Bonsai Pot - Oribe - Green Glaze with Iron Oxide Brush Painting - Height 9cm Width 30cm
The firing on December 30th, 2015 adventured into new territory. Trying new glazes and techniques and combining all in one single gas-wood firing.
Bonsai and the corresponding pots have to fit together perfectly. If they do they become a universe of themselves. Creating bonsai pots has become a passion. Now and then I venture to throw new pots often with a specific tree in mind but also often just to create a beautiful piece of ceramics that is looking for the perfect match - sometimes in the future.
Oribe was one of the things I had be ambivalent for a long time. Some ancient pieces are just beautiful other seem simple kitsch. After reading a book about the history of oribe and finding time between Christmas and New Year 2015 it gave it a try.
Here is the glaze recipe that I used to mix up Oribe derived from a formula by Donald Goldsobel:
Custer Feldspar 30.9
Whiting 22.4
Silica 25.3
Talc 7.8
EPK (Kaolin) 12.6
Coppercarbonate 5.5
The glazing is done in a way to leave large parts of the pot unglazed. These parts are ideal for brush painting using iron oxide.
The firing was started with gaz and then at ca 1100C was switched to wood. I fire all my pieces in a Phoenix kiln designed by Michael Saelzer. After 12 h the kiln reached ca 1260C and cone 11 went flat. A quick crush cooling to 1080C and closing the kiln to cool down.