Visited SM,s Stedelijk Museum, today as a rest. In order to leave the .ekwc, one needs a key. I’ve been working 12 - 14 hour days with powders, clay and reading art books. So, a design museum seemed like a good destination. When I arrived after a half hour walk from .ekwc, fatigue wash over me.

I took a coffee in the restaurant, done in lime green and purple. Not too restful an environment, but bold. The exhibit of emerging designers, was not too stimulating, but there was a research library. Browsing there in magazines, I found Chris Wright, who is doing amazing work with Bone China. Check out his web site – www.cone8.co.uk. Inspirational and challenging all at once.

I returned to .ekwc mind racing with possibilities. Yet, when I came back to the studio, to my 3 liters of bone china slip, a completely unfamiliar material, I began to walk more slowly; my procrastination style. Slow movement, mechanical measuring of colorants, tea breaks, anything to avoid failure in achieving imagined possibilites.

After one hour, of working the plaster surface, adjusting the water floating inside the plaster bat (make sure there is an ample set of bubbles rising from the surface before pouring slip) changing the air pressure (4psi) , timing for releasing the slipped slab ( be sure that it the surface water is gone, then wait one or two minutes – “later” seems to work better than too soon) the thickness (1mm or 1.5 mm seems to work – need to set up some sort of measuring method to release the proper portion)– and learning to lift one edge of the slab ( could one design a thin steel edge inset into the plaster surface or a longer thin metal strip) I lifted my first full slab! (only a 5 – 6” circle) ( oh, maybe the circle is a better shape than a square?) Persistence and constant fine tuning of motor skills and curiousty to understand what influences failure or success?

So, more glaze tests tomorrow morning. Marianna and I meet this morning to discuss the test so far and help me to make decisions. My mantra – KISS. She and I laughed at the end, as how I do not think it should be so easy. Just need to work out if I want to glaze the bone china. Going after a soft semi – matt transparent. I know that sounds like an oxymoron. But, clay does reflect the nuance of the maker. Ah, back to the start of this blog – Be nice to yourself, when tacking the unknown.