. If a piece is left unglazed it seems as if it's missing something. However, choosing the wrong glaze or not having good craftsmanship to it can definitely take a lot away from a piece. In pottery 1 I glazed many pieces and regretted the outcome. It's very important to test glazes before applying to a piece.
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Calista Vivian
3/2/2016 07:53:34 pm
I had a majority of my 1st pottery pieces go awry. About, six of my pieces were the best I did, but the rest went bad. The glazes weren't right and they either had too much or too little.
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Britney mancuso
3/7/2016 05:11:41 am
I believe what he's trying to say is you shouldn't be ashamed of your pottery no matter how it looks. You should be proud of what you have made even though it may have flaws. I believe he also says that we shouldn't cover up our pottery with glazes and that we should have pieces that don't have glazes and that show their natural form
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Sumer jarrett
4/4/2016 05:33:21 am
One time I used a glaze that was not flattering to my pieces at all, but he's saying to not be ashamed of your pieces regardless. I think he's trying to express that all pottery is unique in its own way.
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