Code: M10
Name: Sky High Flowers
When was it made: June 2015
Weight: 267g
Width: 8cm at rim & 8.5cm at the foot Height: 8cm
Technical Data: Stoneware clay body fired to 1220C
Hyplas and local clay slip decoration
Modified Leach 1-2-3-4 glaze
with 0.5%Cobalt Oxide and 2.5% Red Iron Oxide
Platinum Lustre 740C
Time to make: Mug Body 5 minutes
Handling 10 minutes
Decoration 5 minutes
Glazing 2minutes
Lustre 5minutes
Total time 27 minutes
Story:
The glaze is like the sky on a stormy day, and it was a surprise when it came out the kiln as I hadn’t tested the glaze with these proportions of oxides. I was expecting green after using five percent iron to varying degrees of cobalt, but it works well. The darker patches of local slip always draw my eye and I wanted to make a feature of them so they would be noticed.

The work represents hours and hours of development with making and glaze chemistry. It is a mug I could enjoy sitting around my house as the winds roll off the sea, nursing a hot liquorice tea.

The handle still needs development especially if I want to leave purposeful marks with my nail.