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Surface Design for Ceramics (A Lark Ceramics Book) Review
If you’re looking for techniques to try as you work in clay, the recently published Surface Design for Ceramics may be just your cup of tea.
No how-to book showing how to execute someone else’s ideas, New Hampshire Institute of Art Ceramics chair Maureen Millls’ book exxposes the reader, with helpful detail, to a wide range of decorative processes. Close-up photographs show her hands at work demonstrating at every stage of making, from freshly-thrown clay, through biscuit to post-firing. Her finished pieces are fine illustrations of process. The layout of pages is balance and attractive. While the tools employed are simple, possibilities for their use are many, as are the examples of pots and details of pots showing how the effects are achieved. I found myself drawn in, wanting to know which tools and techniques were used, and in what sequence. There is plenty of explanation.
Mills’ own pieces are augmented by photos of other artists’ work, both contemporary and from historic periods. Inclusion of pieces by potters in New England, both well and lesser-known, is refreshing, as it reveals her interest in and personal connection to other people’s work and style. It’s a delight to see so many New Hampshire potters represented!
After the (too short!) chapter on design, dividing the book into clay stages is useful, as it avoids the confusion of figuring out at what stage which technique is appropriate. You can jump right in, and imagination is stimulated, not to copy, but to move through and past, to one’s own expression. Options for firing and post-firing finishing are thought-provoking, as one sees the results and can identify the methods of firing. Truly, we are being taught to make our own choices, and the possibilities are endless.
Maureen Mills’ considerable experience as a teacher informs the book. She and her husband, Steve Zoldak, are remarkable as educators. Helpful hints abound, clear and concise, never with the pedantic verbosity that has often made me turn the page to escape an author’s self-centered intrusion on process.
There is something in this book for most potters, and discreet but crucial suggestions are what intrigue me the most, such as: “It’s best to take time to visualize the finished piece before you get started.”
Surface Design for Ceramics (A Lark Ceramics Book) Overview
For ceramists of any level, surface design is an essential skill for creating beautiful work. And this comprehensive and invaluable studio reference captures all the popular techniques available for embellishing clay. A wealth of practical information and detailed images lead you through every phase of the process—from the wet and leather-hard stages (faceting, carving, burnishing) through bisque ware (terra sigillata and slip work), to firing (glazing methods) and post-firing (decals, lusters, and raku). Because the procedures shown all require the same basic skill level, readers can dip in at any point. Time-tested recipes are offered in abundance, photos of fired demonstration pieces show the final effect, and top-quality contemporary gallery pictures display the fabulous results. Sidebars throughout offer options for further exploration.
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